Apple Hazelnut Frangipane Tart

Well, I started off making a Pear Frangipane Tart, but I over poached the pears, and they were too soft to use.

I also decided to try a Pate Sablee, rather than a Sucree tart dough. Also added in some vodka (which bakes out) to the dough to improve texture, as recommended by Cook's Illustrated. I think that due to the confectioner's sugar, the Sablee is much softer and harder to work with than Sucree. I could only roll it out slightly before shifting into the tart pan, and molding in the pan. We'll see how it tastes!

Also, I tried a new method of de-skinning the hazelnuts. The old way was to toast the hazelnuts, and then rub them with a wet towel. That was tedious, and messy. The new way works much better! Supposedly, the baking soda and blanching process decomposes the cellulose skin of the hazelnuts, making them easy to remove.

I added extra marzipan into my frangipane because I love the taste of almonds.

Apple Hazelnut Frangipane Tart

Pate Sablee Crust
- 1.5 cups flour
- 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 9 Tbsp butter
- 1 egg yolk
- Vodka

1. Mix ingredients together, mold into tart pan.


2. Blind bake at 375 degrees F for about 30 minutes.
   

Ground Hazelnut Preparation
- Hazelnuts
- 2 Tbsp baking soda
- 2 quarts water

1. Combine baking soda + water, heat until boiling, reduce to simmer.
   


2. Simmer hazelnuts in baking soda + water for 5 minutes.


3. Remove, drain in colander, and wash with cold water.


4. Skins will immediately come off.


5. Roast hazelnuts for ~ 10-15 minutes in oven.


6. Grind in food processor.
   

Frangipane
- Hazelnut flour from above
- 8 oz. Marzipan
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 6 Tbsp room temp. butter
- 3 tsp flour
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 3 eggs
- 3 tsp almond extract

1. Combine frangipane ingredients together.


2. Add into baked tart shell.


3. Cover top with sliced apples (or sliced pears, poached in citrus sugar sauce).


4. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour.


5. Let cool, and glaze with an apricot jam-Calvados glaze.


6. Enjoy!
   

The main problem was that the glaze was too thick, and left splotches across my tart. Otherwise, I was very pleased with the product.