This sour cherry chocolate tart features a chocolate tart crust which holds layers of silky chocolate ganache and cool, creamy almond pastry cream. Topped with a layer of lightly sweetened roasted sour cherries, and garnished with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, it's a complex and enjoyable combination of flavors and textures. The flexibility of using fresh or frozen tart cherries means you can make this delicious cherry dessert year-round!
This post was originally published in August 2018 and updated in July 2021 with new photos and a much more detailed write-up. The additional information will help you successfully navigate through the various steps to make this decadent treat.
SOUR CHERRY CHOCOLATE TART
I put together this recipe for sour cherry chocolate tart a few years ago. I accidentally bought a large bag of frozen sour cherries, instead of dark sweet cherries. If you have a generous amount of sour cherries, this recipe will help you out! (You can also try sour cherries in this lattice topped cherry and rhubarb pie.)
For this tart, the cherries are tossed in sugar and oven-roasted until they’re bubbling in a thickened, jammy sauce; they maintain just enough tartness to balance out the sweetness of the remaining fillings. A layer of dark chocolate ganache coats the chocolate tart crust and prevents the base from getting too soft. I've filled the tart with a cool, creamy layer of almond flavored pastry cream which cushions a topping of roasted sour cherries. The nutty, sweet flavor of almond pastry cream works wonders with the tangy bursts of cherry. Here, I’ve added piped swirls of lightly sweetened whipped cream and a dusting of chocolate shavings as decoration.
The pairing of chocolate and sour cherries is so good. The tart acidity and sweetness of the fruit plays off of the fruity richness of chocolate. The combination of chocolate, cherries, and whipped cream has a bit of a Black Forest feel to it. (Black Forest torte is a classic German cake made of layers of chocolate sponge cake, whipped cream, kirschwasser, sour cherries and chocolate shavings). My recipe for rich and fudgy brownies with port wine soaked cherries is another great example of this classic combo.
SOUR CHERRY CHOCOLATE TART INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS
FOR THE CHOCOLATE TART DOUGH
- All-purpose flour - to make this recipe gluten free, you can substitute the all-purpose flour with a cup-for-cup style gluten free flour.
- Cocoa powder - either natural or Dutched cocoa powder works here. Dutch cocoa has a darker color and richer chocolate taste, while natural cocoa is more acidic and has a lighter, and almost fruitier flavor.
- Granulated sugar
- Kosher salt
- Unsalted butter - using unsalted butter allows you to control the total quantity of salt in the recipe. Salt content in salted butter varies from brand to brand. The butter should be cubed and slightly softened (but not melted) so that it blends into the dry ingredients easily. Using softened butter will also help you avoid over mixing the dough.
- Egg yolk - as a binder to provide structure to the dough, as well as adding fat and flavor.
- Vanilla extract
- Heavy whipping cream - you only need a few tablespoons here, but you'll use more to make the chocolate ganache and the whipped cream garnish.
FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE FILLING
- Heavy whipping cream - It's important to use whipping cream for ganache, and not substitute with lower fat options such as whole milk or half and half. Their fat content is not high enough to set the ganache properly.
- Dark chocolate - I use a 72% cacao bar for a rich, dark chocolate ganache. Good quality bar chocolate, rather than chocolate chips, will give you a better, smoother result. Finely chop the dark chocolate to help it melt into the hot cream without lumps.
FOR THE ALMOND PASTRY CREAM FILLING
- Granulated sugar
- Cornstarch - cornstarch works to thicken pastry cream without adding the floury taste or heavy texture that can come from all-purpose flour. I also don't recommend tapioca flour as a substitute. Per Stella Parks of Serious Eats, tapioca flour combined with dairy can produce a slimy texture - not what you want in a silky pastry cream. Stick with cornstarch here.
- Kosher salt
- Egg yolks - add flavor and structure to the pastry cream.
- Whole milk - whole milk provides the right consistency. Skim or 2% milk result in a runnier pastry cream.
