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Perfect Brown Butter Pear and Almond Tart with Cardamom Custard

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A cozy and warmly spiced tart featuring a nutty brown butter almond crust, tender pears, and a fragrant cardamom custard filling. Perfect for an easy homemade dessert that feels fancy yet forgiving.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, browned and cooled slightly
  • ⅓ cup (40g) almond flour
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
  • 1–2 tablespoons cold water
  • 2 cups (480ml) whole milk or half-and-half
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • ⅓ cup (65g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3–4 ripe but firm pears, peeled, cored, and sliced thinly
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Optional: A handful of sliced almonds for garnish

Instructions

  1. Brown the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently until golden brown and nutty, about 5-7 minutes. Pour into a bowl and let cool slightly.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, almond flour, sugar, and salt. Add warm brown butter and mix until crumbly. Add egg yolk and mix until dough starts to come together. Add cold water one tablespoon at a time if dough is too dry. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and ground cardamom until smooth. Heat milk and vanilla extract in a saucepan to a simmer. Slowly whisk hot milk into egg mixture to temper, then return to saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until thickened and glossy, about 5 minutes. Strain custard through a sieve, cover, and chill.
  4. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to about 12-inch diameter. Press into a 9-inch tart pan, trim excess edges, and chill for 15 minutes.
  5. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line tart shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 15 minutes, remove weights and parchment, bake another 8-10 minutes until lightly golden. Let cool.
  6. Toss sliced pears with lemon juice and brown sugar. Arrange pears decoratively over cooled crust.
  7. Pour chilled cardamom custard over pears, filling gaps gently. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top if using.
  8. Bake tart at 325°F (160°C) for 25-30 minutes until custard is set but slightly jiggly in center. Cool completely before unmolding.
  9. Chill tart for at least 1 hour or overnight to let flavors meld. Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature.

Notes

Use a light-colored pan to brown butter to avoid burning. Temper eggs carefully to prevent curdling. Blind bake crust to prevent sogginess. Choose firm pears like Bosc or Anjou. Strain custard for smooth texture. Chill tart overnight for best flavor. For gluten-free, substitute all-purpose flour with almond flour and add extra butter. For dairy-free, use coconut oil and coconut milk.

Nutrition

Keywords: brown butter, pear tart, almond tart, cardamom custard, easy dessert, homemade tart, spiced custard, nutty crust

Find it online: https://cookluma.com/perfect-brown-butter-pear-and-almond-tart-recipe-with-cardamom-custard-for-easy-homemade-dessert/