Fénétra Toulousain (Apricot-Almond Tart)

Nov 7, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Pies tarts Vanilla: Beans Medium

Fénétra Toulousain (Apricot-Almond Tart)

A vanilla shortcrust tart spread with apricot jam and chopped candied lemon peel, then covered with a soft almond meringue made from whipped egg whites and ground almonds. It bakes to a golden, crisp-topped, chewy layer that contrasts with the tangy fruit underneath. Makes 10 servings in about 4 hr 15 min.

Prep 35 min

Cook 55 min

Cooling 2 hr 45 min

Total 4 hr 15 min

Servings 10

Ingredients

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servings

1 ⅔ cups (200 g)all-purpose flour, for the pastry
6 tbsp (80 g)granulated sugar, for the pastry
1 pinchfine salt
1vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
½ cup (100 g)unsalted butter, cold, cubed
1 (50 g)egg, large, beaten
1 cup (300 g)apricot jam, smooth
½ cup (60 g)candied lemon peel, finely chopped
4 (132 g)egg whites, large, room temperature
½ cup (100 g)granulated sugar, for the filling
1 ⅓ cups (125 g)almond flour, made from blanched almonds
⅓ cup (40 g)all-purpose flour, sifted, for the filling
¼ tsp (1 ml)bitter almond extract, or regular almond extract
2 tbsp (15 g)powdered sugar

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Instructions

For the pastry, whisk the 200 g all-purpose flour, 80 g granulated sugar, fine salt and vanilla bean seeds in a bowl. Rub in the cold unsalted butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse sand, then add the beaten egg and gather into a dough. Flatten into a disc, wrap and chill 1 hour.
Roll the pastry on a floured surface to about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick and line the tart pan, pressing it into the edges and trimming the top. Prick the bottom all over with a fork and chill 15 minutes. Meanwhile heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line the pastry with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake 15 minutes, lift out the parchment and weights, and bake 5 minutes more, until the base looks dry and pale golden. Cool 10 minutes; leave the oven on.
Spread the apricot jam evenly over the pastry base and scatter the candied lemon peel over the jam.
Whip the egg whites to firm peaks, then add the 100 g granulated sugar a spoonful at a time, beating until thick and glossy. Gently fold in the almond flour, the sifted 40 g all-purpose flour and the bitter almond extract until no streaks remain.
Spread the almond meringue over the jam, taking it right to the pastry edge so the fruit is sealed in. Bake 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden, dry and crisp to the touch.
Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then remove the ring and let the tart cool completely, about 1 hour. Dust with the powdered sugar before slicing.

Tips

Blind baking the crust keeps the base crisp under the moist jam.
Fold the almonds and flour into the meringue with a light hand so the topping stays soft and airy inside.
Bitter almond extract is strong; measure it rather than pouring from the bottle.
Good with black tea or a glass of sweet white wine.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make fénétra toulousain (apricot-almond tart)?

Plan on 35 minutes of prep and 55 minutes of cooking, plus 2 hours 45 minutes to chill and rest. The recipe makes 10 servings.

How should I store fénétra toulousain (apricot-almond tart)?

Keep loosely covered at room temperature up to 2 days; the topping softens over time.

Can I make fénétra toulousain (apricot-almond tart) ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped. Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

An old Toulouse pastry linked to the Roman Feretralia and traditionally eaten around All Souls' Day, made of a sweet crust spread with apricot jam and candied lemon and topped with an almond meringue. Serve it with black tea or a glass of sweet white wine.

Variations

Individual tartlets: line six 4-inch (10 cm) tartlet pans, blind bake 12 minutes, then fill and bake 20 to 25 minutes instead of 30 to 35.
Orange version: use 60 g (1/3 cup) chopped candied orange peel instead of lemon peel and fold 1 tsp (2 g) orange zest into the meringue; bake time unchanged.
Fresh apricot version: use 150 g (1/2 cup) apricot jam topped with 250 g (about 1 3/4 cups) finely diced fresh apricots tossed with 20 g (5 tsp) sugar; bake 35 to 40 minutes.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 10 servings this recipe makes.

407 Calories / serving

15.2g Fat

61.9g Carbs

7.4g Protein

35.1g Sugar

Whole recipe (10 servings): ~4070 cal · 152g fat · 619g carbs · 74g protein · 351g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.