- Almond extract - having a good quality pure almond extract on hand is important. It's one of the dominant flavors of the recipe. There's no great almond extract substitute here. Look for a label that says pure almond extract rather than almond flavor. The latter contains a synthetic chemical mixture used to imitate the real thing. There are only three ingredients in my pure almond extract: alcohol, natural oil of bitter almond, and water. Make sure to add the almond extract after cooking the pastry cream to retain maximum flavor. If you must look for an almond extract substitute, I'd suggest
- Unsalted butter - adding a bit of butter to the pastry cream adds a pretty sheen and additional richness of flavor. Since you are including salt in the recipe, use unsalted butter here.
FOR THE SOUR CHERRY FILLING
- Sour cherries - either fresh or frozen cherries work here. If using frozen cherries, place them in the pan to partially thaw before baking. You can also use a combination of sour cherries and dark, sweet cherries - or all sweet cherries! No need to adjust the sugar quantity.The final result will be slightly less tart if you choose to use a sweeter variety of cherry.
- Granulated sugar
- Tapioca flour - also called tapioca starch. I've used tapioca flour here rather than cornstarch. Tapioca flour combines beautifully with fruit and sugar to create a clear, cloudless, tasteless gel. Tapioca flour is ground from the root of the cassava plant, native to South America. Check labels to ensure that your tapioca flour is sourced from cassava. Some packages substitute with sago, the inner portion of the sago palm tree, which will give you unsatisfying results. If you use cornstarch, reduce the total amount needed to 3 tablespoon (22g) cornstarch.
FOR THE GARNISH
- Heavy whipping cream - whip to stiff peaks, and pipe with a jumbo star tip to add a decorative touch and visual contrast to the top of the tart.
- Granulated sugar - to add a bit of sweetness to the whipped cream
- A thick chocolate bar - Use a vegetable peeler along the side of a thick bar of chocolate to create chocolate shavings. A thicker bar (such as a Trader Joe's pound plus bar) will give you wider shavings.
- Fresh cherries - optional: add a cherry on top - literally - of each whipped cream swirl for the final touch. Use a paring knife to slice each cherry in half vertically around the pit (like when removing the pit from a peach). Use your fingers to twist each half to separate one side from the pit. The tip of a paring knife can be used to remove the pit from the other half.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHY DOES MY CHOCOLATE TART DOUGH CRACK OR BREAK AS I'M PLACING IT IN THE PAN?
This chocolate sable tart dough is a fairly fragile mixture. Thankfully, it is also very forgiving. For best results, roll out the dough just after mixing, while it's still soft. Shape it into a disc and place it between two sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, create a circle that's approximately ¼ inch thick (.63cm) and a few inches wider in diameter than the tart pan. Slide the parchment covered dough onto a cookie sheet and place it in the fridge for 5-10 minutes to chill slightly. It should still be flexible.
Remove from fridge. Peel away top layer of parchment (to loosen the dough from the parchment), then gently replace. Flip and repeat to loosen second piece of parchment paper, but do not replace top layer of parchment. Gently invert tart dough onto 9" tart pan that has a removable base. Press the dough into the base and sides of the pan, lifting up the overhang as you go. Ensure you press the dough firmly into the corners where the pan edge meets the base. If the dough tears at any point, don't panic - simply patch it back together.
If this whole process feels too delicate, it's also possible to use this chocolate tart dough as a press-in dough. Simply form a wide disk with your fingers, and then place it into the tart pan. Use your fingers or the back of a measuring cup to press the dough into the pan and up the sides as evenly as possible. Aim for an overall thickness of about ¼ inch. There will be some excess dough to discard/trim. You'll most likely end up with a thicker and more rustic looking crust, but the fillings will hide all but the edge of the tart crust anyhow.
WHY DOES THE BOTTOM OF MY TART CRUST STICK TO THE PARCHMENT WHEN I REMOVE THE PASTRY WEIGHTS DURING BLIND BAKING?
