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Cherry Almond Tart with Chocolate Cookie Crust

If you have the time, refrigerate the gluten-free tart-crust dough overnight to fully hydrate it, and if you can’t find fresh or frozen cherries, try fresh blackberries.

Servings 8
Author Harriet Trezevant

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Crust:

  • 1/2 cup sweet white rice flour, preferably Mochiko brand
  • 1/4 cup almond meal
  • 1/4 cup oat flour
  • 2 tablespoons potato starch
  • 2 tablespoons tapioca starch, plus more for dusting
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Pinch of kosher salt
  • 8 tablespoons (4 ounces/1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into four cubes
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 egg

For the Filling:

  • 1 cup almond meal
  • 1 tablespoon white rice flour or sweet white rice flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 8 tablespoons (4 ounces/1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 cup pitted fresh cherries, or 3/4 cup thawed frozen cherries
  • 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
  • Powdered sugar, for garnish (optional)
  • Whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Make the crust: Into a bowl, sift the sweet rice flour, almond meal, oat flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, cocoa, and salt. Whisk to combine.
  2. In a food processor, pulse the butter and powdered sugar until the butter is in small pieces and the sugar is incorporated. Add the sifted ingredients and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add the egg and pulse until the dough starts to come together and there are no flour streaks.
  3. Transfer the dough to a large sheet of plastic wrap on a flat surface and knead it a few times until it comes together. Flatten into a disc about 6 inches wide, wrap it in the plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
  4. Lightly dust the dough with tapioca flour, place between two pieces of parchment, and roll out to about 1/8 inch thick. If it starts to stick and becomes difficult to roll out, place the dough in the freezer for a few minutes and resume rolling.
  5. Into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, gently press the rolled out dough into the bottom and up the sides. Cut off any overhanging dough so the sides are flush with the top of the pan's edges. With a fork, prick the bottom of the crust 10 times, wrap in plastic wrap, and freeze for 30 minutes.
  6. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Bake the tart shell, without parchment and without pie weights, until just set, allowing the crust to settle down if it puffs up in the middle, about 15 minutes. Let cool until comfortable to handle.
  7. Make the filling: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the almond meal, rice flour, and sugar. Add the butter and beat until combined. Add the eggs and almond extract and beat until creamy and uniform. Halve the pitted cherries.
  8. Assemble the tart: Pour the batter into the tart shell and spread evenly with a spatula. Arrange the cherries in a single layer on top of the batter, pressing them down gently until the batter rises slightly around each one. Scatter the sliced almonds over the top.
  9. Reduce the heat to 375ºF. Bake until golden and slightly puffed and a toothpick inserted into the batter comes out clean (minus any cherry juice), 30 to 40 minutes.
  10. Cool to room temperature and remove from the tart pan. Dust with powdered sugar and serve with whipped cream.