Oh, cherries. I do love you. Why do you have such a short season? I only get to enjoy you for a couple weeks a year. I love you tart and sweet. I love you pies, tarts, muffins, smoothies and just plain fresh. Oh, don’t try to fool me with some “cherry flavoring” that is just way too over-powering and cloyingly sweet. Your flavors are to fresh and clean and sometimes very subtle. And canned pie filling? Please, it should say “cherry flavored jelly with a few cherries” on the can. I need CHERRIES in my pies, not jelly.
This week the TWD group went right to my heart. We made Dorie’s Cherry Crumb Tart. This tart consisted of a hazelnut cream, fresh cherries and then a streusel topping. There were no parts for me to dislike. The recipe had a pound of fresh, sweet cherries. This is probably one of the last weeks I’m going to be able to find fresh, in-season cherries and I’m glad this recipe showed them off.
Cherries here in Wisconsin are kind of hit or miss for the rest of the year. Hopefully I’ll be able to make it to Door County, Wisconsin, next weekend to pick some tart cherries. Some of you might not know this, but Door County is world renowned for their tart cherries. I’ve been so spoiled to live less than 2 hours away. It should be prime picking season next weekend, so I need to get there soon. That season only lasts a few days each year.
If you aren’t fortunate enough to live where cherries are available though, this tart would also be great with blueberries, raspberries, peaches, nectarines, or even apricots. It was definitely a hit in this household. I made it over the course of three days, which was great since there are 4 parts to the recipe. There is the tart dough, the streusel, the nut cream, and then you have to pit a pound of cherries. My 4 year old son helped. He helped me make the tart crust and the nut cream. He loves using the food processor.
If you are so fortunate to have an excess of cherries, I would recommend making this tart. At least you know one pound of them won’t go to waste. Enjoy!
New mother, wife and chemical engineer trying to keep some sanity in this crazy life.
Cats in the Kitchen 
I agree – this tart was terrific, and would be good also with so many other fruits.
This tart definitely would work with many different fruits, and hopefully I will be making more before the summer is over. Yours look wonderful and quite
tasty.
yes, why does anyone like canned pie filling– fresh is the only way to go. your tart looks fabulous. hope you got your sour cherries!
I completely agree about red-coloured goop masquerading as cherries — it’s a different animal altogether! And your tart looks super delicious!
It is sad that the cherry season is so short – but something to look forward to each year! Your tart looks beautiful! You can actually see the cherries – mine looked more like a blueberry tart. This was a delicious treat!
This was so good, and I agree, it would work with many different fruits.
I felt really lucky that we had cherries on sale when I made this. When I was growing up the only canned pie filing my mom used was cherries. I didn’t try my first fresh cherries until I went to France when I was 16. I’m so glad we have more access to produce now!
I am too, I never liked apples growing up because I’m not a fan of Red Delicious and that was all we had. Now though there are so many options that I eat an apple almost every day.
You are so right-I didn’t even know I liked cherry pie until I had one with fresh cherries. Whatever is in the can is tragic. I’ve never had sour cherries or even seen them in a market here but now I’m so interested.
We live close to where a lot of sour cherries grow and we never see fresh ones in the stores either. We have to drive up to Door County, Wi to get them fresh if we want them. It’s really sad.