Lindsey’s almond tart, attributed to and a specialty of Chez Panisse, is like an oversized almond cookie. It is crunchy and golden and has a delicate almond flavor with a hint of orange. I am not sure if it is still on the menu at Chez Panisse, but it is so simple to make you can have it anytime and anywhere.
I used to make this popular almond tart for Coffee Rani restaurant many years ago. If you have a favorite recipe for a sturdy shortbread crust, it will pair well with this filling. If not, check out my recipe for the Sur le Plat easy shortbread crust. You will need a 9″ tart pan with a removable bottom to make this almond tart.
After you bake the tart shell to a deep golden brown, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool slightly.
The almond filling has only 5 ingredients. Heavy cream, almond extract, sugar, orange liqueur flavoring and sliced blanched almonds, are combined and cooked together then poured into the precooked tart shell.
Before filling, make certain that the tart dough is intact and does not have any holes where the filling could possibly leak out and caramelize. The tart is baked at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes until it is dark and toasty brown. The tart needs to set up after it is removed from the oven. Then the tart is removed from the pan about 15-20 minutes after baking before it gets too hard.
Dust the cooled tart with powdered sugar. Slice the tart into 6-8 pieces. It is so crisp and crunchy that it is difficult to cut with a fork, so just pick it up with your fingers and eat it like a cookie.
This almond tart is great any time of the day. I love it for breakfast with coffee or tea. It also is a light ending to lunch or dinner or as an afternoon treat.
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