Quick Summary: A low-carb fruit tart made with almond-based frangipane filling and fresh apricots, no crust required. The frangipane bakes into a soft, creamy base that holds the fruit beautifully. Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 35 minutes | Serves: 9
Jump to: RECIPE | What is frangipane? | How to Modify Tarts to Low Carb | Ingredients | More Tart Recipes | FAQ
When I scored a box of the plumpest, freshest, tastiest apricots I had ever seen, I knew I needed to make some sort of tart. I am definitely not a baker and I usually avoid carbs and hence pie doughs, but I really wanted to do good by these apricots.
I started with a classic tart using homemade shortbread dough (see photo below) and it was great. Not exactly easy for a non-baker however, and I made a mess with trying to get the dough into the tart pan. Not to mention the hassle of cutting in the butter and blind baking the dough to the perfect golden brown (which mine was not).
The recipes all said making the tart dough was easy, but I did not find it quick or easy. The other thing that the tart dough was not, was low carb. Tasty, but not low carb.
I then stumbled across a recipe for a fruit tart that included a filling of Italian origin called frangipane. Frangipane is essentially a dessert filling made from ground almonds, butter, eggs, a little sugar, and a small amount of unbleached all-purpose flour.
It is sometimes referred to as almond cream and is typically used as a filling for pastries like croissants or fruit tarts.
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What is Frangipane?
Frangipane is a pastry filling made from ground almonds, butter, eggs, sugar, and a small amount of flour. It’s sometimes called almond cream and is traditionally used in croissants, fruit tarts, and galettes. The texture is soft and custardy when baked.
How to Lower the Carbs in Fruit Tarts
While fruit in and of itself has carbs, the crust in a fruit tart is generally the biggest culprit. After a bit of research it appeared that a frangipane alone might serve as a soft, creamy medium to hold the fruit in a “tart-like” fashion, similar to a clafoutis.
I have made a bing cherry clafoutis many times, which is basically fresh fruit (Often cherries) baked in a flan-like filling without a crust. Using frangipane as a means to a crustless fruit tart seemed to be similar to the clafoutis. It was definitely easier than messing with a dough.
Ingredients
The recipe is simple, and can be made with a few different methods; in the food processor, standing mixer, or stirred in a bowl by hand.
There is no rolling out of dough, no blind baking a crust, no cutting in butter bit by bit, and no crimping the dough to make it pretty. It is a simple batter spread in a tart pan with fruit layered on top and then baked together. My kind of dessert!
These are the basic ingredients:
Other Exceptional Fruit Tart Recipes
I did make an apricot tart with a shortbread crust also and it definitely was tasty. Probably the best recipe of all would be with the shortbread crust the frangipane filling and the fresh apricots on top. If you’ve got the time and like to bake I’d definitely give that a try!
For the absolute easiest tart in the whole world, check out this 2-Ingredient Jam Tart
For two other crustless fruit desserts, see this Crustless Rhubarb Custard or this Low Carb Cherry Clafoutis.
If you prefer the freeform tarts known as crostatas or galettes, you won’t want to miss making this savory tomato crostata with those fresh Summer tomatoes.
Other Fruits That Work
This recipe works with almost any stone fruit or berry:
- Plums or pluots
- Peaches or nectarines
- Cherries (pitted)
- Raspberries or blackberries
- Pears (sliced thin)
Adjust baking time slightly for juicier fruits.
FAQ
Hazelnut flour works well and is traditional in some frangipane recipes. The flavor will be slightly different but equally delicious.
A 9-inch pie dish or cake pan works fine. The presentation will be less formal, but the taste is the same.
Yes. It keeps well at room temperature for a day or refrigerated for up to three days. Bring to room temperature before serving or warm briefly in the oven.
It’s lower-carb than a traditional tart with shortbread crust, but the fruit and small amount of sugar do contribute carbs. It fits well in a slow-carb or moderate low-carb approach, less so for strict keto.
The glaze adds shine and a little extra apricot flavor. It’s optional and adds some carbs, so skip it if you’re watching closely.
Interested in the Slow Carb Diet? Check out this comprehensive E-Guide on Fat Loss through a Slow Carb Diet.
Crustless Apricot Frangipane Tart
Equipment
- Round or square tart pan About 9” diameter or 9 x 9 square
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Almond flour
- ¼ Cup flour regular white enriched flour
- ½ Cup Sugar
- 4 Tablespoons Butter Softened
- 2 Eggs 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk
- 1 Teaspoons Almond extract
- ¼ Teaspoons Salt
- 1 Teaspoons Grated lemon zest or lemon thyme leaves if using thyme leaves, mince them
- 3 Cups Sliced fresh apricots about 1 lb or 4 medium apricots
- 2 Tablespoons Apricot jam optional (not low carb)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 FUsing a sifter over a large bowl, sift together the 2 flours. Stir in the sugar. Add flour/sugar mix to a food processor and pulse briefly to combine. Add the softened butter to the food processor and pulse to combine.1 Cup Almond flour, 1/4 Cup flour, 1/2 Cup Sugar, 4 Tablespoons Butter
- Add the whole egg plus the egg yolk to the food processor, along with the almond extract, salt and lemon zest (or the lemon thyme) and pulse until everything is combined. This is the frangipane.Grease the bottom of the tart pan with a little butter and spread the frangipane along the bottom.2 Eggs, 1 Teaspoons Almond extract, 1/4 Teaspoons Salt, 1 Teaspoons Grated lemon zest or lemon thyme leaves
- Cut apricots in half, remove the pit and slice each half into quarter slices. Arrange on top of the frangipane in a pretty pattern.3 Cups Sliced fresh apricots
- Bake at 350° F for 35-40 minutes.
- Mix 2 Tbsp apricot jam with 1 Tbsp water and brush over the tart with a pastry brush to glaze. Let cool and if desired dust with some powdered sugar. Serve alone or with ice cream or whipped cream.2 Tablespoons Apricot jam
Dorothy Stainbrook says: 
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