Almond Toffee Tart

This Almond Toffee Tart has been gracing the table at our Easter dinner for years. I believe my Mom got the recipe from her sister who got it from someone else so I’m not even sure on the origin. All I know is that it’s one of my most favorite desserts, and it’s often overlooked because it’s one of those things who’s appearance doesn’t adequately showcase it’s amazing-ness. But it is, in fact, amazing.

You’ll notice that although it’s called an “Almond Toffee Tart” there’s no actual toffee in the recipe. That’s because it’s a magical tart. You toss together a simple filling and while it’s in the oven the little tart fairies come and turn that filling into a chewy, caramelized, toffee-like substance. Amazing!

Almond Toffee Tort from ourbestbites.com

Ingredients and Equipment Needed

This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.

Pastry

All purpose flour
Butter – Use real butter.
Egg yolks

Filling

Heavy whipping cream
Granulated sugar
Salt
Orange zest
Sliced almonds
Almond extract
Sweetened whipped cream – Optional, for serving.

Equipment

Tart pan – You’ll need a tart pan with removable sides for this recipe. Honestly, if you buy the pan just for this dessert, it will be money well spent!
Food processor – While not required, a food processor is useful for making the crust.

How to Make an Almond Toffee Tart

The pastry dough comes together in minutes. You just need real butter (no exceptions), flour, and a couple of egg yolks. You can use a food processor, or a pastry cutter to cut them together until crumbs form. Make sure there are pea-sized chunks of butter in there to help you get a flaky crust.
Press the dough into the tart pan and up the sides, then pop it in the oven to bake for a few minutes.
While the pastry is baking, you can whip up the filling. Just heat up some whipping cream and sugar on the stove top. After it simmers for a few minutes, take it off the heat and add almond extract and fresh orange zest.
Next goes in a bunch of sliced almonds. The original recipe didn’t call for toasting the almonds, but I started doing that a few years ago and loved the flavor and texture even more. That’s all there is to the filling! You might think the soupy consistency is strange, but that’s how it should be.
Use a spoon to spread out the almonds so they’re in a nice layer and that’s all there is to it. Then you just pop it in the oven to bake. The color should be that light caramel color and around the edges should be deeper golden brown when done.
Let the tart cool on a wire rack and you’ll see the color and appearance morph into a rich, dark caramel color.

I wish you could all have a bite of this so you could understand the flavor and texture. The crust is buttery and flaky and melts in your mouth. The top of the tart is slightly chewy, yet soft in the middle and the flavor of the caramelized sugar and cream with hints of almond and orange is just out of this world. I actually don’t think it necessarily needs whipped cream, but it looks pretty and well, everything seems to be better with a little whip on top.

Storing and Other Tips

Store finished tart, tightly covered, at room temperature and enjoy within 2-3 days for best results.
This is one of those rare desserts that really needs to cool completely to be at its best. I try to make it several hours before I’m going to serve it for the best flavor and texture. In fact, I think it improves over time, so I make it as early in the day as I can.
This can also serve a lot of people. Because it’s sweet and rich, you can get away with thin slices. Or you can eat like, seven thin slices yourself. I dare you not to!
To toast almonds, lay in a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake at 375°F, watching carefully and tossing often until golden brown.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes, make the tart up to 24 hours in advance and store, tightly covered, at room temperature or refrigerated until ready to serve. If topping with whipped cream, wait to add it until ready to serve.

Can I make this with other nuts or without the almonds?

This recipe was designed for use with almonds. It has not been tested with other nuts, but something like finely chopped macadamia nuts might work. I would not omit the nuts completely.

Can I make this gluten-free?

While I have not tried it myself, this recipe should translate well for use with a good quality 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. The crust might end up a little more crumbly, so cut and serve carefully!