Exquisite Tarte Bourdaloue Recipe

Difficulty:

3/5

Serves:

4 PEOPLE

Prep Time:

60 minutes

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Tarte Bourdaloue Recipe

This Tarte Bourdaloue recipe combines tender spiced poached pears, rich almond cream, and a crisp homemade pastry shell to create a timeless French dessert. Featured on Dinner in Paris, host Romain Avril builds the tart from three distinctive components: fragrant pears simmered with lemon and warm spices, buttery almond pastry, and a soft almond filling flavored with vanilla. Once baked, the pears settle beautifully into the almond cream, creating an elegant tart with contrasting textures and classic French character.

The Inspiration

Tarte Bourdaloue is a traditional French pear and almond tart recognized for its elegant arrangement of sliced poached pears over a rich almond filling. The combination is both refined and comforting, bringing together buttery pastry, tender fruit, and the naturally nutty flavor of almonds.

In Dinner in Paris, Romain Avril prepares each component separately before assembling the finished tart. The pears are poached first so they become tender and absorb the aromas of lemon, cinnamon, star anise, and cloves.

For anyone interested in traditional French baking, Tarte Bourdaloue offers a rewarding combination of pastry-making, fruit poaching, and almond cream preparation. Each component is approachable on its own, while the finished tart delivers the refined appearance expected from a classic French dessert.

Ingredients

For Pastry

200 g (1½ cups) flour
50 g (1/2 cup) almond meal
110 g (1/2 cup) butter, cold and grated
50 g (¼ cup) icing sugar
1 egg, beaten
Cold water, to adjust texture

For Filling

100 g (¾ cup) almond flour
100 g (½ cup) sugar
110 g (1/2 cup) butter
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

For Poached Pears

3 pears, peeled, cored and halved
1 litre of water
50 g (1/4 cup) sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
4 cloves

Method

Poach pears. Bring water, sugar, lemon and spices to a boil in a pot over high heat. As soon as it is boiling and the sugar has dissolved, turn heat down to medium and keep at a gentle simmer. Place pear halves in the simmering liquid. Cook for 12-15 minutes. Remove gently from the water and place on a paper towel lined tray. Chill completely in the refrigerator.
Using a dough cutter and a mixing bowl, combine flour, almond meal, butter, and icing sugar. Add egg and bring dough together. If the dough is too crumbly, add small amounts of cold water until it comes together nicely. Shape into a disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Prepare filling. Cream butter and sugar until pale yellow. Add eggs, vanilla and beat until light and fluffy. Fold in almond flour.
Assemble the tart. Roll dough out until it is 3-4 mm in thickness. Line a tart pan with parchment paper and butter the sides. Place the rolled out pastry in the tart pan and cut away the excess dough. Spread the filling in the tart evenly. Slice the pears crosswise and nestle them in the filling so they still resemble the shape of a pear.
Bake at 180°C / 350°F for 35–40 minutes or until nicely set. Cool slightly before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

For a classic presentation, serve each slice slightly warm or at room temperature on a simple dessert plate. The buttery pastry and rich almond filling are especially enjoyable when the tart has cooled enough to set but has not become completely cold.

For a slightly more indulgent dessert, serve the tart with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. The vanilla pairs naturally with the almond filling while the cool ice cream contrasts beautifully with a slightly warm slice of tart.

Tarte Bourdaloue pairs particularly well with coffee, espresso, or tea. The mild bitterness of coffee balances the sweetness of the almond cream, while tea allows the spiced pear notes to remain prominent.

Final Thoughts

This Tarte Bourdaloue recipe brings together several classic French pastry techniques in one elegant dessert. Homemade almond pastry forms a crisp shell, while rich almond cream provides a soft and flavorful base for fragrant poached pears.

Find more recipes from Dinner in Paris here!