**Serves:** 14 people
**Preparation:** 50 minutes
**Baking:** 1 hour
**Chilling:** 50 minutes (or more)
**Resting:** 1 day (best the next day)
Ingredients:
**For the sweet shortcrust pastry (pâte brisée sucrée):**
– 500 g flour
– 175 g icing sugar (or powdered sugar)
– 100 g almond powder (ground almonds)
– 250 g cold butter, diced
– ½ orange (zest only, optional)
– 1 egg yolk (or 1 whole egg)
– 50 ml cold water (or a little more if needed)
**For the frangipane filling:**
– 100 g soft butter
– 100 g sugar
– 100 g almond powder (ground almonds)
– 3 eggs
– 1 level tbsp cocoa powder
– 1 tbsp flour (optional, ordinary/plain)
– 3 tbsp rum, kirsch, or whisky (optional – ½ glass whisky mentioned)
**For the cherries:**
– 500 g pitted cherries (fresh, frozen, or drained if in syrup – dénoyautées)
– Optional: 20 g cornstarch (Maïzena®) + a little water or juice to thicken
**Topping / Finishing:**
– Demerara sugar (raw cane sugar) for sprinkling
Instructions:
1. **Prepare the sweet shortcrust pastry**
In a bowl (or on a work surface), mix the flour, icing sugar, almond powder, and a pinch of salt. Add the cold diced butter and rub in with your fingertips until you get a sandy texture.
Add the orange zest (if using), the egg yolk, and just enough cold water to bring the dough together (do not overwork it).
Form into a ball, flatten slightly, wrap in cling film, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 15–50 minutes (ideally longer).
2. **Line the tart tin**
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
On a floured surface, roll out the pastry to about 0.5 cm thick. Line a 25–28 cm (10–11 inch) tart tin (removable bottom preferred) with the pastry, leaving a slight overhang.
Prick the base with a fork. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes to firm up.
3. **Blind bake the pastry**
Line the pastry with baking paper and fill with baking beans (or rice/dried pulses).
Bake for about 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans, then bake for another 5 minutes until lightly golden.
Let cool slightly.
4. **Prepare the frangipane**
In a bowl, beat the soft butter with the sugar until pale and creamy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
Fold in the ground almonds, cocoa powder, and flour (if using).
Optionally add the alcohol (whisky, rum, or kirsch) and mix until smooth.
5. **Assemble the tart**
Spread the frangipane evenly over the pre-baked pastry base.
Arrange the pitted cherries on top (you can press them in slightly). If the cherries are very juicy, mix 20 g cornstarch with a little cherry juice or water, add to the cherries, and stir gently before placing them on the frangipane.
6. **Bake**
Bake at 180°C for about 40 minutes, or until the frangipane is set and golden, and a skewer inserted comes out clean (or almost clean).
If the edges brown too quickly, cover them with foil.
7. **Finish and serve**
Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Sprinkle the top generously with Demerara sugar for crunch.
Best served the next day after resting (the flavors develop beautifully). Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
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