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Sour Cherry Treat

Featured in Sweet Endings: Irresistible Desserts.

This fancy dessert blends dark chocolate layers, almond cream, and roasted cherries, topped with whipped cream and chocolate flakes. Perfect for celebrations.
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Updated on Sat, 05 Apr 2025 22:20:13 GMT
A chocolate shell dessert holding layers of creamy filling, cherries, and chocolate sprinkles on a gray dish. Pin it
A chocolate shell dessert holding layers of creamy filling, cherries, and chocolate sprinkles on a gray dish. | linacooks.com

I gotta tell you about this amazing Sour Cherry Chocolate Tart I can't get enough of! This knockout layered treat brings together a snappy chocolate base, velvety dark chocolate, nutty cream filling and sweet-tart roasted cherries. The way everything mingles together is simply wonderful, and it's become my favorite dessert for when I want to impress.

Sweet Dessert Wonder

The beauty of this tart comes from how each component adds its own special touch. When you taste the mix of deep chocolate, zingy cherries and creamy filling, your taste buds will thank you. And the best part? You can whip this up whenever you want using cherries from the freezer or fresh ones in season!

Round Up Your Supplies

  • Chocolate Tart Dough: Butter, egg yolk, vanilla extract, heavy cream, all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt.
  • Chocolate Ganache: High-quality dark chocolate (72% cacao) and heavy whipping cream.
  • Almond Pastry Cream: Whole milk, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, salt, unsalted butter, and almond extract.
  • Roasted Sour Cherries: Tapioca flour, sugar, and fresh or frozen sour cherries.
  • Garnishes: Fresh cherries (if you want), chocolate shavings, sugar, and whipped cream.

Crafting Your Treat

Step 1 - Make the Chocolate Tart Dough
Mix salt, sugar, cocoa and flour together. Work in the soft butter until you get crumbs. Mix in cream, vanilla and egg yolk. Put the dough between two sheets of parchment, roll it out and cool it a bit before pushing into a 9" tart pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C) until it feels firm.
Step 2 - Prepare the Chocolate Ganache
Warm up the cream till it's almost bubbling, then pour it over your chopped dark chocolate. Keep stirring till it looks smooth. Spread a thin coating on your cooled crust and wait for it to firm up.
Step 3 - Make the Almond Pastry Cream
Mix up egg yolks, salt, sugar and cornstarch, then slowly add warm milk. Cook while stirring non-stop until it gets thick. Take it off the heat and mix in butter and almond extract. Push through a strainer into a bowl, let it cool a bit, then spread in your tart shell.
Step 4 - Roast the Sour Cherries
Mix your cherries with tapioca flour and sugar. Pop them in the oven at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes until they look thick and jammy. Let them cool slightly before spreading them over your cream layer.
Step 5 - Garnish and Serve
Squeeze some whipped cream swirls on top, add chocolate shavings, and throw on some fresh cherries if you want. Serve it cool or at room temp.

Handy Tricks

From my experience making this tart, I've found you should always cool your dough before baking so it won't crack. Grab the nicest chocolate and cream you can find for a super smooth ganache. Don't walk away from that pastry cream while cooking it needs your attention! And definitely roast those cherries they turn into the most wonderful jammy goodness.

Put Your Spin On It

You can switch things up so many ways! Try different types of chocolate or swap in other berries that look good at the store. Sometimes I add a bit of cherry liqueur for extra punch. If you need to skip gluten, it works great with a good flour blend substitute your guests won't even notice!

