The French Almond Pear Gratin, also known as “Gratin de Poires aux Amandes,” combines the sweetness of pears with the rich nuttiness of almonds, creating a delightful and comforting treat – one that’s naturally gluten free. It features softly baked pears nestled in a bed of almond cream, creating a perfect match of texture and flavor. Embrace this rustic dessert, on the table in less than an hour, for the cozy season.
French fruit gratins: a comforting dessert for the cozy seasons
Sweet gratins made with seasonal fruits are very popular in France, during just about any season of the year. They can be made with stone fruits like peaches and plums in the Summer, and pears or apples in the Winter.
Sweet gratins are especially beloved among home bakers as they’re quick and simple to prepare, and make the most of seasonal fruits.
During Fall and Winter, I personally love how baked fruit gratins are simpler and quicker to make than a cake, yet yield the same feelings of comfort and coziness. This warm French Almond Pear Gratin is perfect for enjoying on a cold evening, or as a comforting treat when you need a little indulgence.
Ingredients you’ll need for this French Almond Pear Gratin
This French Almond Pear Gratin requires pantry staples ingredients, along with delicious, in-season pears. Here is a detailed list of everything you’ll need to recreate this rustic French recipe at home.
- Butter. Choose unsalted butter. It must be at room temperature, so you can easily mix it with the sugar. So, I recommend you take the butter out of the fridge at least 1 hour prior.
- Sugar. White sugar works best.
- Salt. A pinch of salt always enlivens all the flavors.
- Ground almonds. Ground almonds, also known as almond meal, are simply almonds (peeled or unpeeled) that have been finely ground into a flour-like consistency. You can opt for almond meal (coarsely ground) or almond flour (finer ground), if that’s what you have on hand. Ground almonds yield a moist and dense result in baked goods, with a lovely rustic texture.
- Eggs. Make sure they are at room temperature. Take them out of the fridge at least 30 minutes prior.
- 1/4 tsp almond extract. Just a quarter teaspoon is enough to bring big almond flavors.
- 4 to 5 pears. Choose firm baking pears, such as Bartlett, Bosc, or Anjou. They won’t release too much moisture when baking and will hold their shape. Depending on the size of your pears, you may need 4 or 5.
- Powdered sugar (optional). For dusting on the finished dessert, before serving.
Overview: How to make this French Almond Pear Gratin
Here are the directions for making this recipe. You can find the list of ingredients and detailed instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this article.
- Make the almond mixture. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the ground almonds and mix until just incorporated. Add the 3 eggs and almond extract and mix again until just incorporated. Spread the almond mixture at the bottom of a greased baking dish.
- Prepare the pears. Peel, core and cut pear into quarters.
- Assemble the dessert. Place pear quarters onto the almond mixture, about ½ inch (1.25cm) apart, pushing each piece down so they are tucked in nicely. Sprinkle the tablespoon of sugar evenly on top. Bake for 40 minutes until the top is lightly golden.
Frequently asked questions
For the ground almonds, should I use almond meal or almond flour?
Both work great here! This sweet gratin has a rustic feel to it, so the consistency of the ground almonds (coarse meal or fine flour) has little to no importance. Almond meal is typically coarser, has a slightly grainy texture and a darker speckled appearance from the almond skins. Almond flour is ground more finely, has a smoother texture and usually lighter in color.
Should I use blanched or unblanched ground almonds?
They both work perfectly.
What variety of pear is best for this dessert?
For baking with pears, I recommend choosing a firm baking variety such as Bartlett, Bosc, or Anjou.
Can I substitute apple for pear?
Yes, absolutely you can replace the pears with apples if you would like. Although note that this recipe was specifically created with pears, as the taste pairs so nicely with almond.
If you do choose to use apples, choose baking apples that will hold their shape when cooking and not turn into mush. My favorite baking apple varieties are Honey Crisp, Jonagold, Pink Lady, Granny Smith and Mutsu.
