Apple Frangipane. This is a really nice coffee time cake to make. Goes great with a nice cup of tea! Or as a dessert, warm or cold with a squirt of whipped cream or like me, a blob of vanilla ice cream!

Apple Frangipane! This is a wonderful recipe with a moist almond cake-like filling and delicious crisp apple slices on the top, all baked in a lovely crisp pastry case.
Some people will call this a flan, or a tart, or even a pie, depending upon where in the world you live. Whichever term you choose, it's still going to be delicious!
We all like to eat a moist cake! This is actually a tart, which originated in France. In the United Kingdom, you could liken this apple frangipane recipe to a Bakewell Tart. It's very similar indeed.
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Where does frangipane originate from?
There are references from as bar back as 1226, and one of the earliest recipes for this can be found in a 1674 cookbook. Unbelievable! Frangipane is the description used for the almond filling, which is mainly made up of, yep, you guessed it, almonds!

There are variations to frangipane, for example, in Belgium, it is called an Almond pastry tart, usually with a striped pattern on top made up of icing. Some recipes fill the flan case with almond and then put say a 1 cm layer of chocolate over the top.
The apple frangipane recipe I am showing you today is using a wonderful flavor of apple, and the flavor of the sweet almond, combined with the apple is a delicious taste.
The bite of the crispy pastry, against the soft, moist almond filling, is also a lovely texture sensation.
Can I use frozen or ready-made pastry?
I have also made a recipe up to show you how to make your own shortcrust pastry. Of course, you can buy the shop stuff, but this recipe is easy, cheaper and by far more tasty!
You can make little flans, but make sure you adjust the cooking times. So go on, give it a go! Try out a recipe similar to what our ancient ancestors were crazy about!
So let's get straight to the recipe and see how we make this delicious apple frangipane. Please enjoy!
TOP TIPS for making apple frangipane!
1. As with any pastry cases, if you are going to put a 'wet' filling in, then you will need to 'bake blind' first to stop the pastry from going soggy. No one likes a soggy bottom! I have some instructions in a link below to help you with this if needed.
2. You can use this recipe for Gluten-Free by substituting the flour in the pastry & also the filling with gluten-free flour.
What You Will Need
a flan / quiche dish 23 cm / 9 inch diameter.
Ingredients
6 oz or 170 g Shortcrust pastry. See here to make your own Shortcrust pastry. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar to the pastry recipe.
4 Tablespoons warmed Apricot Jam, divided
4 ½ oz or ½ cup or 125 g butter
½ cup or 125 g Sugar
2 eggs
1 ⅓ cups or 125 g ground almonds
2 ½ Tablespoons All purpose / Plain Flour. (if you don't want to use flour, swap it for extra ground almonds & 1 tsp baking powder or same amount in Tapioca flour)
6 Tablespoons milk
Squeeze of Lemon Juice
3 Apples. I used Granny Smiths, but Braeburns, baking apples or other firm apple is good.
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
First things first! Get all your ingredients ready. I like to weigh out and put everything in order of adding into the recipe. If it's all ready, you will whizz through the recipe and NOT forget anything!
Make The Pastry
1.*** If you are using a shop bought pastry case, skip to the FILLING instructions. Put the oven on to 190 C, 375 F, Gas 5
2. Make your shortcrust pastry. Click here for instructions.
3. Grease your flan dish & make sure you grease up the sides too.

4. Place your rolled out pastry into your chosen dish.

Make sure you gently push the sides around the dish and trim any excess pastry.

5. If you see any cracks or missing bits of pastry, use the excess from your trimming to patch these areas.

6. Now you will need to prepare the flan case to take the wet filling. You need to first 'Bake blind' the pastry. You need to bake blind for 20 minutes in the oven.


7. Place in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes (for a 23 cm, 9 inch dish). If using smaller cases, reduce the cooking time.
8. When ready, the flan case should look like the photo below. Say about 70% cooked, and ready for the filling.

9. Once you have baked blind your pastry, you need to get all your filling ingredients ready if you haven't done so already.
What does it mean to bake blind?
The Bake Blind technique is used when you have a 'wet' filling or the filling cooks faster than the pastry. If you were to simply place the filling onto the raw pastry, the base would never cook properly resulting in a very soggy bottom!
This method is also used if you are putting a ready-cooked filling in the flan case, such as a mousse or chocolate torte which doesn't require any baking.
Make The Filling
10. Peel and slice the apples then add to a bowl and squeeze the lemon juice over the apple slices. Give the bowl a toss to make sure the juice is coating the apples. You can also sprinkle the cinnamon over the apples at this point if using.

11. Cream the butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy. Slowly add the beaten eggs. If the mixture looks like it is starting to split, add a tablespoon of your ground almonds.
12. Add almonds and flour. Add the milk, and gently (low setting on your mixture) combine.

