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Sliced cherry vanilla custard tart on a wooden board showing golden crust, pale custard, and dark red cherries

Cherry Vanilla Tart with Silky Custard and Buttery Crust

A buttery shortcrust tart filled with vanilla bean custard and fresh cherries, baked until the center just sets.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Calories: 380
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Shortcrust Shell
  • 200 g all-purpose flour
  • 100 g cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 50 g granulated sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp ice water add more, 1 tsp at a time, if dough looks dry
Vanilla Custard
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 1 large whole egg
  • 80 g granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 250 ml heavy cream
  • 100 ml whole milk
  • 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped or 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt
Cherries
  • 300 g fresh cherries, pitted and halved
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp lemon juice

Method
 

Make the Shortcrust Shell
  1. In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, and salt together. Add cold butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
  2. Add egg yolk and ice water, pulse until the dough just comes together in clumps. Shape into a disk, wrap, and chill 20 minutes.
  3. Roll the dough on a floured surface to about 0.6 cm (1/4 inch) thick and fit it into a 9-inch (23 cm) tart pan. Trim edges and prick the base with a fork.
Blind Bake the Shell
  1. Heat the oven to 190 C / 375 F. Line the chilled shell with parchment and fill with pie weights.
  2. Bake 15 minutes, then remove weights and parchment and bake 5 to 7 minutes more, until the crust looks pale gold and feels dry to the touch. Set aside and reduce oven to 160 C / 325 F.
Make the Custard and Assemble
  1. Toss cherries with sugar and lemon juice, then scatter them evenly over the base of the warm crust.
  2. Whisk egg yolks, whole egg, sugar, and cornstarch together until pale and thick.
  3. Warm cream, milk, and vanilla bean in a saucepan until steaming but not boiling. Slowly whisk into the egg mixture, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve for a smooth custard.
  4. Pour the custard over the cherries, filling the shell almost to the top.
Bake and Cool
  1. Bake at 160 C / 325 F for 28 to 32 minutes, until the edges are set and the center jiggles slightly like set panna cotta, around 175 F / 79 C internal.
  2. Cool the tart to room temperature on a rack, then chill at least 1 hour before slicing.

Notes

  • Blind bake the crust fully before adding custard, a pale, dry base prevents a soggy bottom.
  • Use a food processor for the dough if you have one, it keeps the butter colder longer.
  • Strain the warm custard through a fine-mesh sieve for a smoother texture before pouring.
  • Don't skip the chill time before slicing, warm custard won't hold clean edges.