With a creamy vanilla custard filling, fresh cherries, and a crust that doesn't require refrigeration or rolling before use, this cherry tart is a must-bake! A great recipe for beginner bakers or those who don't want the hassle of traditional pie crust making. It's a dessert that comes together quickly and looks sophisticated. It also works with frozen cherries.
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Easy cherry dessert
This cherry tart recipe caught my eye because of the method for making the crust and because I earnestly await the cherry season to make fresh cherry dump cake and cherry caipiroska.
Sometimes, I think nothing beats eating cold fresh cherries by themselves. Yet, some recipes make it worth baking them. This is one of them. And I urge you to try it.
A quick crust and creamy cherry pie filling that comes together in a few minutes. The only laborious part is pitting cherries. Here's a short video for this cherry tart.
The method for making the crust is different and quicker: no need to let it rest in the fridge before rolling and no need to work with cold butter. A definite keeper.
The recipe hails from Bill Granger, a perpetually grinning Aussie with a great television show I watched religiously before the internet was a thing. Update: Bill passed away in December 2023, at just 54, so this is a recipe I cherish even more.
- Linda ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was absolutely delicious and so easy to make!!!
- Karol ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I'm not a baker, but after this tart, you would think I was a pastry chef! The crust is so easy and the tart simple, tasty & elegant! I substituted vanilla extract for almond extract, which gave it a little extra zing. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
FAQ
Traditional pastry is chilled because it relies on cold butter, and rolling stretches the dough, which makes it shrink back in the oven. This crust starts with melted butter and is pressed into the pan instead of rolled, so there's nothing to keep cold and very little stretching. Press it evenly, and don't thin it out at the top edge.
Yes. The ground almonds are there to absorb juice and protect the crust. You can replace them with the same amount of finely ground plain vanilla cookies or graham crackers or a light sprinkle of fine breadcrumbs.
You can pre-bake the crust a day ahead and keep it covered at room temperature once cool. The tart is best the day it's baked, but it keeps for about 2 days in the fridge, well wrapped. I like to chill it for 1-2 hours before serving anyway. I don't recommend freezing it, because the custard weeps when it thaws.
Testing notes
Paula's baking tips that make a difference.
Fresh cherries are highly recommended, especially when seasonal, sweet and flavorful, but frozen ones work and let you make the tart year-round. If using frozen cherries, thaw them in a colander, let them drain well, and pat them dry with paper towels, especially if they have too much ice around them (from a long stay in the freezer). Excess juice is the enemy here, because it will thin the custard and soften the crust. Thawed cherries are colder and wetter than fresh, so the tart may need 5-10 minutes more in the oven.
If you start with bland, rather flavorless cherries, you'll end with a similar flavor when the tart is baked. It will be good, but not great. Taste them first.
The melted butter for the crust must be cooled and pourable. Don't use hot or very warm butter; it can create a paste instead of a crumbly dough, and it's not what you want.
Remove the tart from the oven when the custard is almost set, but still slightly jiggly in the center. This ensures a creamy filling. Don't overbake it; it will continue to set as it cools down.
Don't rush the cooling process: the cooling down period and chilling times are needed to achieve the creamiest filling.
Ingredients
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
For the crust
It uses mostly pantry staples.
Ground almonds: will act as a barrier to prevent liquid from seeping into the crust as much as possible.
For the filling
Have them measured and ready when you start with the pie dough, so it's all easier to assemble.
Cream: use heavy, whipping, or heavy whipping cream.
Sugar: white or light brown sugar, both work.
Flour: all-purpose or cake flour, both work.
Variations & substitutions
- Stone fruit: apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums; they all work here. Choose fresh fruits with a little acidity to counterbalance the butter and cream.
- Berries: blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries work very well in this recipe.
- Flavorings: use spices, citrus zest, or extracts to flavor the custard to complement the fruit you use.
- Oil: I have a friend who makes this crust with coconut oil instead of butter, the same amount. She says it's great. I never tried it, but I thought you might want to know, just in case.
Mini cherry tarts
This recipe makes 4 to 6 individual tarts in 4-inch (10 cm) tart pans with removable bottoms. They're lovely for a dessert table and easier to serve than slicing a whole tart.
Divide the dough evenly and press it in the same way: sides first, then the base. Pre-bake the shells for 10-12 minutes. Fill them with cherries and custard almost to the top, then bake for 20-25 minutes (estimated), until the custard barely jiggles in the center.
Tart crust
Pie and tart crusts usually require a stay in the refrigerator and involve a rolling pin, a floured counter, etc.
This one defies everything we're taught in pastry school or what you read about crust making. It starts with melted butter and doesn't need to chill before baking.
Pan size: If you use the right-sized pan specified in the recipe card, there should be no pie dough leftovers, and the cherries and custard should fill it to the top without overflowing.
Mix
This dough starts with melted butter and doesn't need to chill before baking. You need a large bowl and a spoon or spatula.
The final mixture is soft, without floury spots, and ready to use.
Press
Scatter small pieces of dough all over the bottom of the pie pan.
