Peach Frangipane Puff Pastry Tarts

My favorite part of summer, aside from a beach and a tall, cool drink, is cake!

These are rustic and casual cakes. Simply thaw some frozen plain butter puff pastry, cut into squares and top with almond filling and peaches. There’s no need to peel the fruit, just place the slices on top of the tarts to give them that extra something.

The best puff pastry to buy

If you use frozen puff pastry, you’ll look like a fancy pastry chef; just don’t tell anyone your secret!

Look for an all-butter dough for best results. Dough without butter works, but is a bit bland and not as crunchy as all-butter dough.

Package sizes of the dough vary but are usually in the 14 to 16 ounce range. Depending on the original size of the sheet, cut it into squares or rectangles. Remember this is chic but rustic so the exact size of the cakes is flexible!

To use frozen puff pastry, thaw it in the refrigerator a day beforehand. If you’re mashed for time, you can thaw it at room temperature for a few hours, but keep an eye on it so it doesn’t get too warm or soft. If it gets too soft just put it in the fridge for about 20 minutes.

Unfold the thawed but still cold dough and roll it out lightly on a floured surface to fill in the gaps where the creases were. When the dough softens, transfer to a baking sheet and refrigerate for about 10 minutes.

Cut it into squares or rectangles depending on the original size of the puff pastry sheet. Refrigerate again until ready to fill and bake the pies.

What is frangipane?

In French pastries, frangipane is a traditional almond filling made with ground almonds, butter, and eggs. The heady aroma and sweet almond flavor make it particularly good in tarts with fruit, but it can also be used in other baked goods like cakes and pastries. The almond filling makes these cakes something special.

If you’re unfamiliar with frangipane, you’ll be delighted to discover how easy it is to make with almond flour in the food processor.

If you don’t have almond flour, you can also finely grind 1 1/4 cups whole almonds, in shell or shelled, toasted or untoasted, in a food processor. Stop and stir often so the almonds are evenly ground. They may not be as finely ground as almond flour you buy, but that doesn’t affect the recipe — it just adds a little more texture to your filling.

How to remove the stone from peaches

Fully ripe peaches should only feel slightly soft when you gently press the flesh. If they’re still hard, just let them sit at room temperature for a day or two.

To remove the stone from peaches, cut them in half by slicing all the way around along the “crease” to the stone. Twist the halves in opposite directions to loosen them from the core, then remove the core.

Freestone peaches are the easiest to process because, as the name suggests, the pits (stones) can be removed without much effort. Sometimes local early season peaches are not Freestone and the label does not indicate this. Do not worry. Dig up the rock with the edge of a spoon.

mix it up!

Replace the peaches in this recipe with stone fruit like plums, cherries, or nectarines. You can also use apples or pears in the fall.

Make tips ahead

Once assembled and baked, the tart really tastes best when eaten the day it’s made (although leftovers go pretty well with coffee the next morning!). Cover with foil and leave overnight at room temperature.

However, you can make the frangipane filling up to three days in advance and store it in the fridge. You can also cut out the squares of dough and refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, for up to a day before baking. After that, the pastry tends to discolour.

Need more dessert ideas?

• Raspberry Walnut Tart with Butter Cookie Crust and Custard Filling!
• Slightly sweet mascarpone topped with juicy strawberries make this cake a summer staple.
• Buttery crust makes this berry tart pop!
• Pear Tart Tatin is a French classic that’s worth trying.