Cherry Cream Tartlets
These adorable little cherry tarts look like they came from a tiny fairy bakeshop. They make a sweet addition to any platter of teatime treats. They’re best when made with fresh, ripe, sweet cherries but you can also use frozen sweet cherries if fresh ones are unavailable. For an extra magical touch, top them with tiny edible pressed blossoms and Italian-style maraschino cherries embellished with edible glitter. The best place to find edible flowers is in your own garden. You can also find edible flowers at local growers, farmers’ markets and online.
Makes12 mini tarts
Ingredients
- Tart Shells
- 1 1/4 cup (159 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (28 g) almond flour
- 1/4 cup (28 g) powdered sugar
- 3/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup (113 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 large egg yolk, cold
Cherry Cream Filling- 12 ounces (340 g) pitted sweet cherries, puréed
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder
- 1/2 cup (113 g) mascarpone cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon pure cherry extract
- 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) cold heavy whipping cream
Garnishes- 48 – 60 assorted small edible pressed flowers and petals
- 12 good-quality maraschino cherries with stems, preferably Italian-style
- Pink edible glitter (optional, see hint)
INSTRUCTIONS
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Start by making the tart shells. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, powdered sugar and salt. With a pastry blender or with your fingertips, work the butter and egg yolk into the flour mixture until pea-sized pieces form. Stir in 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of ice water. Continue to add up to another full tablespoon (15 ml) of water, a little at a time until the dough comes together. Form the dough into a disk. Wrap the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
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On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to ¼-inch (0.6-cm) thickness. Cut out twelve 3⅜-inch (8.6-cm) rounds, rerolling dough scraps as needed. Press the dough rounds into twelve 3-inch (7.6-cm) tart pans with removable bottoms. Dock the tart shells by poking all over the surface of the inside bottoms with a fork. Freeze the tart shells for 30 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Place the tart pans on a large baking sheet. Line the tart shells with 4-inch (10.2-cm) parchment paper rounds. Fill the tart shells with pie weights (if you don’t have pie weights, you can use dried beans or rice).
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Bake the tart shells for 9 minutes. Take the tart shells out of the oven and remove the parchment rounds and pie weights. Return the tart shells to the oven and continue baking until they are light golden brown, for 4 to 5 more minutes. Let them cool completely.
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While the tart shells are cooling, make the filling. Strain the puréed cherries through a mesh sieve. You should have about 10 ounces (296 ml) after straining. In a small saucepan, simmer the strained puréed cherries and lemon juice for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring occasionally until the mixture is reduced by half. Stir in the granulated sugar and continue simmering for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved. Transfer the cherry reduction mixture to a medium-sized bowl and set it aside to cool to room temperature.
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Place 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of water in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin powder over the water and let it stand for 5 minutes, until the gelatin is absorbed. Whisk the gelatin mixture into the warm cherry reduction.
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In a large bowl, stir the mascarpone cheese by hand with a spatula until it is smooth. Whisk in the cherry reduction, a little at a time, until it is smooth and well combined. Stir in the extracts.
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In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the heavy cream just until stiff peaks form, being careful not to overbeat. Fold the whipped cream into the cherry and mascarpone cheese mixture just until the ingredients are combined. Spoon into the cooled tart shells. Refrigerate the tarts for 2 hours, or until they are set. Once set, carefully remove the tarts from the tart pans. Decorate your tarts right before serving.
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To make glitter cherries, drain any excess moisture off the maraschino cherries. Sprinkle the cherries with edible glitter or place the edible glitter in a small bowl and roll the cherries in it. Glitter cherries can be made 1 to 2 hours ahead.
Helpful Homesprite Hint
Edible glitter and nontoxic glitter are not the same. Nontoxic means it’s not poisonous, but it’s not necessarily meant for consumption. Make sure to purchase edible glitter specifically made for food use.
Credit:
Reprinted with permission from Enchanted Baking by Mari Vasseur. Page Street Publishing Co. 2024. Photo credit: Mari Vasseur.
