Honestly, this is getting ridiculous. America, you have a problem with days dedicated to desserts. At first, it made sense. We wanted to celebrate blueberry cheesecake. We understood the need to appreciate a good macaroon. But now it’s mid-June and we’ve finally fallen behind in . Sue us. (Don’t sue us.) Yesterday was National Cherry Tart Day. We love cherry tart. We really do. Otherwise we wouldn’t be giving you a delicious, easy-as-pie (see what we did there?) recipe. All we’re saying is that it’s getting to be a bit much, okay? Especially if you expect us to bake a tart shell, which we did not do. But we included a recipe for that, too, in case you’re a more loving mother than we are… [photo via flickr]
Ingredients
- 1 tart shell (you can buy them, but a recipe follows)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 ½ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups pitted sweet cherries
- 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract, or to taste
Directions
- Prepare and bake tart shell; let cool. (Yes. If you didn’t buy one.)
- In small heavy saucepan, mix granulated sugar, cornstarch and salt; set aside.
- Beat together egg yolk and milk; gradually stir into cornstarch mixture.
- Stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and is smooth, about 12 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla.
- Place plastic wrap or waxed paper on mixture; cool to room temperature, then chill. Meanwhile, sprinkle cherries with confectioners’ sugar and extract. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes or until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally; chill.
- Just before serving, spread tart shell with cream mixture, then spoon on cherry mixture. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
And if you really insist on being a better mom than we are…
How to Make a Tart Shell
In bowl, mix 1-cup flour and 2 tablespoons sugar. Cut in ½-cup butter until particles are size of peas. Gather in ball, place in 9-inch loose-bottomed tart pan; chill 15 minutes. With fingers, press dough firmly on bottom and sides of pan. Bake in preheated 425-degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden. Cool on rack 10 minutes before removing pan rim.
This is a simple recipe that you can create, bake and eat in no time. The best way to serve a cherry tart is warm or at room temperature. If you decide to use fresh cherries, pick them leaving the stems on so that they will keep a little longer. Also, having a pitter to remove the pits makes life a lot easier, and we love it when life is a lot easier.
Psst: You can also use a pre-made tart shell. We won’t judge you. It’s not like you’re the one who decided that cherry tart needed a whole day to itself.
