Cherry Chocolate Tart

By pattie_d

Ingredients

• Festive brandied cherries shine in a light, tangy, cherry cream filling nestled in a chocolate crust.
• CRUST
• 6 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup Double-Dutch Dark Cocoa or Dutch-process cocoa
• 1 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• FILLING
• 1 cup dried cherries, chopped
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• 2/3 cup cold water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (or 2 1/4 sheets gelatin)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup (2 5/8 ounces) cherry juice concentrate
• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from kingarthurflour.com

Preparation

Step 1

1) Preheat your oven to 400F. Lightly grease a 9? tart pan.
2) To make the crust: Beat the butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla until fluffy. Blend in the cocoa and flour.
3) Press the crust into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan. Prick all over with a fork.
4) Freeze the crust for 30 minutes, then bake it for 15 to 18 minutes, until it's set. Remove it from the oven and set aside to cool.
5) To make the filling: combine the dried cherries and brandy in a 2-cup glass measure or bowl. Cover and microwave for about 45 seconds, until the brandy boils. Stir, then set aside to cool.
6) Pour the water into a 2-cup glass measure or bowl, sprinkle gelatin on top, and allow it to soften for 30 minutes.
7) Stir in the sugar, cover, and microwave for 90 seconds. Stir until everything is dissolved, reheating as needed.
8) Combine the cherry juice concentrate, cherries with liquid, and warm sugar mixture in a 1-quart bowl (stainless steel, if possible). Refrigerate, stirring every 15 minutes or so, until the mixture cools and is thick as honey, about 1 1/2 hours; its temperature should be about 60F.
9) Fold the cream into the chilled gelatin mixture, a third at a time. If the mixture is very soft, refrigerate for 50 to 60 minutes, until it's thick enough to form a mound; then scoop into the crust. Chill 10 to 12 hours before serving.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

Recipe summary
Hands-on time:
45 mins. to 55 mins.
Baking time:
15 mins. to 18 mins.
Total time:
13 hrs 20 mins. to 15 hrs 40 mins.
Yield:
8 to 10 servings
Overnight