Cherry Tart

This Cherry Tart is a must-make recipe! It's cool, creamy, and requires zero oven time (just a little cooking on the stovetop)!

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This Cherry Tart has an Oreo crust filled with chocolate pastry cream, then topped with vanilla bean whipped cream and fresh cherries! It's dark and decadent, but its cool and creamy deliciousness is perfect for Summer!

If you enjoy this recipe, check out the posts for my Apricot Tart, Strawberry Peach Tart, and Cherry Scones!

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• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• FAQs
• Other Recipes You May Like
• Cherry Tart
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Ingredients

Here is everything that you need to make this beautiful tart! Measurements for each of the ingredients is included in the recipe card, below.

Oreo Crust Ingredients

• Oreos (or other chocolate sandwich cookies) - The main component of the crust. I used the whole cookies (both the cookie and the cream) in the crust.
• Unsalted Butter - To bind the cookie crumbs together. Also imparts buttery flavor to the crust.

Chocolate Pastry Cream Ingredients

• Sugar - For sweetness.
• Half and Half- For moisture and richness. If you don't have half and half, you can use 1 cup whole milk and 1 cup heavy cream instead!
• Vanilla Bean Paste - For wonderful vanilla flavor and beautiful black flecks in the pastry cream! If you don't have vanilla bean paste or prefer not to use it, you can substitute with vanilla extract. Just wait to add it until the end of cooking along with the chocolate extract.
• Salt - Helps to balance and enhance the flavors of the pastry cream.
• Egg yolks - SIX egg yolks for extra richness!
• Cornstarch - To help the pastry cream to thicken.
• Unsalted Butter - For richness and flavor. The butter will incorporate easier if diced and softened.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - For chocolate flavor without adding additional sweetness. Make sure to sift your cocoa powder so it doesn't add lumps to your pastry cream.
• Dark Chocolate - For lovely flavor and richness. I used dark chocolate (60% cacao) in the pastry cream. You can use whatever kind of chocolate you prefer, but I highly recommend a dark chocolate, as it is rich and decadent without being too sweet! It's a lovely complement to the sweet whipped cream and cherries. That said, chocolate chips have a stabilizer in them, so they won't melt as readily as a chocolate bar. For that reason, I don't suggest using chocolate chips for this recipe.
• Chocolate Extract - I highly recommend this (sometimes overlooked) extract! It lends an amazing depth of flavor to chocolate baked goods! You can even make yourself some Homemade Chocolate Extract for next time! If you prefer not to use it, you can leave it out or substitute with vanilla extract.

Whipped Cream & Topping Ingredients

• Heavy (Whipping) Cream - The base of your whipped cream! You want your cream to be cold so it whips up fluffy!
• Powdered Sugar - For sweetness. I prefer using powdered sugar because it dissolves so well, and because the small amount of cornstarch in powdered sugar helps the whipped cream to hold its shape for longer.
• Cherries - You can't make a cherry tart without them! You want to use fresh cherries, as cherries that were previously frozen will be soggy and not have a great presentation.

Hint: This recipe will leave you with some leftover egg whites. Check out my 25+ Recipes Using Egg Whites post for details on how to store them, and some fabulous recipes to use them in!

Instructions

Here's how to whip up this recipe, step by step! More detailed instructions are included in the recipe card, below.

1. Pulse chocolate sandwich cookies in the bowl of a food processor until the mixture is fine crumbs.
2. Drizzle in melted butter and pulse to combine. Press the cookie crumbs into a 9-inch tart pan and place in the refrigerator until needed.
3. Whisk cornstarch, sugar, and egg yolks until smooth. Set aside.
4. Combine milk, cream, sugar, vanilla bean paste, and salt. Cook until boiling.
5. Temper the egg mixture with some of the hot cream mixture, then pour the tempered egg mixture into the saucepan.
6. Cook until thickened, then remove from the heat. Strain, then mix in butter, cocoa powder, and chopped chocolate. Cover and place in the refrigerator until chilled through, at least three hours.

Once the pastry cream is chilled, assemble the tart by whipping heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla bean paste until light and fluffy. Fill the crust with the pastry cream, then top with whipped cream and fresh cherries. I finished the tart with some grated dark chocolate.

Variations

Here are some delicious variations that can be made to this recipe:

• Change the pastry cream flavor- You can leave out the cocoa powder and chocolate and leave the pastry cream as vanilla.
• Change the topping- Feel free to mix-and-match your fruit to your preference or what looks good at your local farmer's market. Berries would be a fantastic complement to the chocolate pastry cream!

Equipment

Here are a few pieces of equipment that I used to make this tart:

• Tart Pan - I used a 9" tart pan with removable bottom. I like lighter color pans (as opposed to the darker, nonstick pans) because the crust browns more slowly. The recipe can also be made in a 4" x 14" rectangular tart pan with no alterations to the recipe.
• Fine Mesh Strainer - Not required, but straining your pastry cream when it comes off the heat will help ensure you have a velvety smooth pastry cream with no lumps or small pieces of cooked egg!
• Offset Spatula - Not a necessity, but very handy to spread the pastry cream into the crust while keeping your fingers out of the way!

Storage

The tart will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days, though the whipped cream may start to break down the longer you store it.

FAQs

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