Description
This Sour Cherry Frangipane Tart combines a crisp buttery tart shell with a rich almond frangipane filling, topped with juicy, slightly tart sour cherries. Perfectly balanced in sweetness and texture, this classic dessert is baked to golden perfection and ideal for any special occasion or indulgent treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry
- 225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 2 tablespoons icing sugar
- 115g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 medium free-range egg yolk
- 2-3 tablespoons iced water
Frangipane Filling
- 150g ground almonds
- 100g unsalted butter, softened
- 100g caster sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon plain flour
- 1 tablespoon amaretto (optional)
Cherry Topping
- 250g sour cherries (fresh or frozen, pitted)
- 2 tablespoons caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Prepare the Pastry: Sift the plain flour and icing sugar into a large bowl. Add the cold cubed butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingers until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Bind the Dough: Add the egg yolk to the mixture and gradually stir in iced water, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough just comes together without being wet or sticky.
- Chill the Dough: Form the dough into a ball, wrap it tightly in clingfilm, and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to relax the gluten and firm the butter.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 180ºC (350ºF/gas mark 4) to prepare for baking.
- Make Frangipane Filling: In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and caster sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Combine Filling Ingredients: Incorporate the ground almonds, eggs, vanilla extract, and plain flour into the butter and sugar mix. Stir until all is thoroughly combined. Optionally, fold in the amaretto for enhanced almond flavor.
- Roll Out Pastry: On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough out to fit a 23cm tart tin. Line the tin with the pastry, pressing it into the edges and trimming any excess. Chill again for 10 minutes to firm the dough before baking.
- Blind Bake Tart Shell: Line the pastry shell with baking paper and fill with baking beans or rice to prevent shrinking. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the paper and beans and bake for another 5 minutes until the pastry is lightly golden and crisp.
- Fill Tart Shell: Spread the prepared frangipane filling evenly into the blind-baked tart shell, smoothing the top with a spatula.
- Prepare Cherry Topping: In a small bowl, mix the pitted sour cherries with caster sugar, cornflour, and water to coat the fruit and slightly thicken the topping during baking.
- Add Cherry Topping: Spoon the cherry mixture evenly over the frangipane filling in the tart.
- Bake the Tart: Place the tart back into the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the frangipane is golden and set, and the cherries are tender and bubbly.
- Cool the Tart: Remove the tart from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely, allowing the filling to firm up and flavors to meld.
- Serve: Once cool, slice the tart and serve as is or optionally dust with icing sugar, add whipped cream, or accompany with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for extra indulgence.
Notes
- If using frozen sour cherries, ensure they are fully thawed and drained before use to avoid a soggy tart.
- The amaretto in the frangipane is optional but adds a lovely depth of almond flavor; you can substitute with almond extract if preferred.
- Blind baking the pastry shell is crucial to prevent it from becoming soggy once the filling is added.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute butter with a plant-based margarine and eggs with flax eggs or other egg replacers, though textures may vary.
- Leftover tart can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and lightly reheated before serving.
