Decadent Dark Chocolate Fresh Cherry Almond Tart
A rich and elegant tart featuring a nutty almond crust, silky dark chocolate ganache, and juicy fresh cherries, perfect for an impressive yet easy homemade dessert.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/4 cups (150g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (50g) ground almonds (almond meal)
- 7 tbsp (100g) unsalted butter, browned and cooled
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
- 2–3 tbsp cold water
- 5 tbsp (70g) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tbsp (8g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp almond extract
- 7 oz (200g) bittersweet or dark chocolate, chopped
- 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream
- 1 tbsp (14g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (300g) fresh sweet cherries, pitted and halved
Instructions
- Brown the butter: Melt 7 tablespoons (100g) unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling occasionally until golden brown and nutty (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and cool slightly.
- Make the almond crust: In a bowl or food processor, combine 1 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 cup ground almonds, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt. Add browned butter and 1/2 tsp almond extract. Mix until crumbly. Add 2-3 tbsp cold water until dough just comes together.
- Chill the dough: Shape dough into a flat disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare frangipane filling: Cream 5 tbsp softened butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in 1 egg and 1/4 tsp almond extract. Stir in 1/2 cup ground almonds and 1 tbsp flour until combined. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out chilled dough to 1/4 inch thickness and press into 9-inch tart pan. Trim excess dough.
- Blind bake crust: Prick crust bottom with fork, line with parchment and pie weights. Bake 15 minutes. Remove weights and parchment, bake 5 more minutes until lightly golden.
- Spread frangipane evenly over warm crust. Bake 15 minutes until puffed and golden.
- Prepare ganache: Heat 3/4 cup heavy cream until simmering. Pour over chopped chocolate in heatproof bowl. Let sit 2 minutes, stir until smooth. Stir in 1 tbsp butter and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Cool until thick but pourable.
- Assemble tart: Arrange cherries evenly over frangipane. Pour ganache gently over cherries, filling gaps but not submerging cherries.
- Chill tart at least 2 hours to set ganache. Remove from pan, slice, and serve slightly chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Brown the butter carefully to avoid burning; blind bake the crust to keep it crisp; pat cherries dry if very juicy to prevent sogginess; chill tart overnight for cleaner slicing and deeper flavors; use a warm sharp knife for neat slices.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of tart
- Calories: 350
- Fat: 25
- Carbohydrates: 30
- Protein: 5
Keywords: dark chocolate tart, cherry tart, almond crust, homemade dessert, easy tart recipe, chocolate ganache, fresh cherries, almond frangipane