Name: Cherry and almond tart
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 500 gm crème fraîche; 100 ml pouring cream; 20 gm pure icing sugar, sieved, plus extra for dusting; To serve: fresh cherries; Cherry-vanilla jam; 300 gm cherries, pitted; 220 gm caster sugar (1 cup); Juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange; 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped; Almond pastry; 90 gm natural almonds; 250 gm softened butter; 110 gm caster sugar (½ cup); 300 gm plain flour (2 cups)

Cherry and almond tart

Australian Gourmet Traveller Christmas dessert recipe for cherry and almond tart.

Serves 6

Prep

45M

Cook

30M

Total

1H 15M

This recipe calls for a rectangular tart tin, but you can use a 23cm-diameter round one instead.

Ingredients

500 gm crème fraîche

100 ml pouring cream

20 gm pure icing sugar, sieved, plus extra for dusting

To serve: fresh cherries

Cherry-vanilla jam

300 gm cherries, pitted

220 gm caster sugar (1 cup)

Juice of 1 lemon and 1 orange

1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped

Almond pastry

90 gm natural almonds

250 gm softened butter

110 gm caster sugar (½ cup)

300 gm plain flour (2 cups)

Method

Main

1.For cherry-vanilla jam, combine ingredients in a saucepan and stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture reaches setting point (6-8 minutes; see note), refrigerate until well chilled (1-2 hours).

2.Meanwhile, for almond pastry, process almonds in a food processor to form coarse crumbs (1 minute). Beat butter and sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes), scrape down sides of bowl, add flour and almonds, beat to just combine. Form into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to rest.

3.Preheat oven to 180C. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to 3mm thick and line a 20cm x 28cm rectangular fluted tart tin, trim edges and refrigerate until firm (30 minutes). Blind bake until light golden (10-12 minutes), remove paper and weights, bake until golden and crisp (6-8 minutes), cool completely.

4.Whisk crème fraîche, cream and icing sugar in a bowl until firm peaks form (2-3 minutes), refrigerate until required.

5.Spread jam in base of pastry case, spoon over crème fraîche mixture, top with fresh cherries, dust with icing sugar and serve.

Note To test for a jam’s setting point, place several saucers in the freezer before you start cooking the jam. When the mixture becomes thick, remove from heat, spoon a little onto a chilled saucer and return to freezer for 30 seconds. When you draw your finger through the mixture it should hold a trail. If it doesn’t, cook for 1-2 minutes longer and test again.
Drink Suggestion: Botrytis riesling. Drink suggestion by Max Allen
Notes