Fond Farewell Cherry Almond Tart

 

Cherry season is a highlight of summer for me. I love the sweet rich taste of cherries and enjoy them for as long as I can. However, the day comes when cherries are no longer in the markets. I bought what might be the last cherries for this year, and decided to make a cherry tart with them. 

This recipe is a combination of two from Laura Calder's book Paris Express. I will warn you that this is not a very sweet concoction. It's also a thin tart, and quite light to eat. I took it to dinner with friends and we all agreed that it would also be wonderful as breakfast. 

Let's start with the crust. It's an easy one, for the "pastry-phobic" as Laura Calder puts it. 

Pastry:

1 cup (125 g) flour

1/3 cup (70 g) butter, cut into pieces

1 Tablespoon icing sugar (I might increase this to 2 T)

1 teaspoon vanilla

Put all of the ingredients into a food processor, pulse to fine crumbs that are barely beginning to hold together, and place in a 9" tart pan with a removable bottom. Press the crumbs evenly to line the bottom and sides of the pan. You want a good amount on the sides, and really press the dough into the fluted sides. Chill for 15 minutes while you make the filling.

Frangipane Filling:

1/2 cup (70 g) ground almonds

1/4 cup (55 g) butter

1/4 cup (55 g) sugar

2 Tablespoons flour

1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Put the almonds, butter, sugar, and flour in a food processor and pulse until a paste forms. Add the egg yolk and almond extract; pulse until combined. 

Cherries:

2 cups (375 g) fresh sweet cherries, pitted and halved

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the frangipane filling gently over the crust. The crust is fragile and I found it easiest to dot the frangipane over, then place it in the oven for 5 minutes to soften and make it easier to spread. 

Arrange the cherry halves over top of the filling. 

Bake 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool before removing from the pan. Dust with a little sifted icing sugar, if desired.