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Cherry Tart

Source of Recipe

From "Ham Biscuits and Hostess Gowns" by Julia Reed


List of Ingredients

For the tart shell:
â—¦ 1 cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ 1 tablespoon sugar
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon salt
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest
â—¦ 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
â—¦ 1 tablespoon water
â—¦ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cherry filling:
â—¦ 9 tablespoons sugar
â—¦ 1 cup red Bordeaux wine
â—¦ 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
â—¦ 3 cups fresh Bing cherries, rinsed, stemmed, and pitted

For the almond custard:
â—¦ 1 large egg
â—¦ 1 egg yolk
â—¦ ¾ cup sugar
â—¦ ½ cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ 1 cup whole milk
â—¦ 3 tablespoons butter
â—¦ 2 tablespoons cognac or kirsch
â—¦ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon almond extract
â—¦ ½ cup whole blanched almonds, finely ground in a food processor or blender


Recipe

To make the tart shell: Mix the flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest in a bowl or food processor. Cut the butter into ½-inch slices and work them into the flour mixture with your fingers, or use the pulse motion of your processor, until the mixture is mostly cornmeal-size pieces and begins to hold together. Combine the water and vanilla and work them into the mixture just until the pastry is well blended and will hold together if you press it. Press the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan. Wrap the tart pan in foil and freeze for 30 minutes, or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly press in a sheet of aluminum foil to line the bottom and sides of the tart shell and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the shell for about 25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Carefully lift off the weights and foil. Bake the shell 5 minutes more. Cool the tart shell in the pan on a wire rack.

While the tart shell bakes, make the cherry filling: Combine 6 tablespoons of the sugar, the wine, and the lemon juice in a medium saucepan and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Heat to boiling. Drop in the cherries and simmer for 5 minutes, or until they are just tender. Cool the cherries in the syrup for 30 minutes; then drain, saving the syrup for another use. (It can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.)

Meanwhile, make the almond custard: Whisk the egg and egg and egg yolk in a mixing bowl until blended and gradually whisk in the sugar until the mixture is pale yellow. Whisk in the flour. Heat the milk to boiling in a small saucepan and whisk it into the egg mixture in a thin stream, continuing to whisk until smooth. Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking slowly, until the mixture coagulates into lumps. Whisk vigorously until the custard is smooth. Lower the heat and beat with a wooden spoon 2 to 3 minutes more to cook the flour thoroughly. Remove the saucepan from the heat; beat in the butter, cognac, and extracts. Fold in the almonds and the drained cherries.

Preheat the broiler. Spread the filling in the tart shell. Sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar over the tart and broil 2 to 3 minutes to caramelize the sugar lightly.

Makes one 9-inch tart
(8 servings)