Storage tips:
- To refrigerate: After making and enjoying this pear dessert, you can cover it with plastic film and store in in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can enjoy it chilled or reheated. For reheating, simply pop it in the oven at 350°F (180°C) for 8-10 minutes.
- Don’t freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this dessert. The pears will likely become soggy when thawing.
Audrey’s note:
- This recipe fits perfectly into a 8”x 8” (20,32cm x 20,32cm) baking dish.
I hope you’ll love this French Almond Pear Gratin recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment.
More French desserts to enjoy:
- Classic French Pear Cake
- Gluten-Free Apple Crisp
- Classic French Tarte Tatin
- Apple Cinnamon Galette
- Lemon Olive Oil Cake
- Apple Breton Pound Cake
- Classic French Apple Cake
- Classic French Thin Apple Tart
- Classic French Chocolate Moelleux Cake
40 comments
Like your recipes 🇫🇷
Thank you, Mary! If you try any, I’d love to know what you thought of them 🙂
Saw this on your blog a couple days ago and made it right away as I had some pears that were going a bit soft. Wow! The added almond extract made this taste so decadent. A winner, thank you!
I appreciate the review, Lena! So glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Delicious ! Saw the recipe when I picked up my phone to look for a recipe to use the ground almonds in my baking basket. Perfect timing, fabulous recipe, thank you!
Perfect timing indeed, Anne! So glad you enjoyed the recipe. It’s such a comforting and addictive dessert.
Can I double the recipe? Thanks, Ellie
Hello, Ellie. That would be a pretty large gratin! I haven’t made one that large myself, but I think the recipe should double fine – Just keep an eye on the baking time. I’d start keeping a watchful eye after the cook time for the single gratin, and rechecking every 3min or so. Good luck!
Hello again Audrey,
Greetings from Melbourne. Made this dish on Sunday and am happy to report that it was a lovely, light dessert. I really am driven towards desserts that are built around seasonal fruit. Thank you again for this lovely suggestion.
George
Hello again, George! So glad you enjoyed this dessert 🙂 it really does make very good use of (in season) pears. And you’re correct, it is deceptively light!
This is easy, and has a lovely texture. I recommend tasting your pears first to make sure they are really flavourful. I had really fresh Bosc pears from my local organic farmer’s market, which were ripe, but they were a bit bland; you really want that intense pear flavour. In retrospect I might have added a bit of cardamom or nutmeg (not classically French, I know) for a little flavour boost. I think a Haeckel pear might work well, or an Abate. I served with creme fraîche, which I prefer to whipped cream.
Thank you so much for your review and suggestions, Michele. Great advice on the pears, and so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Just made this with apples and vanilla instead of almond extract. Delicious! So very buttery, a small piece goes a long way. Thank you for the recipe.
Thank you so very much Nandita! Really happy to hear that even with vanilla it came out great (and why wouldn’t it? Pear and vanilla are a great combo as well!). Thanks for the review 🙂
We brought this to our dinner group (with some finicky eaters) and it was a complete success. We usually try out a recipe before springing it on our group but this recipe seemed so straight forward. It was easily assembled and cooked per your recipe (and photos). The result was a warm and comforting dessert with tender pears and great flavors. I usually take full credit for all my dish successes,but I might have mentioned your website as the source of this dessert — so you may gain some new subscribers!
Love this so much, Chuck! Very, very bold of you to bring a dish without testing it, but that must speak to your level of comfort in the kitchen. I am so glad you all enjoyed the recipe, especially at a dinner party! It’s wonderful when a dish can be simple, straight-forward, and still be so comforting and flavorful. Good job.
I added a (big) splash of amaretto. Absolutely delicious.
Love your recipes :)!
Oh, now there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with that!!! So happy you enjoyed it. Thank you!
