Bay leaf & tonka bean frangipane tart

A few years ago we moved out of Copenhagen to a house in the suburbs, something I have sworn loudly, drunkenly and repeatedly throughout my life would never ever happen. Like ever. Me? A suburban housewife? HAHAHAHAHAHA. And of course here I am. In the suburbs. Complete with two kids, a dog and a garden full of fruit bushes and trees.

I wish I had some glorious inspiration for this tart but I don’t. I wanted to make bay leaf and vanilla frangipane, but didn’t have any more vanilla in my spice drawer (crisis!) and so I thought I would use tonka bean instead. If you have never tasted tonka bean, it looks like a wrinkly, black nut. The magic happens when you shave or grate it and get a whiff of that insanely fragrant smell. There’s vanilla, cinnamon, cloves and sweet hay. Caramel, bitter almond, a bit of smokiness like tobacco. It is like nothing else. Like vanilla, tonka bean is magical when paired with the flavour of fresh bay leaf with their soft herbal-floral flavour reminiscent of nutmegs and eucalyptus.

I used apples because that’s what I had on hand. And as much as I love apples and frangipane, I would imagine this tart would be even better in late summer with stone fruits or poached pears!

Bay leaf & tonka bean frangipane tart

Makes one 20cm tart

Shortcrust

175g butter
100g sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
325g flour
30g almond flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Bay leaf & tonka bean frangipane

100g butter
2 bay leaves
1/2 tonka bean, finely grated (substitute for 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
100g sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
100g almond flour
25g flour
Pinch of salt

3-4 apples, peeled, cored and quartered

For the shortcrust: Combine butter and icing sugar at low speed. Scrape down the sides, add the egg and almond flour and mix until combined. Add flour and mix until just coming together. Gather into two balls, press flat and wrap in clingfilm. Refrigerate for at least a few hours.

Roll out to 2-3mm thickness and line a 20cm tart ring with the pastry. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For the frangipane: Heat the butter with the bay leaves and tonka bean until the butter is melted, then remove from the heat and leave to cool until the butter is solid.

Preheat the oven to 160C fan.

Beat the butter and sugar in a stand mixer using paddle attachment until very light and airy. Beat in the egg and egg yolk and a pinch of salt, scrape the sides of the bowl and finally mix in the flour and almond flour.

Fill the tart shell with the frangipane and smooth the surface with an offset spatula. Slice the apples in thick wedges and arrange on top of the frangipane.

Bake the tart int he oven for 45-50 minutes, until the frangipane is a rich golden brown.

Serve warm or at room temperature with a dollop of full fat creme fraiche or whipped cream.