CHERRY & AMARETTO TART

Cherry and amaretto is a match made in heaven – this delicious tart is all the proof you need. The hardest part of this recipe is transferring the pastry into the tart case. I find that rolling the pastry directly onto floured clingfilm helps. Simply roll the pastry around the rolling pin with the clingfilm in place, lift it and roll over the case with the clingfilm facing upwards, then peel off the film. Serve with cream, mascarpone or vanilla ice cream.

Serves 8

225g (8oz) plain white flour

160g (5¾oz) chilled unsalted butter, diced

65g (2¼oz) icing sugar, plus extra for dusting A pinch of salt

2 medium egg yolks For the filling

100g (3½oz) icing sugar

100g (3½oz) ground almonds

2 medium eggs, lightly beaten

½tsp almond essence

2tbsp amaretto (almond liqueur)

450g (1lb) ripe cherries (or tinned cherries, drained), pitted

Put the flour, butter, icing sugar and salt in a food processor. Blitz until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolks and pulse for 10 seconds. Tip the mixture into a bowl and gather into a ball with your hands. Cover and transfer to the fridge for 30 minutes. Roll out the pastry onto floured clingfilm and use it to line a loose-bottomed, round tart tin (ideally fluted), 24cm in diameter, before removing the clingfilm. Trim the pastry edges then leave to chill for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. ‘Blind bake’ the pastry case – prick the pastry base all over with a fork, line the bottom and sides with baking parchment and weigh it down with baking beans or rice. Place the tin on a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes. Remove the beans or rice and paper, reduce the oven to 170°C/fan 150°C/ gas 3 and cook for 5 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, make the filling. Combine the icing sugar, almonds, beaten eggs, almond essence and amaretto in a bowl. Tip into the pastry case. Arrange the cherries on top, pushing them lightly into the mixture. Bake for 50 minutes, until the top is golden brown and firm. After 20 minutes, cover the edges with foil to prevent burning. Cool in the tin, then remove and place on a serving plate and dust with icing sugar.