Press the dough: start with the side and angles, and then work to cover the bottom.
Paula's tip
The crust mixture might seem insufficient, but it's not. If you use the pan size specified, you'll have enough dough to create a thin layer.
Pre-bake the crust
This is necessary to achieve a crisp crust. It will still be pale in the center, with the edges just starting to color, and the surface will feel dry to the touch.
Ground almonds are scattered on the bottom to avoid sogginess as much as possible.
Fresh or frozen cherries
You can use sweet or sour (tart) cherries. Sweet cherries give a mellow, jammy tart. Sour cherries like Morello or Montmorency are brighter and pair beautifully with the vanilla custard. If you use sour cherries, add an extra tablespoon of sugar to the custard.
Fresh cherries are my favorite here, but this is such a pretty holiday tart that it deserves to be made year-round, and outside cherry season the frozen option works well.
Pitting cherries
Even if you only bake with fresh cherries a few times a year, I recommend you buy yourself a cherry pitter.
It's a handy gadget for removing the stone in seconds while keeping the fruit whole.
Scatter
They will not fill the surface, which is fine; you need space for the custard.
I use them whole, but you can halve them.
About using canned cherries or pie filling
I don't recommend using either of them.
Canned or jarred cherries are softer and sometimes mushier. They don't hold up well and don't have the bite the tart needs. Cherry pie filling has a thick, sweet sauce that doesn't mix well with the custard, and the filling turns gummy.
The cherry custard filling
This cherry tart has a sweet, creamy filling similar to pastry cream, but it's much easier to make and comes together in a few minutes. If you know French desserts, it's close to a clafoutis or a flan baked in a crust.
- Simply mix all ingredients with a hand whisk in a large mixing bowl. That's it. No stove or beating is involved.
- Sugar: I have occasionally used brown sugar instead of white, and it works well. However, the color is more of a light beige. Feel free to use whatever sugar you have or like.
- Filling mixture: As with the amount of crust, if you follow the recipe, you will have exactly the amount of filling you need to fill this tart crust.
Pour the custard
I transfer the custard filling to a jar for easier pouring. Be careful and distribute it as evenly as possible.
Baking this cherry tart
When custards are involved, I recommend baking it until it barely jiggles in the center. The custards will continue to bake and set while the dessert is cooling, making the filling creamy.
If you wait until the filling is too firm, it will have a thicker consistency when it cools and not be as creamy, especially if there's refrigeration involved.
Easy Cherry Tart (No-Chill Crust)
Equipment
Ingredients
For the crust:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 7 tablespoons sugar, scant ½ cup
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons finely ground almonds or almond flour, or ground plain vanilla cookies or graham crackers
For the filling:
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 pound cherries, pitted (fresh are best)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180°C).
- Have a 9-inch (23cm) round tart pan with a removable bottom ready. A 9 ½ inch (24cm) tart pan also works, but you'll have to be more patient when patting the dough to make it fit.
For the crust:
- Stir together ½ cup unsalted butter and 7 tablespoons sugar in a large mixing bowl. I use a spatula.
- Add 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour and a pinch of salt and stir to make a soft dough. Don't overmix it or handle it with your hands.
- Transfer the dough to the pan in small pieces, distributing them on the bottom, and press evenly into the sides first, then the base, with your floured fingertips. The dough seems like it's not enough, but it is.
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the crust is set and just beginning to color at the edges. Remove from the oven and sprinkle 2 tablespoons finely ground almonds or almond flour over the base.
For the filling:
- While the crust is baking, pit 1 pound cherries in a bowl.
- Whisk together ¾ cup heavy cream, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar.
- Add 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and whisk until well mixed. Don't beat, just stir well until incorporated.
- Arrange the pitted cherries over the pastry base and slowly pour the cream filling evenly over the cherries.
- Return the tart to the oven and bake for about 40-45 minutes, until the filling is barely firm but still jiggling slightly in the center. That way, the custard will be creamy but sliceable after it cools down. A reader reported it being done at 30 minutes, so start checking at the half-hour mark.
- Cool completely on a wire rack and serve dusted with powdered sugar and fresh cherries. I like to refrigerate it for 1-2 hours, well wrapped, before serving, and recommend it.
- Refrigerate leftovers, wrapped so they don't dry out.
Taylor R says
More concise instructions regarding the butter would be helpful. It is MELTED not cold and cubed.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Taylor, yes, the butter is melted and I address it specifically several times, because it's the part that sets this tart crust apart. I don't fully understand why you thought it was cold and cubed. Can you explain it further?
Anonymous says
I found the baking time for the second bake to be FAR too long, mine was solid in the center after 20 minutes, so I took it out after 20. Worked well otherwise! My cherries weren't very flavorful to begin with, but after baking tasted astoundingly of nothing, I would consider tossing cherries in sugar first, or making sure whatever fruit is being added has more intense flavor before cooking.
merrilyn says
Can you freeze this tart?
Paula Montenegro says
Yes, it can be frozen after it's baked, well covered. It should last for a month or so.