Serves 8
215 min
Fresh Cherry Tart from Maine
Recipe GLPRf2f05d15d321c9
A beautiful New England-inspired dessert featuring a buttery shortcrust pastry topped with whipped ricotta, macerated fresh cherries, and a spiced maple-vanilla syrup. The combination of creamy ricotta, tart cherries, and aromatic spices creates an elegant tart perfect for summer gatherings.
Save recipes you love
Create a free Grocery List Plus account to save recipes, rate them, and add every ingredient to your grocery list in one tap.
Ingredients
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup ice cold water
1 egg whisked with 1 tablespoon heavy cream
2 tablespoons coarse sugar
½ cup pure maple syrup
¼ cup water
1 star anise
2 inches vanilla bean (whole or scraped)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 pounds fresh cherries, stemmed, pitted and halved
1½ cups whole milk ricotta cheese whisked with 1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar
Fresh mint, basil or tarragon leaves for garnish
Directions
Combine maple syrup and ¼ cup water in a small saucepan. Add the star anise and vanilla bean. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for approximately 10 minutes until the syrup reduces by about half and becomes thick. Remove from heat and let cool for 10–15 minutes.
Place the halved cherries in a large bowl. Spoon 3 tablespoons of the cooled spiced maple syrup over the cherries and stir gently to coat. Add the balsamic vinegar and stir again. Cover and let the cherries macerate at room temperature for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
To make the tart crust, combine the flour, cold butter pieces, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Pulse several times until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs or peas mixed with flour.
Transfer the flour mixture to a large bowl. Sprinkle about ¼ cup of ice-cold water over the top while stirring gently with a fork. Add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough just begins to come together in large clumps.
Turn the dough onto a work surface and press it together into a rough ball. Place in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper into a thin, even layer approximately ¼ inch thick.
Carefully transfer the dough on parchment to a large baking sheet. Prick the dough several times all over with a fork to prevent puffing.
Brush the egg and cream wash over the entire surface of the dough and sprinkle evenly with the coarse sugar.
Bake at 400°F for 20–25 minutes until the crust is golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
While the crust is still warm but no longer hot, spread the sweetened ricotta evenly over the entire surface.
Drain the macerated cherries, reserving the accumulated liquid. Mound the drained cherries on top of the ricotta layer.
Drizzle the reserved spiced maple syrup and any reserved cherry liquid over the top of the tart.
Garnish with fresh mint, basil, or tarragon leaves if desired. Slice and serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