13. Spread HALF of the warmed jam onto the base of your pastry. (note, the photo below shows a lemon one I made, using lemon curd) Add the cake mixture to the flan case.
14. Arrange the apple slices on the top of the almond cake batter and then very carefully, brush the top with the remaining warmed jam.

15. Bake in the oven for 35 - 40 minutes. Test with a metal skewer. Stick it in the center, if it comes out clean your frangipane is ready!
TIP: If you notice the apples are getting too brown on the top whilst baking, pop a piece of foil over the top to avoid burning until the cake is cooked through.

14. Leave to cool then turn out onto a dish.

15 Make yourself a lovely cup of tea and enjoy a slice of your apple frangipane.
We'd love to hear from you and what you thought of our apple frangipane recipe. Did you make any changes or add some other goodies? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks for reading and happy cooking!

Recipe Card

Apple Frangipane
Apple Frangipane. This is a really nice coffee time cake to make. Goes great with a nice cup of tea! Or you can have as a dessert, warm or cold with a squirt of whipped cream or like me, a blob of vanilla ice cream! It's really yummy! Delicious!
Ingredients
- 6 oz or 170 g Sweet Shortcrust pastry.
- 4 Tablespoons warmed Apricot Jam, divided
- 4 ½ oz or ½ cup or 125 g butter
- ½ cup or 125 g Sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ⅓ cups or 125 g ground almonds
- 2 ½ Tablespoons All purpose / Plain Flour. (if you don't want to use flour, swap it for extra ground almonds & 1 tsp baking powder or same amount in Tapioca flour)
- 6 Tablespoons milk
- Squeeze of Lemon Juice
- 3 Apples. I used Granny Smiths, but Braeburns, baking apples or other firm apple is good.
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
Instructions
- If you are using a shop bought pastry case, skip to the FILLING instructions. Put the oven on to 190 C, 375 F,Gas 5
Make your shortcrust pastry.
- Grease your flan dish & make sure you grease up the sides too.
- Place your rolled out pastry in to your chosen dish. Make sure you gently push the sides around the dish and trim any excess pastry.
- If you see any cracks or missing bits of pastry, use the excess from your trimming to patch these areas.
- Now you will need to prepare the flan case to take the wet filling. You need to first 'Bake blind' the pastry. See here for more information. You need to bake blind for 20 minutes in the oven.
- Place in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes (for a 23 cm, 9 inch dish). If using smaller cases, reduce the cooking time.
- When ready, the flan case should look like the photo on the below. Say about 70% cooked, and ready for the filling.
- Once you have baked blind your pastry, you need to get all your filling ingredients ready if you haven't done so already.
The Bake Blind technique is used when you have a 'wet' filling or the filling cooks faster than the pastry. If you were to simply place the filling onto the raw pastry, the base would never cook properly resulting in a very soggy bottom.
This method is also used if you are putting a ready-cooked filling in the flan case, such as a mousse or chocolate torte which doesn't require any baking.
Make The Filling
- Peel and slice the apples then add to a bowl and squeeze the lemon juice over the apple slices. Give the bowl a toss to make sure the juice is coating the apples.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light in colour and fluffy. Slowly add the beaten eggs. If the mixture looks like it is starting to split, add a tablespoon of your ground almonds.
- Add almonds and flour. Add the milk, and gently (low setting on your mixture) combine.
- Spread HALF of the warmed jam onto the base of your pastry. (note, the photo below shows a lemon one I made, using lemon curd) Add the cake mixture to the flan case.
- Arrange the apple slices on the top of the almond cake batter and then very carefully, brush the top with the remaining warmed jam.
- Bake in the oven for 35 - 40 minutes. Test with a metal skewer. Stick it in the centre, if it comes out clean your frangipane is ready!
TIP: If you notice the apples are getting too brown on the top whilst baking, pop a piece of foil over the top to avoid burning until the cake is cooked through
Leave to cool then turn out onto a dish .
Make yourself a lovely cup of tea and enjoy a slice of your tart.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 380Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 236mgCarbohydrates: 44gFiber: 4gSugar: 30gProtein: 6g
Delicious Recipes using Ground Almonds
If you like almonds as much as we do, try out these other almond recipes. Delicious!
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A Delicious Almond Cake Bursting With Juicy Plums In A Sweet Pastry Case. Great Served Warm Or Chilled For Dessert Or Afternoon Tea
French Almond Palmier cookies or Elephant Ears are a delicious little cookie filled with almonds and perfect for the holidays! Quick and easy to make too!
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Julie
says:Thank you for all the recipes…and hope more dutch recipes will be share….God bless you
Esperanza
says:I’ve done it already and is simply delicious, the combination of flavores takes you to a different level, thanks for sharing your receipt!
Esperanza
says:This one looks simply delicious, I can’t wait to try it! Thanks for sharing!