Frangipane Tarts - without blind baking

[lorinda]

When I make frangipane tarts, I blind bake the shell until they are pale, then fill and bake. However my problem is that the frangipane takes a certain amount of time to brown and cook, by which time the pastry is burnt (or attained a level of browning which is not ideal). Due to this problem, 50% of the tarts made for Christmas lunch didn't make it to the table . :-(

All the recipes I have seen say to blind bake, but I was wondering if anyone has baked them without blind baking first, and if so, does the pastry on the bottom cook properly?

I have tried shielding with foil, but it didn't really help.

[chiantiglace]

could have a lot to do with the temperature of your oven, and what kind of oven you are using to bake them. Also the thickness of the crust may play a small roll, as well as the size of the tarts.

Can you give us a few more details, specifically take us through your preparation would be nice.

[gfron1]

is this question specific to frangipane? What is it about them that makes it different from any other type of blind baking - just curious.

[lorinda]

is this question specific to frangipane?  What is it about them that makes it different from any other type of blind baking - just curious.

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Hi gron1,

I make chocolate tarts, lemon tarts, and frangipane tarts. Of those, I only get the burnt crust problem with frangipane because the other tarts are baked for a shorter time, and at a lower temperature, after it is filled. <p>

Chiantiglace,

I'm baking them in a domestic oven equipped with a separate oven thermometer.

My oven has a number of settings; I use the one with top and bottom elements on, with a fan to circulate the heat. Variously I have also tried using the top and bottom without a fan, and bottom element only. No noticeable difference. Tart size is approx 10cm in diameter, fluted tin, pastry 3mm in thickness on bottom, and approx. 5-6mm at the thickest point in the flutings.

I don't use baking beans when blind baking, never have, it is not something I can be bothered with.

Pastry is your good old pate sucre, per Dorie Greenspan. Blind baking is at 160-170C (sorry, I don't know the Farenheit, I am in metric world) for around 6 minutes, then a further minute after application of egg white to seal, and after filling, around the same temperature and I didn't time it, but it took over 20 minutes, possibly 30, for the frangipane to cook.

At the moment, I am thinking of wrapping foil around the tart sides during blind baking, so that only the bottom is baked. However, this is so fiddly, there must be a better way.

picture of tart

[chiantiglace]

heres a couple suggestions.

One, I would use beans to make it easier. But another way to do it (non-frangipane) is to bake at a high temperature for like 2 - 3 minutes, remove from the oven, drop the temp and allow to crusts to cool slightly. Put the crusts back in and finish baking. That is without beans for regular tarts like you gave example earlier.

With frangipane, heres my suggestion:

Instead of trimming the tarts before cooking, bring the temp of the oven higher (say 190-200C) and cut off the fan. Have the dough come a little above if not hanging over the shell. Place the tarts in the oven for maybe 2 -3 minutes, just until the outside starts to dry (bubles become apparent) but no color (or limited). Remove from oven immediately and trimm the edges with a knife while still warm.

Allow to cool and then procede with your frangipane. This time reduce oven to 160-170 and continue baking. I suggest leaving the tarts in the rings if possible.

Keep the fan off the entire time.

Hope this helps.

[lorinda]

Thank you very much chiantiglace for those tips, sounds great. I shall give it a go next time!

[chiantiglace]

let me know how things work out

[lebowits]

When I make frangipane tarts, I blind bake the shell until they are pale, then fill and bake. However my problem is that the frangipane takes a certain amount of time to brown and cook, by which time the pastry is burnt (or attained a level of browning which is not ideal).  Due to this problem, 50% of the tarts made for Christmas lunch didn't make it to the table .  :-(

All the recipes I have seen say to blind bake, but I was wondering if anyone has baked them without blind baking first, and if so, does the pastry on the bottom cook properly? 

I have tried shielding with foil, but it didn't really help.

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I have always baked my frangipane tarts in uncooked pate sucree shells. In the past I have frozen filled, un-baked tarts and then baked them directly from frozen. Both ways have worked without problems for me.

I use a fairly standard "tart" pan with a removable bottom and fill the shells to within about 1/4" of the top of the pan/crust. I roll the crust about 1/4" thick and refrigerate pans/crusts while I make the frangipane. This gives the dough a chance to firm up before baking.

As a last resort you might try creating foil "covers" for the edges of your pan that will protect the crust towards the end of the bake. When the tops of the crust look nice and golden, place your pre-formed covers on top and let the tart finish. I do this with more traditional pies as well.

[lorinda]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for your comments. Since my original post, I have looked up other recipes on the net and found a lot of them - as you do - bake them in uncooked shells. I will try this next, as it is less work than blind baking, and pastry is fiddly enough as it is!

I have made a coconut tart before which also is baked in uncooked pastry shells and that worked well.

I did try the foil covers last time, but I think the pastry was too far gone to be saved.

[alanamoana]

there shouldn't be a problem baking with raw crust. i would, however, try to get a reasonable amount of bottom heat to make sure that the bottom crust is as baked as the top edges. also, sometimes, a thin layer of jam is needed between the frangipane and the dough in order to keep the dough from becoming greasy (if you're using pate sucree/short dough).

[lorinda]

there shouldn't be a problem baking with raw crust.  i would, however, try to get a reasonable amount of bottom heat to make sure that the bottom crust is as baked as the top edges.  also, sometimes, a thin layer of jam is needed between the frangipane and the dough in order to keep the dough from becoming greasy (if you're using pate sucree/short dough).

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Thanks for the tips alanamoana. If I put both top and bottom elements of the oven on, that should get the bottom cooked. Thanks for the tips about the jam too!