cherry custard tart

i got a really good quality tart/flan tin from my mum for christmas and was looking for a chance to try it out. i wanted to use up the cherries in the freezer that we had picked from the trees in our local park. this recipe worked superbly except that the cherries were far too sour. last summer we had eaten them straight from the tree and i seem to remember them being sweet enough. anyway, i thought their tartness might be the perfect accompaniment to the sweetness of the custard but i was wrong! so, i recommend you wait for cherry season and make this with eaters rather than cooking cherries (unless of course you get to pick up some ludicrously out of season reduced bargain in the local supermarket.)

remember to leave at least an hour to chill the pastry and an hour for the tart to set.

pastry crust:
250g plain flour

125g softened butter
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp granulated sugar
a pinch of salt

filling:
500g pitted cherries (not cooking cherries!)
2 eggs, beaten
125g whipping cream
60g plain flour
75g granulated sugar
1 tbsp grated lemon rind
1 tbsp vanilla extract
a pinch of salt

grease a 23 cm tart tin with removable bottom.

place flour in bowl and make a well in the centre. add butter, egg yolk, sugar and salt and mix with a fork until the mixture is smooth. gradually stir in the flour to a make dough that holds together. press into a disc and wrap it in clingfilm in the fridge for about 1 hour.

roll out the pastry into 28 cm circle. fit it into the tart tin. trim it to leave about 2.5cm overhang which you need to fold over inside the tin and press gently.

spread the cherries over the pastry. whisk together the eggs, cream, flour, sugar, lemon rind, vanilla and salt. pour the mixture over the cherries. bake on a baking tray in the bottom of the oven at 190ºC for about 40/45 minutes until golden and the tip of a knife inserted into the custard comes out clean. Let cool on rack.

leave the tart at room temperature for up to 1 hour.

it looked so beautiful. i will try it again in the summer with fruit from my mum's eating cherry tree. i might try it sooner with frozen raspberries. watch this space...