Lemon-Cherry Almond Tart with Rosemary Shortbread Crust

WHOA, is all I can say about these dreamy lemon-cherry tarts.  This was my first time attempting anything like this—on a very last-second timeframe, no less—and I was blown away.

First off, they’re so pretty!!!

I’ll be honest, I kind of flew by the seat of my pants on these.  At the last minute I decided I wanted to bring a gift with me for a friend’s surprise 40th birthday party, but couldn’t think of what.  A special dessert!  Okay, with only a few hours and the ingredients on hand, what could that be??

After quite a bit of poking around I found a great recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction that was just right for tweaking.  Add a dash of fresh rosemary to the buttery dough, a little almond extract to the filling, and a thick swirl of tart cherry jam…and voila, birthday greatness! 

These lemon-cherry tarts use a simpler filling based on sweetened condensed milk rather than a true custard, and even with the fresh lemon juice and zest was *just* this side of too sweet for me.  Along with the jam, a few sea salt flakes help balance this out.

I used my amazing bourbon cherry jam in these tarts and highly recommend it, but any similar jam will do (for instance, Bonne Maman makes a delicious cherry or four-fruits that is perfect).

Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and get your large or mini tart cases ready.  I use these mini ones for this recipe.

We’re making an easy shortbread crust, so mix the melted butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt together in a medium bowl.  

Add the flour and minced rosemary and stir to completely combine. The dough will be a little greasy and very thick.

Using a rubber spatula or your hands, press the dough firmly into your tart pans, making sure it’s even on the bottom and around the sides (fairly thin is preferable, as it puffs while baking).

Press down and out a little on the edges of the tart cases to get a nice clean line (not like the below, I hadn’t done that yet).

Bake for 15 minutes, or until the edges are very lightly browned. Remove from the oven.

Using a fork, poke a few holes all over the top of the warm crust (not all the way through the crust). This helps the filling stick.

While the tart cases are baking, mix all of the filling ingredients EXCEPT the jam together until combined. Pour into the warm tart crusts.

Take small spoonfuls of jam and drop them over the top of the filling, then use a toothpick, skewer, or knife to gently swirl the sauce and filling together. 

I would put the tiniest flake of sea salt on top as well, helps balance out the sweetness.

Bake for 12-20 minutes (depending on whether it’s a mini or regular size tart), just until the center of the tart no longer jiggles when you give the pan a light tap. It will still be sticky on top.

Avoid over-baking because the tart will taste rubbery.  In fact, err on the side of under-baking because the filling also has a chance to set up in the refrigerator. You want a creamy soft filling.

Remove the tarts from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Cool completely at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator uncovered for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. If chilling for longer than 2 hours, cover it.

Remove the sides of the tart pan (if loose-bottomed) and serve.  Leftovers will last in the refrigerator (if covered tightly) for up to 1 week.

Serve chilled or close to room temp.  I just keep staring at the vivid swirls, kind of mesmerized.  The blend of super sweet (from the sweetened condensed milk), tart from the lemon, and sweet-tart from the cherry jam is divine.  The rosemary adds just a hint of herbal flavor without overriding, all wrapped in a buttery crust.

*CHEF’S KISS*

Adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Other delicious desserts you’ll love:

• Orange Ricotta-Mascarpone Tart with Rosemary Crust
• The Best Homemade Key Lime Pie
• Smitten Kitchen’s Whole Lemon Tart
• Caramelized White Chocolate & Coffee Tarts
• White Chocolate Lemon Lava Cakes
• Pioneer Woman’s Pots de Creme (Chocolate & Orange)

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Lemon-Cherry Tart with Rosemary Shortbread Crust

Yield: 5-6 mini tarts

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Additional Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes

These delicious lemon-cherry almond tarts are way easier than they look, perfect for any special occasion (even a last-minute one)!

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Ingredients

• Rosemary Shortbread Crust
• 1/2 cup (115g) of unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup (50g) of granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup (125g) of all-purpose flour
• Some fresh rosemary, chopped finely (a tablespoon or two)
• Tart Filling
• 1 can (14-ounce) of full-fat sweetened condensed milk
• 6 tablespoons (90ml) of lemon juice(fresh is better, about 2 lemons)
• 1 teaspoon of lemon zest(1 lemon)
• 1 large egg yolk
• A few drops of almond extract
• Pinch of salt
• A good tart jam (I LOVED my bourbon cherry jam)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and get your large or mini tart cases ready.  Mine are non-stick, so don't need greased.
2. Crust: Mix the melted butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt together in a medium bowl.
3. Add the flour and rosemary and stir to completely combine. The dough will be a little greasy and very thick.
4. Using a rubber spatula or your hands, press dough firmly into your tart pans, making sure it's even on the bottom and around the sides (fairly thin is preferable, as it puffs while baking).
5. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned. Remove from the oven.
6. Using a fork, poke a few holes all over the top of the warm crust (not all the way through the crust). This helps the filling stick.
7. Filling: Whisk all of the filling ingredients EXCEPT the jam together until combined. Pour into the warm tart crusts.
8. Take small spoonfuls of jam and drop them over the top of the filling, then use a toothpick, skewer, or knife to gently swirl the sauce and filling together.  I would put the tiniest flake of sea salt on top as well.
9. Bake for 12-20 minutes (depending on whether it's a mini or regular size tart), just until the center of the tart no longer jiggles when you give the pan a light tap. It will still be sticky on top. Avoid over-baking because the tart will taste rubbery.  In fact, err on the side of under-baking because the filling also has a chance to set up in the refrigerator. You want a creamy soft filling.)
10. Remove the tarts from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Cool completely at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator uncovered for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. If chilling for longer than 2 hours, cover them.
11. Remove the sides of the tart pan (if loose-bottomed) and serve.  Cover leftovers tightly and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

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