Pastry chef Lindsey Shere made this amazing almond tart a house specialty decades ago at the famous Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley, California. We’ve tweaked and improved the original recipe. It seems simple but the method is finicky but it’s worth it for the crunchy, cookie-like taste and texture.
It is important to use a standard 9-inch/23-cm tart fluted pan with a removable bottom for this. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper or the tart will stick. Some tart fluted pans are a matte dark grey or brown and some are shiny silver; the darker the pan, the shorter the bake time so pay attention to the range of baking times.
Take the butter for the pastry out of the fridge before you start measuring other ingredients and preparing the pan – by the time you are ready to make the pastry, the butter will be the right temperature. The pastry is prone to crack while it blind-bakes, so be sure to save a bit of the pastry dough as instructed, to fill in cracks later.
¾ cup 35% whipping cream
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp Grand Marnier liqueur
2 drops almond extract
1 cup sliced almonds
Tart Shell:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp granulated sugar
¼ tsp salt
½ cup unsalted butter, but not too cold
1 tbsp cold water
½ tsp vanilla extract
3 drops almond extract
Tart Shell: In bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Cut butter into slices; scatter them over flour mixture. Using hand pastry blender or a food processor, blend butter in until mixture is consistency of coarse cornmeal and is beginning to hold together.
In small bowl, stir together water, vanilla and almond extract; drizzle over flour mixture. Using pastry blender or food processor, work into mixture just until blended and pastry holds together when pressed. Gather pastry into a ball; wrap in plastic wrap. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Grease 9-inch/23-cm fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Line bottom with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 375F.
Keep 1 tablespoon of the pastry for patching. Use the remaining pastry to press into the bottom and 1-inch/2.5 cm up the sides of the prepared pan. Pastry layer will be thin. Transfer to the freezer for 30 minutes
Bake tart shell for 17 to 22 minutes or until pale golden brown all over.
Meanwhile, in large saucepan, stir together cream, sugar, liqueur and almond extract. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove saucepan from heat, stir in almonds and let stand about 15 minutes.
When tart shell is baked, place it on a wire rack, leaving oven on. Patch the cracks, if necessary, with reserved pastry. Fill the still-warm pastry shell with still-warm filling. Push almonds with a spatula into an even layer. In the oven, place a foil-lined (dull side up) cookie sheet under the tart in case the tart bubbles over. Bake in centre of oven 32 to 35 minutes or until top is rich caramel colour. (I baked it for 35 minutes).
Cool on rack for 5 minutes, loosening side of the pan slightly every minute or so, or until filling is set. Remove sides of pan; return tart to wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. (If you remove side of pan too soon, the side of pastry may fall off the tart; too late and the tart may stick to the side of the pan.)
While tart is still warm, carefully slide a thin knife or offset pastry spatula between pastry and pan; slide tart off bottom of pan and return to wire rack to finish cooling.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
