A delicious filling for any cake or tart.

Learn how to make a French style almond cream by hand, a perfect filling for any cake or tart. This almond cream is not be mistaken for crème frangipane which contains pastry cream.

INGREDIENTS

Enough to fill a 26 cm to 28 cm tart pan (around 10 inches)

• 100 grams (3.52 oz) softened unsalted butter

• 100 grams (3.52 oz) powdered sugar (icing sugar)

• 100 grams (3.52 oz) eggs (2 eggs)

• 100 grams (3.52 oz) almond meal (ground almond)

• 15 grams (0.5 oz) flour

• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence or rum

• 1 drop of almond essence

• Maple syrup for glazing

NOTES

• All the ingredients, including the eggs, MUST be at room temperature.

• Pears must be poached in syrup.

PROCEDURE

1. Prepare a tart base and the heat oven to 200 °C (396 °F).

2. Bring butter and eggs to room temperature.

3. Whisk the butter in a bowl until a soft consistency.

4. Add the icing sugar and continue whisking (vigorously) until the mixture is creamy.

5. Add the eggs and again whisk vigorously until well emulsified.

6. Add the almond meal, vanilla essence and almond essence and whisk again and then add flour and whisk in.

7. Without delay, pipe the cream into the tart base.

8. Place pear halves (if using fresh pears, first poach them in syrup) on top of the cream and press down well.

9. Bake in the oven for 20-40 minutes (depending on the size of the tart) until cooked.

10. Glaze the top of the tart with maple syrup.