This is a somewhat moist tart dough. When blind baking the tart dough, a layer of parchment paper separates the dough from the pastry weights that are helping keep the crust shape from bubbling up or slumping as it bakes. When it's time to remove the parchment and pastry weights, if you remove them too soon, the bottom crust will still have too much moisture and might stick to the parchment paper as you lift it up. To avoid this, lift up a corner of the parchment to check before removing the entire thing. If it looks like it's sticking, return the tart crust to the oven for an additional 5 minutes of baking. Placing the unbaked tart onto a preheated baking sheet in the oven also helps to get the base of the tart cooking quickly.
If the worst occurs and part of the crust sticks to the parchment paper when you lift it out, don't panic! Scrape the stuck dough off of the bottom of the parchment paper back onto the base of the partially baked tart. Patch any large holes with the crumbs. Use a measuring cup to press it all back down flat, and return to the oven to finish baking. As long as you patch the cracks, the chocolate tart shell should retain enough structure to hold your fillings with no issue. Remember that the base won't be visible after you add the fillings.
WHAT IS PASTRY CREAM?
Pastry cream, also known as crème pâtissière, or crème pât, is a rich and creamy thickened custard made from milk, sugar, eggs, starch and flavoring. It is cooked over the stove to achieve thickness, strained, and quickly cooled in an ice bath before being refrigerated. Pastry cream forms a key part of many desserts such as the filling in creme puffs, eclairs, and doughnuts, as a layer in cakes (Boston Cream Pie for one), and as a base for fruit tarts such as this one.
HOW TO THICKEN PASTRY CREAM?
Cornstarch works to thicken pastry cream without adding a floury taste or heavy texture that can come from all-purpose flour. I don't recommend tapioca flour as a substitute. Per Stella Parks of Serious Eats, tapioca flour combined with dairy can produce a slimy texture - not what we're going for with a silky pastry cream. Stick with cornstarch here.
HOW DO YOU MAKE PASTRY CREAM?
Whisk together cornstarch, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Add egg yolks and whisk until the mixture is thick, well combined, and pale yellow in color. Add the milk and cook the mixture in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly, until the heat causes the cornstarch and egg yolks to thicken, about five minutes. As the mixture begins to bubble slowly, stir continuously for an additional 90 seconds. This will help to neutralize a starch-dissolving enzyme in the egg yolks.
Once cooked, remove the pastry cream from the heat and whisk in the almond extract and butter. Pour the mixture through a fine strainer into a bowl placed in an ice bath. Cover the surface with with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, and leave to cool a bit. Once somewhat cooled, pour into the prepared tart shell and spread smooth. Cover with another layer of plastic wrap, and place in the fridge to continue setting.
SOUR CHERRY VS TART CHERRY
Sour cherries are alternatively known as tart cherries. Most of the sour cherries in the United States are the Montmorency variety. They are bright red in color and somewhat smaller than the sweet Bing or Rainier varieties. They have a very brief season limited to a few weeks in late July. For this reason, it's rare to see them fresh in stores or markets. You'll most often find them in the freezer section of your supermarket, waiting to be made into a pie (like this cherry rhubarb version!) I've tested this with frozen cherries so that you can enjoy this delicious sour cherry tart recipe even if you never come across fresh sour cherries.
CAN PASTRY CREAM BE FROZEN? CAN THIS SOUR CHERRY CHOCOLATE TART BE FROZEN?
Some pastry cream recipes made with flour or gelatin can be frozen, but not those made with cornstarch (such as this one.) It breaks down after freezing and would turn into a runny mess. While you can't freeze the whole tart, you can bake and freeze the tart crust if you want to make it in advance before the other elements are added. Once you add the pastry cream, you must store the filled tart in the refrigerator to keep the pastry cream fresh.
HOW DO I RECOGNIZE STIFF PEAKS IN WHIPPED CREAM?
Stiffly whipped cream will hold its shape well when piped and is perfect for adding a swirled garnish to this sour cherry chocolate tart. The visual cues for stiff peaks include a very thick mixture that retains its shape when lifted out of the bowl. If you lift the whisk out of the bowl and turn it upside down, the whipped peak should stand upright and not slump. Refer to this helpful visual guide so you can make whipped cream with confidence and recognize when it's ready.
