I was in the grocery store this morning and Rainier cherries have arrived! They are delicious and sweet but their season is extremely short. Cherries and almonds go perfectly together so cherry frangipan tarts are the post of the day!
There is no ingredients list for this recipe because these tarts use two recipes from the building blocks section. 1-2-3 cookie dough and frangipan are both basic recipes that you will use many times over and are must haves for your arsenal of foundational recipes.
Line as many tarts as you need with 1-2-3 cookie dough. Roll the dough out to 1/8″ and cut circles of dough slightly larger than the tart rings. (I use tart rings with no bottom because that is what I prefer, but fluted tart pans with solid or removable bottoms also work well.)
Lay the dough gently over the top of the tart ring and start to gradually fit it in to the ring.
Use your thumb to fit the dough into the corner of the ring and against the sides.
Use the back side of a knife or a small spatula to trim the excess dough.
The bottom of your tart should look like this…
not this…
Place the unbaked tart shells on a parchment lined sheet pan and heat the oven to 350F.
Fill the tarts two thirds full with frangipan and make as smooth as possible.
While the oven is heating, pit as many cherries as necessary for the number of tarts you have filled. Cut each cherry in half and then use the tip of the knife to gently remove the stone.
Arrange the cherry halves on top of the frangipan.
Brush lightly with butter and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, just until the tops are light brown.
Let cool and dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired.
Alternatives
These cherry frangipani tarts are delicious but this recipe works well with all stone fruits — peaches, nectarines, apricots, plums — each makes its own unique dessert! This can also be made as a large tart for presentation at the table. It slices very well and will also keep quite well.
If you don’t want to dust them with powdered sugar, you could glaze the tops instead. You could also bake the frangipan without the cherries and then place them on the top afterwards but baked into the tart is that traditional form.
