If you're looking for a simple and delicious cherry tart recipe, this one's for you. It's the kind of dessert that looks impressive but is actually really easy to make.
Ingredients: 8 | Prep Time: 50 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes | Servings: 10 slices | Difficulty: Easy
This cherry tart recipe is one of my go-tos during cherry season. This tart uses simple ingredients and fresh cherries, doesn't need a rolling pin, and you can make it last-minute or a day ahead. It's easy and perfect for summer.
Check out more delicious cherry desserts like Kirschmichel, Cherry Loaf Cake, or Swiss Cherry Pie. Or any of the many more Cherry Recipes on the blog.
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Recipe ingredients
Cherries: I make it with fresh sweet cherries because I have a huge, old cherry tree in the garden. However, sour cherries are also amazing. You can also use frozen, thawed, and well-dried cherries, too.
- This cherry tart calls for about 1 lb/ 450 g of pitted cherries; you'll want to buy about 1.1-1.2 lbs/ 500-530 g of whole cherries. I use a cherry pitter to make things easier.
- Frozen cherries work too! Just make sure to thaw them completely and pat them dry with paper towels. Too much liquid will make the tart soggy.
Ingredients for the crust: All-purpose flour, confectioner's sugar, egg yolks, butter, and the zest of one lemon. You have to try this Cherry Crumble Pie, too; it's super easy to make and so delicious!
Ingredients for the filling: Ground almonds (not almond flour), confectioners' sugar, two eggs, vanilla extract, and some lemon juice. Check out the Cherry and Almond Cake, too.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make the cherry tart?
Step #1: Add flour, butter, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, and salt to a food processor. Pulse until crumbly.
Step #2: Add egg yolks and pulse briefly until the dough just comes together. Don't overmix. Form a disc, wrap and refrigerate it.
Step #3: Press the chilled dough into a rough circle, then fit it into the tart pan.
Step #4: Use cold fingers to press it evenly on the bottom and sides. Trim the edges and chill while you preheat the oven.
Step #5: Prick the pastry. Line with parchment and fill with beans. Blind bake for 12 minutes. Remove beans and parchment, lower the oven, and bake 3-4 more minutes.
Step #6: Whisk ground almonds, confectioners' sugar, eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice until smooth.
Step #7: Pour the filling into the pre-baked crust and arrange cherries on top.
Step #8: Bake for 20 minutes, then cover the edges with foil to prevent browning. Bake another 30 minutes until set and golden.
Tip: The filling should be set in the center and lightly golden. If you gently shake the pan, it shouldn't jiggle much. A knife or toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
Good to know!
Measuring ingredients: For the best results, I recommend using a digital kitchen scale. It's more accurate than using cups, especially when baking. You can find the scale I use linked in the recipe card.
Blind baking with dried beans: If you don't have special baking beans or pie weights, dried beans work just fine. Just make sure to let them cool completely before storing them in a jar or container. You can reuse them next time you bake a tart, but don't cook them anymore - once they've been baked, they're only good as weights.
Make ahead and store
Make ahead: You can bake the cherry tart the day before and store it in the fridge. Let it come to room temperature before serving.
Fridge: Cover the tart and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Not necessary, but you can do it. Warm it in the oven for 10 minutes at 300°F/ 150°c to crisp it back up.
Freeze: You can freeze slices too - just wrap them well. They'll keep for about 2 months.
How to serve it?
You can enjoy this tart warm, at room temperature, or even straight from the fridge. It's great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a little whipped cream, German Vanilla Sauce, or just a dusting of powdered sugar.
Cherry Tart Recipe
Equipment
- Food processor preferably with a removable bottom 9 inches/ 23 cm
- Fluted tart pan
- Dried beans for blind baking, Note 1
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour Note 2
- â…” cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup confectioner's sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 2 medium egg yolks
- the zest of 1 lemon
For the filling:
- 1.1 lb cherries Note 3
- 1 cup ground almonds
- ¾ cup confectioner's sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
Pastry:
- Make the pastry: Add the flour, butter, confectioners' sugar, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt to a food processor. Pulse until the mixture looks crumbly. Add the egg yolks and pulse again for just a few seconds - 5 to 10 should do it - until the dough starts to come together. Don't overmix.1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour + ⅔ cup unsalted butter + ½ cup confectioner’s sugar + a pinch of salt + 2 medium egg yolks + the zest of 1 lemon
- Chill the dough: Tip the mixture onto your work surface, gently bring it together with your hands to form a ball (don't knead), then flatten it slightly into a disk. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
- Pit the cherries: Meanwhile, pit the cherries and lightly butter the fluted tart pan.1.1 lb cherries
- Roll out the dough: Take the dough out of the fridge and press it into a rough circle with your hands. Place it in the tart pan, then use your (cold) fingers to press it evenly across the bottom and up the sides. Trim the edges to make them neat and even. Chill the pan again while you preheat the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Dock and weight the crust: Prick the bottom of the pastry all over with a fork. Line it with a large piece of parchment paper and fill with dried beans.
- Blind bake for 12 minutes. Carefully remove the parchment and beans, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F/180°C and bake for another 3-4 minutes, just until the crust looks dry.
- Meanwhile, make the filling.
Filling:
- Mix the filling: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the ground almonds, confectioners' sugar, lightly beaten eggs, vanilla extract, and lemon juice until smooth.1 cup ground almonds + ¾ cup confectioner’s sugar + 2 medium eggs + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract + 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Assemble and bake:
- Fill the tart: Pour the almond filling into the pre-baked tart shell. Arrange the pitted cherries evenly over the top.
- Bake cherry tart: Place the tart in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Then, carefully cover the edges of the crust with foil to prevent overbrowning (see the blog post for photos). Continue baking for another 30 minutes, or until the filling is set and golden.
- Cool the tart: Let the tart cool completely in the pan, then gently transfer it to a serving plate. Dust with a little confectioners' sugar before serving.
Notes
- Measurements: For best results, use a digital kitchen scale (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) when baking. It's more accurate than measuring by cups and helps ensure consistent results.
- Blind baking beans: You can reuse dried beans for blind baking. Just let them cool completely and store them in an airtight container. They're no longer suitable for cooking, but perfect for future tarts and pies.
- Cherries: You'll need about 1 lb/ 450 g of pitted cherries. That means buying about 1.1-1.2 lbs 500-530 g of whole cherries. A cherry pitter (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) makes the job much faster and cleaner.
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