📖 Recipe
Sour Cherry Chocolate Tart
Print Recipe Pin RecipeINGREDIENTS
CHOCOLATE TART DOUGH
- 1½ cups (180g) all purpose flour
- ½ cup (40g) cocoa powder
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 11 Tbsp (156g) unsalted butter, room temperature, cubed
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 - 2 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
CHOCOLATE GANACHE FILLING
- ¼ cup (60mL) heavy whipping cream
- ⅓ cup (2 oz) dark chocolate, finely chopped (I used a 72% cacao bar)
ALMOND PASTRY CREAM FILLING
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon (45g) cornstarch, sifted
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 cups (500mL) whole milk
- 1½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 Tbsp (28g, 1 oz) unsalted butter
SOUR CHERRY FILLING
- 5¾ cups (800g) sour cherries, pitted, frozen or fresh
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon (45g) tapioca flour
WHIPPED CREAM AND SHAVED CHOCOLATE GARNISH
- ¾ cup (175 mL) heavy whipping cream, chilled
- 2 tsp (8g) granulated sugar, or to taste
- 1 thick chocolate bar, for making chocolate shavings
- a handful of fresh cherries, halved and pitted, for garnish (I put one half on each whipped cream swirl)
INSTRUCTIONS
CHOCOLATE TART DOUGH
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar and salt and blend until thoroughly mixed. Add the softened butter and mix on low speed until completely incorporated. The butter should be well mixed in. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- Add 1-2 teaspoons of the cream (start with the smaller amount) and mix on low just until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball.
- Flatten dough into a circular disk. Using a rolling pin, roll dough out between two sheets of parchment paper, turning the paper as needed to create a uniform circular shape. Circle should be at least 11 inches (28cm) in diameter in order to accommodate 9 inch (23cm) circular tart pan.
- Remove top layer of parchment (to un-stick the dough), then gently replace. Flip and repeat to un-stick second parchment paper, but do not replace top layer of parchment. Gently invert tart dough onto 9" tart pan that has a removable base. Press the dough into the base and sides of the pan, lifting up the overhang as you go to ensure the dough is pressed firmly into the corners where the pan edge meets the base. If the dough tears at any point, don't panic - simply patch it back together. It's very forgiving.
- I like to add a double layer of dough along the edge for a thicker, sturdier tart crust - but it's up to you. Leave singe layered, or fold the additional overhanging dough over and in to meet the inside edge of the base. Press to ensure it's well compressed and even in thickness all around. Before trimming, chill unbaked tart shell in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Place a baking sheet on a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350°F (177° C, Gas Mark 4).
- Trim the excess dough overhanging the pan with a sharp knife. Hold the knife blade parallel to your work surface and run it along the rim of the tart pan to create a flat edge along the top. Using a fork with small tines, dock the tart shell by poking holes around the base of the tart shell to let steam escape.
- Line the unbaked shell with a (crumpled then flattened) piece of parchment paper and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or granulated sugar.
- Blind bake tart shell on baking sheet in 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes. Carefully lift up a corner of the parchment to see if it will release from the crust without tearing. If not, bake 5 additional minutes before removing. Gently remove parchment paper and pie weights/beans and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until base of tart shell is dry and no longer shiny.
- Cool tart shell in pan on a cooling rack. It will be soft when it is warm – be gentle and don’t bump it! It will firm up as it cools.
CHOCOLATE GANACHE FILLING
- Heat cream in microwave (approximately 30 seconds) or over medium heat on stove until steaming and small bubbles form near the edge of the liquid. Do not boil. Add finely chopped chocolate and let sit for a few minutes. Gently stir to form a smooth chocolate mixture.
- Pour chocolate ganache into cooled tart shell and spread evenly around base of tart using a mini offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Place into fridge to chill until pastry cream is added.
ALMOND PASTRY CREAM
- Prepare an ice bath. Set a medium sized heat-proof bowl (at least 4 cup capacity) into a larger bowl filled with ice and water. Make sure the medium bowl is tall enough that no ice water will enter. Place a fine mesh sieve over the medium bowl.
