Hazelnut Frangipane Tart

The hazelnut frangipane tart is a delicious dessert where the pastry meets the softness of the frangipane enriched with hazelnuts, an ingredient much loved in Italian pastry.

Ingredients

• For the shortcrust pastry:

  • 250g of type 00 flour
  • 125g of cold butter, cubed
  • 100g of powdered sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon (optional)

• For the hazelnut frangipane filling:

  • 100g of soft butter
  • 100g of powdered sugar
  • 100g of toasted and finely chopped hazelnuts
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon of type 00 flour
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • A few drops of vanilla extract or seeds from a vanilla pod

• For decoration:

  • Whole or halved hazelnuts for decoration
  • Powdered sugar for dusting

Preparation

1. Start with the shortcrust pastry: sift the flour onto a work surface and add the cold butter from the fridge. Work with your fingertips until you get a sandy mixture.
2. Add the powdered sugar, the pinch of salt, and the grated lemon zest. Make a well and place the egg in the center. Work quickly to form a smooth dough, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
3. In the meantime, prepare the filling: whip the soft butter with the powdered sugar until you have a light and fluffy cream.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue to whip. Incorporate the chopped hazelnuts, sifted flour, salt, and vanilla extract.
5. Roll out the shortcrust pastry into an even layer and line a previously buttered and floured tart pan, creating a tall edge.
6. Pour the hazelnut frangipane mixture onto the pastry and level the surface.
7. Decorate with whole or halved hazelnuts by pressing them lightly into the filling.
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 30-40 minutes or until the surface is golden.
9. Allow to cool completely before removing from the mold and dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Fun Fact

Frangipane is a cream named after an Italian marquis, Frangipani, who in the 16th century invented a perfume used to scent leather gloves. The cream bearing his name was initially scented with this aroma, and over time it came to denote preparations made with almonds or other nuts. The hazelnut version introduces a Piedmontese variant, a region famous for these delicious nuts.