Your addition sounds delicous! Did you use it on the pears or in the batter? I’m planning to bake this for an upcoming dinner with my daughter. Thank you. Mary
I hope you’ll receive an answer soon, Mary. But to throw in my 2 cents, I think either one would likely work perfectly! I think tossing the sliced pears in a splash of amaretto before placing in the batter would be my first move, just to be sure it doesn’t alter the batter in any way. But if KT used it in the batter with no issue, then it’s another great option.
Can I use regular flour instead of almond flour?
Hello, Jennifer. I wish I could give you a straighforward response, but I have not made this dish using all-purpose flour in place of the almond flour. I have, in recipes, done substitutions the other way around (replacing flour with almond flour) and doing so at a 1:1 amount sometimes works, and sometimes doesn’t. If you’re dedicated to trying it out, I would lower the amount of AP flour to about 1 1/4 cups (instead of 1 1/2) to start.
That being said, the texture of the dish will change quite a bit – though the taste should still be quite nice. Just don’t skip out on the almond extract, it’s where a lot of the flavor comes from.
I made it
Healthy , tasty and presentable
Thanks for ingredients.
So glad you enjoyed it, Fari! Thank you for the kind words 🙂
Hello!! Looks delicious, can we substitute sugar for maple syrop or date sugar? Thanks in advance!
Hello, Olga! I can honestly say I haven’t tried the recipe with either alternative, but I think the date sugar would work better than the maple syrup would. I know for sure maple has a strong taste tha would definitely alter the flavor of the gratin, and assume date would be milder in taste.
Great, I just made ut it is actually cooling but I tried and it is absolutely DELICIOUS.
Love hearing that, Bee! Sneaking a little taste before it cools is the chef’s right 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it.
This was quick, easy, and delicious! Not overly sweet, just perfect. A friend had given us about 20 lbs of pears and I was looking for ways to use them as they ripened. So happy I found this recipe!
I wish someone would come to my door with 20pnds of pears, Jennifer! Ok, maybe 20pnds is a lot, but I’d still be so happy 🙂
So glad you enjoyed the recipe. I think you should make it again since you have so many pears to use!
What size pan? Can I use a springform pan? 8 or 9 inch? Thanks
Hello, Sue. This recipe fits perfectly into a 8”x 8” (20,32cm x 20,32cm) baking dish. Hope this helps and that you enjoy the gratin!
I made this today and it was just ok. While I think the pear quarters are pretty the way it bakes on top of the gratin, I don’t think it makes it easy to cut and serve. Some people will not get enough pear. So, I think next time, I will dice the pear and incorporate it into the batter. I used bosc pears and added sliced almonds on the top and 1/8 teaspoon of vanilla powder incorporated into the batter which I think positively added to the texture and flavor. I also served with more sliced pear and a small scoop of high-quality vanilla ice cream.
Diced pear is a good way to ensure the distribution of the fruit throughout the cake, Jojo, absolutely! Glad you enjoyed it. My husband also wonders why we don’t add much vanilla to cake recipes, but it’s just the way tradition dictates. But you’re absolutely right, it delivers a wonderful aroma ot the cake.
I’ve read that toasting nut flour can add to the depth of flavor. Do you think that’s true in this application? Thank you.
I’ve also heard this Lee, but haven’t gotten around to trying it. I often toast spices and roast nuts, which is the same basic premise here – and yes, it does add flavor for sure. I say go for it if you’re willing to try!
Can you use tin fruit if you don’t have fresh on hand?
Canned fruit always gives me pause, Lee. Is it possible? Yes, of course! But ideally the canned pears will be firm and not mushy. It really depends on that. If they come out of the can a bit mushy, the result will be even mushier after baking.
Either way, be sure to let them rest on cloth/paper towel for at least 30min to drain all the excess liquid from them. And enjoy!
I made this tonight for my family and it went down so well it is our new favourite….
Compliments to you, Gail! Sounds like you nailed the recipe, and I couldn’t be happier.
Enjoy a slice for me, please 🙂