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–+ servings

Pears in Frangipane with Lemon Thyme Sugar

Frangipane is a french almond creme, but it bakes into a dense, dreamy cake filling that is absolutely addictive. It's rich, but I find a lemon thyme sugar perfectly balances its buttery, dense texture. A pear bakes on top to make this recipe the perfect pear-ing for any date night dinner.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Servings: 2 8-ounce ramekins

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons salted butter, softened, 84 grams
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 110 grams
  • 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 1 cup loosely packed superfine almond flour, 98 grams
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 23 grams
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest, divided
  • 1 large pear, ripened (or else it will not cook properly)
  • 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
  • 3 sprigs thyme

Instructions 

  1. Set a rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
  2. In a large bowl, add 6 tablespoons of salted butter (softened) and 110 grams of granulated sugar. Beat together until light, fluffy, and pale yellow, about 3-4 minutes.
  3. Add 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, 98 grams of almond flour, 23 grams of all-purpose flour and 1 large egg and mix until just combined. Grate in 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest and smooth into the mixture with a spatula. You’ve just made frangipane!
  4. Separate the frangipane into two separate ramekins, the ones I use are heart-shaped and hold 8 ounces. This will also work in deep crème brûlée dishes. Smooth out the paste.
  5. Halve and core the pear. Remove the stem. Slice down the side of the pear, but don’t slice into the top, creating a line of thin pieces that can fan out while still being in one piece. Press each pear half gently into the frangipane ramekins, one half per ramekin.
  6. In a small dish, combine the turbinado sugar, 3 sprigs of thyme leaves (about 2 teaspoons) and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest. Press the sugar together with your fingers to activate the aroma of both the thyme and lemon zest.
  7. Sprinkle this sugar on top of the ramekins, then transfer them to the oven to bake.
  8. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the edges of the frangipane fillings are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool until they are safe to touch before serving!