This is my last recipe for 2021. What a year it has been. And although this is a new recipe, I have a feeling that this White Chocolate Cherry Tart is going to become a favourite.
This tart has a Macadamia Sweet Shortcrust Pastry, that’s nutty and buttery. It’s followed by a Cherry Jelly layer, made with super plump tinned black cherries. And lastly, it’s all topped off with a melt in your mouth, heavenly smooth White Chocolate Ganache.
Although there are three components to this White Chocolate Cherry Tart, only the crust required baking. The rest just requires a little patience during the setting times.
Those who have been following me for a while will know that I love a dessert that I can prepare ahead of time. This is another one of those. I made the crust in the evening, added the jelly layer and popped it in the fridge overnight. The next morning I added the Ganache and let it set for a couple of hours in the fridge. And that’s it. Decorate as you wish or not at all. It’s delicious as is. I drizzled some dark chocolate and added a little garnish of fresh cherries.
I would love your feedback if you decide to make this tart.
White Chocolate Cherry Tart
Ingredients
Macadamia Crust:
- 100 grams Unsalted Butter
- ⅓ Cup Icing/Powdered Sugar
- 1 Large Egg
- ⅓ Cup Macadamia Flour/ Ground Macadamias*
- 1 Pinch of salt
- 1⅓ Cups All-Purpose/Cake Flour
Filling:
Cherry Jelly Layer
- 2 Tins of Black Cherries (425g x2)
- 3½ Leaves of gelatine
Ganache Layer
- 500 grams White Chocolate
- 200 ml Fresh Cream
Instructions
Macadamia Crust
- Place the softened butter in a mixing bowl or the bowl of your mixer. Add the icing/powdered sugar and mix together until smooth
- Next add the egg, macadamia flour and salt to the sugar and butter and mix until well combined. Add the flour a bit at a time and mix until incorporated
- Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface or board and roll out into a circular shape, a little larger than the pie dish you are planning to use (I used a 22cm pie dish with a removable bottom)
- Grease the pie dish with a little non-stick cooking spray and place the dough into the dish. Ensure that the bottom and sides are covered. The pastry is very soft and will most likely break when moving, so patch any holes or cracks if you need to
- Remove any excess dough using the rolling pin and/or a small pairing knife. Use any excess pastry to patch up holes, cracks or irregularities if needed
- Dock the bottom of the crust with a fork and place it in the freezer for around 30 minutes while you preheat your oven
- Preheat the oven to 160°C. When hot, remove the pastry case from the freezer, line with baking paper or foil and use baking beans, or dried beans or rice to weigh down the pastry. Make sure that no pastry is visible at this point. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the baking paper and beans/weights and bake uncovered for a further 15 minutes. It is ready when there are no visible 'wet' spots and it turns a light golden. Remove and let cool completely before adding the filling
Filling:
Cherry Jelly Layer
- For the cherry jelly, place one tin of cherries, including the syrup, in a small saucepan, then drain the second tin and add the cherries only to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer
- Using a stick/emersion blender, blend the cherries in their syrup until smooth
- Place back on the heat and let simmer for 5 minutes to start thickening
- In the meantime, submerge the sheets of gelatine in a bowl of cold (tap) water to soften for around 5 minutes
- When the cherries are done, remove from the heat. Squeeze out any excess liquid from the gelatine leaves and drop into the cherries, whisking immediately until it dissolves
- Pour the cherry jelly, in an even layer, into the bottom of the crust. Leave to cool for a couple of minutes, then place in the fridge for around 3 – 4 hours to set (or preferably overnight if prepping ahead)
- Ensure that the jelly is set before making and adding the ganache
Ganache Layer
- Finely chop or grate the chocolate into a medium sized bowl
- Pour the cream into a small saucepan and heat until just before boiling
- Pour the cream over the chocolate, cover the bowl and let sit for around 3 – 5 minutes. Remove the lid/plastic wrap and whisk until a smooth ganache forms
- Gently pour the ganache over the set jelly in an even layer, smooth out if needed. Place back in the fridge to set for at least 2 – 3 hours
- When set, remove tart from the tin and place on your choice of serving dish or cake stand. Decorate as you wish and serve
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