Cherry Frangipane Tart
Cherry season is here and almonds are the perfect match for cherries. For me, cherries evoke summer on a lake in northern Michigan (my happy place) where the roadside stands are always selling washed cherries. We have not made it up there yet this summer, but I will be sure to make this tart again when we get there.
The origin of frangipane comes from 16th century Parisian chefs who named it for an Italian nobleman, Marquis Muzio Frangipani, who invented an almond-scented fragrance that was used to perfume gloves while he was living in Paris… go figure.
This frangipane tart filling goes well with any seasonal fruit (especially pears).
Cherry Frangipane Tart
(the frangipane filling is inspired by a New York Times recipe)
1 cup slivered raw almonds
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
1 stick (4 ounces) of unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1¾ cups pitted cherries (12 ounces)
1 pâte sucrée prebaked (basic sweet pastry dough) recipe below
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)
Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. In a food processor, add the sliced almonds, flour, and sugar and pulse until it forms a rough powder. Add the butter and pulse until well combined. Add the eggs and almond extract and run the food processor until the mixture is very creamy and smooth. Pour the filling into the pre-baked tart shell and smooth it with a spatula. The mixture is very thick and does not seem like it will be enough filling but it is once you get the cherries in there. Press the cherries into the batter in a single layer. Sprinkle a handful of sliced almonds on the top. Bake for about 40 minutes or until golden brown on top and cooked through. Let cool completely on a wire rack before taking it out of the tart pan.
Sweet Pastry Dough (pâte sucrée)
This recipe makes dough for 2 tarts. Freeze the second one if not using right away.
300 grams flour (2 cups) I like to weigh my flour for more accuracy
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sugar
14 tablespoons unsalted butter - chopped
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons ice water
1 egg white, beaten
In a food processor add the flour, sugar and salt and pulse until combined. Add the chopped butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add the water and pulse until the dough just comes together.
Put the dough out to a floured surface and make into a large mound and cut in half with a pastry scraper. I like to weigh the halves so that they are equal. Put each half onto a square of wax paper and form into a disk. Wrap with the paper and chill for at least one hour.
If you are freezing at this time, then wrap again in foil and freeze. Let dough defrost in the refrigerator before use.
Roll out dough on a floured surface into a 13" circle. Place dough into a 10" tart pan and fold the overhang inward and press gently into the sides. Do not force or stretch the dough because a thin spot may cause the filling to leak. The dough edges should be a little bit higher than the side of the tart pan to help prevent shrinkage. Prick the bottom of the shell with your fork. Cover the tart with a piece of foil (12"x13") and press into the edges of the shell so that you may fill later with pie weights. Chill for at least a half an hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Completely fill the foil covered shell with pie weights or dried beans. Put the shell into the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. Take out of the oven and remove beans and foil. Brush the inside of the shell with a beaten egg white to prevent leakage from small cracks. Return to the oven for about 10 minutes and bake until golden brown. Let cool on wire rack. The shell is ready to fill.
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