- In a medium (3 quart) saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add the egg yolks and whisk thoroughly until completely combined and no pockets of sugar or cornstarch remain.
- Add milk and whisk well to combine. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture has thickened to the consistency of mayonaise or pudding, approximately 5 minutes. If needed, pause whisking briefly to check for bubbles. Once slow bubbles begin to erupt in the middle of the mixture, like geysers burbling, set a timer for 90 seconds and continue to whisk. This extra cooking helps neutralize a starch-digesting enzyme in the egg yolks.
- After the timer goes off, immediately remove the pastry cream from the heat and stir in butter and almond extract. Continue to whisk as butter melts to fully incorporate it into the pastry cream. Pour the pastry cream through the sieve into the bowl placed over the ice bath. Immediately place a layer of plastic wrap (or buttered parchment paper) over the top of the pastry cream to prevent a skin from forming. Cool for about 20-30 minutes in the ice bath.
- Once pastry cream has cooled somewhat, remove the bowl from the ice bath, dry the bottom to avoid water drips, and pour the pastry cream into the ganache lined tart shell. Smooth the pastry cream into an even layer using a mini offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Cover the top of the pastry cream with a new layer of plastic wrap and place tart into the fridge to chill.
SOUR CHERRY FILLING
- Preheat oven to 350° F (177° C, Gas Mark 4).
- Place cherries (fresh or frozen) into a 9 x 13 pan. If frozen, let sit out until at least partially softened. Add sugar and tapioca starch and stir to thoroughly cover all the cherries.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, until cherry mixture thickens and is bubbling in the center of the pan, not just along the edges. If you have an instant read thermometer, the center temperature should read 213° F (100° C). Remove from oven and set aside on a rack to cool slightly.
- When cherries are still warm (but cool enough to handle safely), spoon them individually onto the top of the chilled pastry cream, tucking them together snugly so that you can't see any pastry cream peeking out from underneath. I like to start nearest the outer crust and add cherries in a full circle, then repeat until I've worked my way into the center of the tart. Once cherries are added, place tart back into fridge to chill for several hours so everything can firm up.
WHIPPED CREAM AND SHAVED CHOCOLATE GARNISH
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add heavy cream and sugar. Beat on medium until sugar is mixed in, and scrape bowl once to blend in any remaining sugar. Beat on high until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overbeat or mixture will become lumpy and buttery.
- Place a jumbo star tip (I use Ateco 869) into a 16" (40cm) piping bag. Scoop the whipped cream into the piping bag and twist the top closed. Holding the bag vertically, pipe 9 - 12 swirls around the outer portion of the tart. If desired, add a smaller circle of stars inside the swirls.
- To make chocolate shavings, run a vegetable peeler along the side of a thick chocolate bar. The thicker the bar, the wider the shavings will be. Use a spoon to sprinkle the shavings onto the whipped cream, as the heat of your hands will begin to melt them immediately.
- Optional - place half a pitted fresh cherry onto the top of each whipped cream swirl.
- Keep refrigerated until immediately before serving.
The Floured Table
Recipe Author: Kathleen Culver
Made this recipe? Please leave a comment and a star review! ★★★★★
Jennifer says
Once the tart is assembled, how long will it last in the refrigerator?
Thanks!
Kathleen Culver says
Hi Jennifer,
The tart is really best served the same day it is made.
I recommend eating leftovers within around 3-4 days, as pastry cream doesn't have a long storage life.
Thanks!
Kathleen
ashok says
Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.
The Floured Table says
So glad you enjoyed it!
Kathleen
Catherine Wiley says
Hello Kathlern,
Would you be able to email the the gorgeous Sour cherry chocolate tart with almond cream recipe from August 2018? I can't print it from my phone.
We visit the Door County area of Wisconsin in the summer, where there are orchards of sour cherries. We always pick truckloads of cherries in the season, and your beautiful recipe caught my eye. I would love to be able to make this at home to share with family and friends.
Thank you.
Catherine Wiley