Cherry Almond Tart

Soft cherries with kirsch and custard in a buttery almond cookie crust... can you resist?

Patricia Wells is a cooking goddess. Every time I cook one of her recipes, I'm awed by the flawless result. This cherry almond tart is no exception - it is so damned good! If you can get your hands on a pound of cherries, make this tart and you will not be disappointed.  At first glance, the recipe may look laborious, but it isn't hard. With the cookie crust, there is not need to chill and roll out dough - the most intimidating part of most tart recipes.

I never get sick of cherries. Their season so is short and sweet that I enjoy it fully. I don't even feel guilty indulging when Monterey Market has organic cherries from Twin Girl Farms for less than three dollars a pound. I know it is gauche to talk $$, but this deal is too good to deny.

 

We are eating at least a couple of pounds of cherries a week around here. Usually they are devoured before one can imagine eating them any way but raw. Yesterday we bought an extra pound just to make Patricia Wells' Cherry Almond Tart.

CHERRY ALMOND TART
from Patricia Wells' At Home in Provence


ALMOND COOKIE CRUST INGREDIENTS

•  8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and then cooled
• 1/2 cup sugar
• pinch of sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons finely ground blanched almonds
• 1 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour (GF folks: use 1 1/4 cup Pamela's Bread and Flour mix)

CHERRY FILLING INGREDIENTS

• 5 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour ( GF: use Pamela's Bread and Flour mix)
• 2 tablespoons finely ground blanched almonds
• 1 tablespoon Kirsch

• 4 more tablespoons ground blanched almonds
• 1 pound fresh ripe cherries
• Optional: Confectioner's Sugar for garnish

Making the Crust:

Preheat oven to 350.

Butter sides and bottom of 9 inch fluted tart pan with removable sides.

(If you aren't able to buy finely ground blanched almonds and can only find blanched slivers, go ahead and grind all of your almonds now.)

In a medium sized bowl, combine butter, sugar, salt, vanilla and almond extracts, and 2 tablespoons ground almonds. Stir with a wooden spoon to blend. Slowly add enough flour to make a smooth soft dough (the consistency of soft cookie dough).  You may need less flour than the recipe calls for. Trust yourself.

Place the dough in the center of the buttered tart pan. Using your fingertips, slowly spread our the dough until it covered the bottom and sides of pan. ( No need to weight or prick the dough.)

Bake in the center of the oven for about 10 minutes. The crust should be a very pale golden brown. Set aside to cool. Leave the oven on.



Making the filling:

Pit the cherries. I am not big into kitchen gadgets and didn't own a cherry/olive pitter for years. I finally bought one and it makes recipes like these possible. Go ahead get out your pitter or go buy one. It is a nice tool to have around.

 Combine cream, egg, almond and vanilla extracts in a small bowl and whisk to blend. Then add in sugar, flour, 2 tablespoons ground almonds, and Kirsch. Stir to blend.

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons ground almonds over the bottom of the tart shell to help the crust from becoming soggy.

Arrange pitted cherries in the tart pan in a single layer. Pour filling around the cherries and sprinkle the top with the final 2 tablespoons of ground almonds.

Bake assembled tart in the center of the oven for about 45 minutes. When done, the custard filling should be firm and the crust a nice deep golden brown. Cool on a rack.

Wells suggests sprinkling powdered sugar over the top just before serving, but I found the tart to be perfect without.

I can't imagine why this recipe isn't famous. This is one of the best desserts I have ever made. Thank you Patricia Wells!

Serves 8