Sour Cherry Tart: All the scent of summer in a dessert

This sour cherry tart is a simple dessert yet packed with character: a buttery shortcrust pastry base houses a bright red filling made with fresh sour cherries, cherry jam, and lemon zest.

Perfect as a dessert after a meal or for a special snack, this recipe highlights the contrast between the sweetness of the pastry and the vibrant fruit. The result is a fragrant, delicious, and spectacular summer tart.

Ingredients for making the sour cherry tart

• 190 g of 00 flour
• 150 g of icing sugar
• 115 g cold butter
• 60 g of egg yolks, approximately 4
• 1 pinch of fine salt
• Grated zest of 1 untreated lemon.
• 1 kg of sour cherries
• 350 g of cherry jam
• 100 g of brown sugar

Step-by-step recipe procedure

• Prepare the pastry by placing the flour in a blender with the cold butter cut into pieces. Blend until the mixture resembles sand.
• Transfer the mixture to a work surface, make a well in the center, and add the salt, powdered sugar, lemon zest, and egg yolks.
• Quickly knead with your hands until you obtain a smooth, compact dough. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Wash the sour cherries, cut them in half, and carefully remove the pits. This step is important for a filling that's soft and pleasant to cut.
• Pour the sour cherries into a large pan with the brown sugar and cook them over medium heat for about 20 minutes, until the liquid released by the fruit has almost dried up.
• Let the cooked sour cherries cool: the filling should not be hot when spread on the pastry.
• Butter and flour a 27cm diameter cake pan.
• Take the pastry, roll it out on a floured surface until it is about half a centimetre thick and place it in the mould.
• Press the pastry firmly onto the base and edges, then trim off the excess with a knife. Any leftovers can be used for small decorations.
• Spread the cherry jam over the base, covering the entire surface evenly.
• Add the cooked and now cooled sour cherries, gently leveling them.
• Finish with grated lemon zest, which will give the dessert a fresh and even more summery scent.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for about 50 minutes, until golden brown on the edges. In a fan-assisted oven, bake at 160°C (320°F) for 40-45 minutes.
• Remove the tart from the oven and let it cool completely before serving, so the filling has time to set.

This sour cherry tart is a summertime dessert made with just a few essential ingredients: ripe fruit, lemon, butter, and a crumbly pastry crust. Its aroma fills the kitchen as it bakes, and the flavor is balanced, never cloying, thanks to the natural acidity of the sour cherries. Served plain or with a light dusting of powdered sugar, it becomes an elegant yet familiar table cake, ideal for storing under a glass dome for a few days and enjoying slice after slice.