Mary Berry Apple and Frangipane Tart Recipe

If you love classic British desserts, this Mary Berry Apple and Frangipane Tart Recipe is a wonderful bake to add to your collection. A crisp buttery pastry case is filled with rich almond frangipane and topped with tender slices of apple that become beautifully golden in the oven. The combination of nutty almond flavor and sweet fruit creates a perfectly balanced dessert that feels both elegant and comforting. This recipe is moderately easy to make and takes about 1 hour 45 minutes from start to finish, including cooling time.

Ingredients

For the Pastry

• 225g plain flour
• 125g cold unsalted butter, diced
• 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

For the Frangipane Filling

• 100g unsalted butter, softened
• 100g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 100g ground almonds
• 25g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

For the Apple Topping

• 3 medium dessert apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons apricot jam
• 1 tablespoon water

How to Make Mary Berry Apple and Frangipane Tart Recipe

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C fan. Grease a 23cm tart tin and place a shelf in the center of the oven.
• Make the pastry: Rub the flour and butter together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add enough cold water to form a soft dough.
• Chill the dough: Wrap the pastry and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. This helps prevent shrinkage during baking.
• Line the tart tin: Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and line the prepared tart tin. Trim the edges neatly.
• Blind bake: Line the pastry with baking parchment and baking beans. Bake for 15 minutes, remove the beans, then bake for another 5 minutes.
• Prepare the frangipane: Beat the butter and caster sugar until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the ground almonds, flour and almond extract.
• Fill the tart: Spread the frangipane mixture evenly into the baked pastry shell.
• Arrange the apples: Place the sliced apples neatly over the frangipane, slightly overlapping each slice.
• Bake the tart: Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C or 160°C fan and bake for 30 minutes until golden and set.
• Glaze and cool: Warm the apricot jam with water and brush over the apples. Allow the tart to cool before slicing and serving.

Tips for the Best Apple and Frangipane Tart

How do I stop the pastry from shrinking?

Chill the pastry before rolling and again after lining the tart tin. This helps it keep its shape while baking.

Which apples work best?

Braeburn, Pink Lady, Gala, and Cox apples all work very well because they hold their shape during baking.

How can I tell when the frangipane is cooked?

The filling should be lightly golden and firm to the touch in the center.

Can I prepare the tart in advance?

Yes. Bake it a day ahead and store it in the refrigerator until needed.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve with freshly whipped cream.
• Pair with warm custard.
• Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
• Enjoy with tea or coffee.
• Dust lightly with icing sugar before serving.

Storage

Room Temperature

Store covered for up to 1 day in a cool room.

Refrigerator

Keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best flavor.

Freezing

Freeze individual slices for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Nutrition

• Calories: 420 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 42g
• Protein: 7g
• Fat: 25g
• Saturated Fat: 12g
• Sodium: 95mg

Nutritional values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients used.

FAQs

Mary Berry Apple and Frangipane Tart Recipe

Recipe by Milli RoseCourse: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Medium

Servings

10

slices

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

45

minutes

Total time

105

minutes

Calories

420

kcal

1

hour 

15

minutes

A classic British tart featuring buttery pastry, rich almond frangipane filling, and beautifully baked apple slices.

Ingredients

• 225g plain flour

• 125g cold unsalted butter, diced

• 2-3 tbsp cold water

• 100g unsalted butter, softened

• 100g caster sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 100g ground almonds

• 25g plain flour

• 1 tsp almond extract

• 3 medium dessert apples, peeled and sliced

• 2 tbsp apricot jam

• 1 tbsp water

• Butter for greasing

• Baking parchment

Directions

• Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Grease a 23cm tart tin.
• Rub flour and butter together until breadcrumb-like, then add cold water to form a dough.
• Chill pastry for 20 minutes, then roll out and line the tart tin.
• Blind bake for 15 minutes until lightly golden.
• Beat butter and sugar together until creamy.
• Mix in eggs, ground almonds, flour and almond extract.
• Spread frangipane into the pastry case and arrange apple slices on top.
• Bake for 30 minutes until golden and set.
• Warm apricot jam with water and brush over apples. Cool before serving.

Notes

• Use firm dessert apples for the best texture.
• Chill the pastry before rolling to prevent shrinkage.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.