This is a shortcrust tart filled with a firm, nutty almond mixture — think Bakewell tart’s quieter cousin. The filling bakes up somewhere between frangipane and marzipan: dense, slightly sweet, with a good almond punch. It comes together in just over an hour and uses ingredients most bakers already have on hand.
The short version of why this works
Two things make this tart succeed. First, the crust is blind-baked in two stages — ten minutes with weights, then five without — so the base is fully set before the wet filling goes in. Skip either stage and you get a soggy bottom that no amount of extra bake time will fix. Second, the butter in the filling needs to be genuinely soft, not just slightly less cold. If it’s too firm when you stir it in, the mixture stays lumpy and the filling bakes unevenly. Pull the butter out at least 30 minutes before you start.
Troubleshooting
- Crust shrinks down the sides during blind baking: The dough wasn’t chilled long enough, or it was stretched rather than pressed into the pan. After lining the pan, chill it again for 10 minutes before adding the parchment and weights.
- Filling puffs up dramatically then sinks and cracks: The oven is running hot. Check with an oven thermometer — 350°F is the ceiling here. A sunken, cracked filling is still fine to eat, but pull it at the lower end of the 20–25 minute window next time.
- Almond flour clumps in the filling: Blanched almond flour can pack in the bag. Whisk it with the sugar before adding anything wet; the sugar breaks up the clumps more effectively than sifting alone.
- Edges of the crust overbrown before the filling sets: Lay a loose strip of foil over the rim for the last 10 minutes of the final bake. No special shield needed.
- Filling tastes flat: Almond extract varies a lot by brand — some are weak, some sharp. Taste your extract before using it. If it’s mild, you can safely go up to ¾ teaspoon without the filling turning bitter.
Storage and freezing
The baked tart keeps at room temperature, loosely covered, for up to two days — the crust stays crisper this way than it does in the fridge. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to five days; let slices come back to room temperature for 20 minutes before serving or the filling will be dense and waxy. The fully baked tart freezes well: wrap it tightly and freeze for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temperature before slicing. If you want to get ahead, the unbaked shortcrust shell can be pressed into the pan, wrapped, and frozen for up to a month — blind bake it straight from frozen, adding two or three extra minutes to the first stage.
Shrewsbury Tart
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Rolling pin
- 9-inch tart pan
- Parchment Paper
- Baking beans or weights
- wire rack
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour preferably unbleached
- ½ cup unsalted butter cold, cubed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar organic
- 1 large egg yolk fresh
- 1 tablespoon cold water filtered
Filling:
- ¾ cup almond flour blanched
- ½ cup granulated sugar organic
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ½ teaspoon almond extract pure
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened
Topping:
- ¼ cup sliced almonds lightly toasted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease the tart pan lightly.
- In a mixing bowl, combine flour and sugar for the crust. Add the cold butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to blend until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Incorporate the egg yolk and water, mixing until dough comes together. Wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to fit the 9-inch tart pan. Press into the pan and trim excess.
- Line with parchment and fill with baking beans. Blind bake for 10 minutes. Remove weights and paper, bake for another 5 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack.
- For the filling, whisk together almond flour and sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Stir in almond extract and softened butter until smooth.
- Pour the almond mixture into the cooled crust. Sprinkle with sliced almonds.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and set. Allow to cool before slicing.
Notes
- For enhanced flavor, add a hint of vanilla to the almond filling.
- Substitute cow's milk butter with a plant-based alternative to make the recipe dairy-free.
Nutrition
FAQ
Can I use regular all-purpose flour instead of almond flour in the filling?
No — the filling relies on almond flour for both its texture and its flavor, and plain flour won’t substitute here. If you can’t find almond flour, you can make your own by blending blanched almonds in a food processor until very fine, then sifting out any coarse pieces.
Do I really need baking weights, or can I use something else?
You don’t need to buy ceramic weights — dried beans, dry rice, or even dry lentils work just as well. Keep a dedicated jar of them in the pantry and reuse them indefinitely; just don’t try to cook them afterward.
My tart pan doesn’t have a removable bottom. Will it still work?
Yes, but getting clean slices is harder. Line the pan with a circle of parchment before pressing in the dough, which gives you something to lift from. A fixed-bottom pan also holds heat a little differently, so check the crust a minute or two early during blind baking.
Can I make this without almond extract if I don’t have any?
You can — the tart will still taste good, just milder. A half teaspoon of vanilla is a reasonable swap and pairs well with the almond flour. Skip the garnish of sliced almonds if you go this route; without the extract, the almond flavor is subtle enough that the topping starts to feel like the main event rather than a finish.
More sweet things to bake
- Pear and Almond Cake
- French Brown Butter Chocolate Tart
- Blackberry Mascarpone Tart
- Strawberry Elderflower Fool