Mary Berry Red Frangipane Tart

The first time I made this tart, I had a fridge full of berries on their last legs and the nerve to think “this’ll be simple.” Reader—it was not. I overmixed the frangipane, didn’t drain the fruit properly, and skipped chilling the pastry. The result? A soggy-bottomed sponge puddle in a tart tin. Still edible (it’s Mary, after all), but not something I’d serve to guests.

Second time, I slowed down. Chilled the pastry, drained the berries, didn’t rush the layering. And it worked. The pastry held its shape, the frangipane baked up soft but not dense, and the berries gave little bursts of tartness under a golden almond top. Let me show you how I fixed it—and why this one’s now a proper showstopper in my rotation.

WHAT MAKES THIS RECIPE SPECIAL

Most berry-and-frangipane bakes sink into a mushy mess. This one holds together—and it’s got proper layers: buttery base, soft almond filling, jammy fruit, and a little lemony drizzle over the top.

• Layered—not stirred together—so you get contrast in every bite.
• Cooked-down fruit—keeps the berries from leaking too much juice.
• Almond extract—tiny bit, big payoff. Smells incredible while it bakes.

INGREDIENTS + WHY THEY MATTER

SHORTCRUST PASTRY

• Plain flour (225g) – A light, neutral base. Gives you structure without overpowering the filling.
• Cold butter (125g) – Must be fridge-cold. That’s what makes the crust flaky.
• Icing sugar (25g) – Gives it a finer, crumbly texture than caster sugar.
• Egg (1) – Binds the dough. I use a medium egg, straight from the fridge.

FRUIT FILLING

• Caster sugar (100g) – For cooking down the berries and making a syrup.
• Blackberries, blueberries, raspberries (150g each) – Use fresh if you can. Frozen berries will leak too much liquid.
• Cornflour (2 tbsp) – Thickens the fruit syrup so it doesn’t soak the base.
• Flaked almonds (25g) – Toast on top. Adds texture and looks gorgeous.
• Icing sugar (25g) – For the drizzle. Make it thick enough to hold its shape.

FRANGIPANE

• Butter (175g) – Softened, not melted. Creams best at room temperature.
• Caster sugar (175g) – Sweetens without grittiness.
• Eggs (4) – Helps the sponge rise. Room temperature works best.
• Ground almonds (175g) – The heart of the frangipane. Gives it that moist, rich texture.
• Almond extract (1 tsp) – Just enough to give warmth without tasting fake.

MAKING IT YOURS (WITHOUT RUINING IT)

Want to change up the fruit?

• Swap the raspberries for chopped cherries (fresh or jarred) for a black forest sort of twist.
• Strawberries go too mushy—skip those.

Nut-free?

• Sadly, not with this one. The almond is essential.

Gluten-free?

• Works with a good GF shortcrust pastry base (I tested with Doves Farm blend). Everything else is naturally gluten-free.

MISTAKES I’VE MADE (AND HOW TO AVOID THEM)

WHAT WENT WRONG	WHY IT HAPPENS	HOW TO FIX IT
Pastry shrank and cracked	Didn’t chill it before baking	Always chill for 20 mins after lining tin
Fruit leaked everywhere	Didn’t drain berries properly	Drain and thicken the syrup before filling
Frangipane too dense	Overmixed or cold butter	Cream butter and sugar lightly—don’t overbeat
Top burned, middle raw	Oven too hot or overbaked	Bake at 180°C and tent with foil if needed

HOW TO MAKE MARY BERRY’S RED FRANGIPANE TART

Make the Pastry
Blend flour, butter, and icing sugar in a food processor (or by hand) until crumbly. Add beaten egg and 1 tbsp cold water. Mix until it forms a soft dough.

Roll out on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Line a 28cm tart tin. Trim the edges and chill for 20 mins.

Blind Bake the Pastry
Preheat oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas 6. Prick base with a fork. Line with baking paper and fill with baking beans. Bake 15 mins. Remove beans and paper, bake another 5 mins until golden.

Cook the Fruit
In a saucepan, gently heat caster sugar and 2 tbsp water until dissolved. Add blackberries and blueberries. Stir for 3–4 mins until softened. Remove from heat, stir in raspberries.

Drain fruit through a sieve and keep the syrup.

Thicken the Syrup
Mix cornflour with 2 tbsp cold water. Whisk into the syrup. Heat gently until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir the softened fruit back in. Let cool.

Make the Frangipane
Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Fold in ground almonds and almond extract.

Assemble the Tart
Spoon fruit mixture evenly into the pastry case. Carefully dollop frangipane over the top—spread gently so you don’t mix them. Sprinkle with flaked almonds.

Bake the Tart
Bake at 180°C fan for 30 mins, or until golden and just set in the middle.

Finish the Tart
Cool slightly. Mix icing sugar with a little water to a thick drizzle. Zigzag over the tart. Remove from tin and serve.

TIPS FROM MY KITCHEN

• I always toast the flaked almonds in a dry pan before sprinkling—they taste richer that way.
• If your fruit looks overly juicy, spoon less syrup into the tart—save it to drizzle after.
• My oven runs hot, so I check at 25 minutes and loosely cover the top with foil if it’s browning too fast.
• Let it cool fully before slicing—it cuts much cleaner.

STORAGE + SERVING

Fridge: Keeps 2–3 days in an airtight container.
Freezer: Slice, wrap, and freeze for up to 1 month.
Reheat: Bring to room temp or warm in a low oven.
Serve With: Crème fraîche, Greek yoghurt, or thick cream.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Can I make it the day before?
Yes—and it slices even better the next day. Drizzle icing just before serving.

Q: Can I use frozen berries?
You can, but they’ll be wetter. Thaw and drain very well before using.

Q: What if I don’t have a tart tin?
A shallow pie dish works—just don’t make the base too thick.

Q: Can I skip the drizzle?
Technically yes. But I find it balances the richness and gives it that extra finish.

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry Brioche Frangipane Apple Pudding
• Mary Berry Apricot Frangipane Tart
• Mary Berry Sticky Apricot Pudding