Fresh cherries means Summer has arrived. While some fruits can now be found in grocery stores year round, cherries are still seasonal. For this very reason we must use them to their full potential whenever we have access to this symbol of perfection. Of course, when talking about sweet Bing cherries, we have to first get our fill of eating them raw. For then, and only then, can we begin to even think about using them in our baking. There are several sweet cherry recipes that I return to every summer, Cherry Clafoutis, Cherry Pie, Cherry Cake, and this European-style Cherry Tart. This tart has a lovely fluted pastry shell made with a buttery crisp short crust pastry, that is filled with a delicious almond flavored cream (Frangipane) and sweet Bing Cherries. And what makes this tart especially pretty is its shiny glaze of red currant jelly that makes the cherries glisten.

The short crust pastry I have used for this tart is Pate Brisee, a combination of butter, flour, sugar and salt with water added to bind all these ingredients together. It is easily made in your food processor and after chilling the dough, it is rolled into a round and placed in a fluted tart pan. The pastry shell does not need to be prebaked, so just cover and refrigerate the pastry while you make the almond cream and pit the cherries. The almond cream, also known as frangipane, is a combination of sugar, butter, eggs, and almond meal that has a wonderful sweet almond flavor that pairs well with cherries. (You can buy almond meal (flour) which is blanched almonds that are finely ground. But if you cannot find it simply take blanched almonds and process them in your food processor, with the 1 tablespoon of flour, until finely ground.) Once the cream is spread onto the unbaked pastry shell, the next step is to pit the cherries.

First, when buying Bing cherries look for plump and shiny fruit with a deep red, almost black, color. They should be firm to the touch with no soft spots, and their stems should still be attached. Pitting of cherries is always a tedious job and the task is made easier if you have a cherry pitter. However, if you do not own such a tool, than you need to do it by hand. The easiest way I have found to do this, is to make a small slit in the cherry, with a small sharp knife, from the stem end to the bottom of the cherry. Then, using the tip of the knife or your thumbnail, remove the pit. This process is best done over a bowl so any dripping juice will fall into the bowl and not stain your countertop. The pitted cherries are evenly placed on top of the frangipane and the tart is baked in a hot oven until the crust is golden brown and the cream is puffed and light brown in color. Cool the baked tart and then brush the red currant glaze on the cherries. Glazing the fruit is done for a couple of reasons, to keep the fruit from drying out and to make it wonderfully shiny. This Cherry Tart is excellent served warm or at room temperature, although leftovers can be covered and refrigerated.

Pate Brisee: In a food processor, place the flour, salt, and sugar and process until combined. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal (about 15 seconds). Pour 1/8 cup (30 ml) water in a slow, steady stream through the feed tube until the pastry just holds together when pinched. Add remaining water, if necessary. Do not process more than about 30 seconds.

Turn the pastry out onto your work surface, gather it into a ball, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about one hour to chill the butter and allow the gluten in the flour to relax.

Once the pastry has chilled sufficiently, remove from refrigerator and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll to a round about 1/4-inch (5 mm) thick size that fits a 9 or 10-inch (23 - 25 cm) tart pan. To make sure it is the right size, take your tart pan, flip it over, and place it on the rolled out pastry. The pastry should be about an inch larger than the pan.

When the pastry is the right size, lightly roll pastry around your rolling pin, dusting off any excess flour as you roll. Unroll onto top of tart pan. Never pull the pastry or you will get shrinkage (shrinkage is caused by too much pulling of the pastry when placing it in the pan). Gently lay the pastry in the pan and lightly press pastry onto bottom and up sides of pan. Roll your rolling pin over the top of the pan to get rid of excess pastry. Cover and refrigerate while you make the Frangipane and pit the cherries.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) place the oven rack in the center of the oven.

Frangipane: In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the sugar and butter. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the almond meal and flour and beat until it forms a smooth paste. Spread the cream on the bottom of the pastry crust.

Place the pitted cherries evenly over the frangipane. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the frangipane is puffed and light brown in color. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Once cool, gently heat the red currant jelly in a small saucepan until of spreading consistency. Then with a small pastry brush, lightly brush each cherry with the glaze. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Makes 1 - 9 - 10 inch (23 - 25 cm) tart.

Source:

Ferrary, Jeannette & Fiszer, Louise. Sweet Onions & Sour Cherries. Simon & Schuster. New York: 1992.

Pate Brisee (Short Crust Pastry):

1 1/4 cups (175 grams) all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) salt

1 tablespoon (14 grams) granulated white sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) (113 grams) unsalted butter, chilled, and cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces

1/8 to 1/4 cup (30 - 60 ml) ice water

Frangipane (Almond Cream):

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar

3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup (45 grams) almond meal (flour)

1 tablespoon (12 grams) all purpose flour

Topping:

1 pound (454 grams) sweet cherries, pitted

Glaze:

1/4 cup (60 ml) red currant jelly

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