Chewy Almond Tart with Crispy Honey Glaze

I’ve taken the classic French almond tart and given it a fresh twist. A rich almond cream is scented with fresh orange zest and a touch of cinnamon, then finished with a crisp honey-and-almond topping that caramelizes in the oven into an irresistible crunchy layer. The result is buttery, fragrant, and delightfully textured.

Removing a slice from a baked tart topped with honey.

Every summer I find myself developing honey-forward desserts for the Jewish holidays. I am always the designated dessert person for Rosh Hashanah, and with that comes high expectations. My goal for every dessert is to create something people talk about and request year-round, much like my Jewish Apple Cake. This tart is one of those recipes: each ingredient shines on its own, yet together they form a flavor that is greater than the sum of its parts. The entire pastry celebrates texture — a crisp, buttery shortcrust; a rich, slightly chewy almond frangipane; and a caramelized honey-almond topping that provides an irresistible crunch.

The Key Ingredients That Make This Tart Special

Three additions distinguish this version from many classic almond tarts:

Fresh orange zest, ground cinnamon, and honey. The bright citrus of orange zest lifts the nutty almond flavor, cinnamon adds a warm background note, and honey brings floral complexity and depth. Because the honey is part of the topping, it caramelizes as it bakes, creating a deep, toffee-like finish that complements the frangipane perfectly.

How To Bake a Near-Perfect Almond Tart

The full recipe follows below, along with step-by-step photos. I tried to be as clear as possible when developing this tart; here are a few practical tips I learned while testing the recipe that will help you get consistent results:

Make the dough at least an hour before you plan to roll it; you can also make it up to three days in advance. Chilling the dough allows the butter to firm and the gluten to relax, so it rolls more easily without shrinking or tearing.
Place a baking tray lined with parchment on the rack under the tart while it bakes. Because the tart shell is rich in butter, a little fat can drip from a removable-bottom pan. The tray catches drips and prevents smoke or burned butter flavors in your oven.
Stay organized: prepare the dough first and refrigerate it; make the honey-almond topping next and let it cool while you prepare the almond cream. Assemble just before baking. Good mise en place reduces stress and speeds assembly.
The dough will fit 8-, 9-, or even 10-inch tart pans. If you bake the tart larger than 8 inches, increase the filling quantity accordingly so the tart remains well proportioned.

Important: watch the tart, not the clock. Oven temperatures and performance vary, so rely on visual cues in the recipe to determine doneness rather than baking strictly to a timer.

Unbaked short crust dough in tart pan. — Roll the dough and line a 9-inch tart pan; chill before filling.

A sauce pan with honey and pieces of butter. — Roll the dough and line a 9-inch tart pan; chill before filling.

Shortcrust filled with almond cream and topped with almond-honey topping.

Chewy Almond Tart With Crispy Honey Topping

Rich, buttery, and unapologetically almond-forward, this tart features a creamy almond filling scented with orange zest and cinnamon, finished with a crispy honey-almond topping that turns golden and crunchy in the oven. Every bite balances nutty depth with a delicate caramelized sweetness.

Servings:
8-inch tart (serves 8)

Author:
Dikla Levy Frances

Ingredients

1 recipe Pâte Sablée (shortcrust dough)

For the Filling

1 recipe almond cream (classic frangipane)
1 tablespoon fresh orange zest (from one medium orange)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Topping

1/2 cup (180 g) honey
6 tablespoons (75 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sliced almonds

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare an 8-inch tart pan with a removable bottom; set aside.
Roll the chilled dough between two large sheets of parchment to a 12-inch circle. Remove the top sheet of parchment, invert the dough into the tart pan using the bottom piece of parchment to lift and guide the dough. Gently press the dough into the pan, trim excess, and use a fork to prick the bottom. Refrigerate the lined pan until firm.
If the dough sticks to the parchment while lining the pan, return the pan to the refrigerator for 10–15 minutes. Chilling will firm the butter and allow you to peel the paper away cleanly.
In a small or medium saucepan, combine the honey (180 g) and butter (75 g). Heat over medium until the butter melts and the mixture is well combined. Remove from heat and stir in the sliced almonds. Allow the topping to cool slightly while you prepare the filling.
Stir the orange zest (1 tablespoon) and ground cinnamon (1/2 teaspoon) into the almond cream until evenly incorporated. Taste and adjust the zest or cinnamon if desired — the citrus brightens the almond flavor without overpowering it.
Remove the chilled tart shell from the refrigerator. Spoon the almond cream into the shell and use an offset spatula to smooth it into an even layer, working to the edges.
Spoon the honey-and-almond mixture evenly over the almond cream. Distribute the sliced almonds so they form a single, even top layer; this promotes even caramelization and crispness.
Bake on the middle rack for 30–35 minutes, or until the crust and topping are a deep golden brown. The tart is ready when the edges and top are golden and set and the center still has a slight jiggle. Turn the oven off and leave the tart in the closed oven for 20–30 minutes to finish setting gently.
Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before releasing it from the pan and transferring to a serving plate. Cooling helps the filling finish setting and makes slicing cleaner.
Store the tart at room temperature, covered, for up to 4 days. For longer storage, wrap well in plastic and freeze for up to four weeks. Thaw at room temperature before serving.