A chocolate tart topped with glossy cherries and drizzled with creamy filling sits on a rustic plate. Pin it
A chocolate tart topped with glossy cherries and drizzled with creamy filling sits on a rustic plate. | linacooks.com

Storage Smarts

Your tart will stay yummy in the fridge for around 3 days just don't wrap it too tight. If you want to get ahead, you can freeze the baked crust and add the fillings when you're ready. Always let it sit out about 15 minutes before you dig in the flavors really come alive when it's not too cold.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Can I get parts ready early?
Totally! Bake the crust up to 2 days in advance and store it at room temperature. Whip up the cream 3 days ahead and chill. Put it all together no more than 24 hours before serving and keep it cold.
→ What if fresh cherries aren't available?
Frozen sour cherries work just as well. If you’re using sweet cherries, lower the sugar in the filling by 1/4 cup since they’re naturally less tart.
→ Why do we bake the crust first?
It makes sure the crust stays firm, avoiding a soggy mess when adding the moist layers. It also provides a solid base for the fillings.
→ Why is the ice bath for cream important?
It stops cooking quickly so the eggs don’t scramble. It keeps the texture smooth and lump-free while cooling the cream.
→ Can I swap almond extract for something else?
Yes, try vanilla, orange, or even amaretto flavors instead. Use the same quantity so the cream stays the right thickness.

Cherry Chocolate Treat

An indulgent dessert featuring a chocolate shell, smooth ganache, almond cream, and roasted cherries. Topped with fluffy whipped cream and chocolate curls.

Prep Time
60 Minutes
Cook Time
80 Minutes
Total Time
140 Minutes
By: Paolina

Category: Desserts

Difficulty: Difficult

Cuisine: French

Yield: 16 Servings (One 9-inch tart)

Dietary: Vegetarian

Ingredients

01 1 egg yolk.
02 11 Tbsp (156g) unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes.
03 1½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour.
04 ½ cup (40g) unsweetened cocoa powder.
05 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt.
06 ½ cup (100g) white sugar.
07 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.
08 1-2 tablespoon heavy cream, use as needed.
09 ⅓ cup (2 oz) dark chocolate, chopped small.
10 ¼ cup (60mL) heavy cream (for ganache).
11 2 Tbsp (28g) unsalted butter (for pastry cream).
12 ½ cup (100g) white sugar (used for pastry cream).
13 ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon (45g) sifted cornstarch.
14 4 large egg yolks.
15 2 cups (500mL) whole milk.
16 1½ teaspoon almond flavoring.
17 1 cup (200g) white sugar (for cherries).
18 5¾ cups (800g) sour cherries, remove the pits.
19 ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon (45g) tapioca flour.
20 ¾ cup (175mL) very cold whipping cream (for garnish).
21 2 tsp (8g) white sugar (to sweeten whipped cream).
22 1 solid chocolate bar, for creating shavings.
23 Halved, pitted fresh cherries for topping.

Instructions

Step 01

Put the dry stuff together, mix in butter cubes, then stir in the egg yolk and vanilla. Splash in a bit of cream until it comes together. Roll it out, set it in the pan, and cool for 30 minutes in the fridge.

Step 02

Poke holes in the dough, cover it with paper and weights. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, then take out the weights and bake another 10-15 minutes until it's dry.

Step 03

Heat up the cream until it's hot but not boiling, pour it over the chocolate bits. Let sit a bit, then stir to make it silky. Pour into the cooled tart crust and chill it.

Step 04

Cook sugar, cornstarch, salt, yolks, and milk together until thick. Mix in butter and almond extract. Strain it into a bowl, cool it in an ice bath, then spread it over the ganache.

Step 05

Stir cherries with sugar and tapioca, bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes until it's thick and bubbling. Pour this over the pastry cream.

Step 06

Whisk the cream with sugar until it's fluffy. Pipe it around the tart's edge, then top with chocolate curls and cherry halves.

Notes

  1. You can prep the parts in advance and put them together when ready.
  2. The tart base needs to be fully cooled before filling it up.
  3. Keep the tart chilled until you plan to serve it.

Tools You'll Need

  • 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
  • Mixer with paddle and whisk options.
  • Fine sieve for straining.
  • Piping bag with a star nozzle.
  • Rolling pin to flatten dough.

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Contains dairy.
  • Made with eggs.
  • Includes gluten.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 450
  • Total Fat: 24 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 55 g
  • Protein: 7 g