Cherry Tart

Cherry tart is a delightful dessert, perfect for the season when cherries are at their peak ripeness. Here’s how to prepare it the Italian way.

Ingredients

• 300 g of shortcrust pastry (ready-made or homemade)
• 500 g of fresh cherries
• 100 g of sugar
• 2 tablespoons of cornstarch (cornflour)
• 1 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 1 packet of vanillin or the seeds from 1 vanilla bean
• Powdered sugar (for decoration)

Preparation

1. Start with the preparation of the shortcrust pastry, should you decide to make it at home, by mixing flour, sugar, cold butter cut into pieces, a pinch of salt, the vanillin, and one egg until you have a smooth and uniform dough. Let it rest in the refrigerator wrapped in film for at least 30 minutes.
2. In the meantime, wash and pit the cherries. In a saucepan, put the pitted cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and a small amount of water, just enough to cover the bottom of the saucepan.
3. Cook the cherry mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it thickens into a jam-like filling. Allow to cool.
4. Roll out the shortcrust pastry on a floured surface to a thickness of about 5 mm and line a previously buttered and floured tart mold, trimming the excess from the edges.
5. Pour the cooled cherry mixture onto the shortcrust pastry base and, if you like, you can create strips with the remaining pastry to form a lattice on top of the tart.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 30-35 minutes or until the shortcrust pastry is golden brown.
7. Allow to cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar.
8. Serve and enjoy your cherry tart!

Curiosity

The tart with its characteristic lattice top is a classic in Italian pastry, and although the most well-known version is filled with jam, using fresh fruit when in season gives the dessert an unparalleled taste and freshness. The variation with cherries is particularly appreciated for the perfect balance between sweetness and acidity.