Berry Cherry Almond Tart

Don't you love summer's berry season? I do, and I always buy the large containers of blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries at Costco.  I also can not get enough of fresh summer cherries.  We eat the berries added to yogurt for breakfast, blended in smoothies, mixed in with breakfast cereal or oatmeal, or in a fruit salad, and usually, I have no trouble finishing them all before my next shopping trip.

One of my favorite food blogger's Linda of the blog Ciao Chow Linda made a wonderful "Very Berry Crostata" in May and I saved it on my Pinterest Pies and Tarts Board to make it one day myself.

Linda's blog is full of delicious authentic Italian style recipes  I'm always getting recipe ideas and learning new techniques from her. We met once, years ago when I lived in Brooklyn, New York, and I was given four tickets to see a new TV show at the time called "The Chew."  My husband and my best friend Rosemary also came along to see the show. After a fun time as audience members, we went out for brunch and then took Linda on a little tour of Atlantic Ave in Brooklyn, where some of our favorite shops are located--if you'd like to see that fun post click here.   

Linda made her summer berries into a crostata, which is an open-faced free-formed fruit tart with the crust folded into a rim. I had quite a few berries plus cherries I wanted to use up, so I decided to make my fruit tart in my large 12-inch tart pan.  Most of my tart pans are 8 inches in width, but my 12-inch size pan is fast becoming a favorite as it holds so much and is wonderful to use when I have company over or making a sweet or savory tart for a holiday meal. 

Berry Cherry Almond Tart right out of the oven!

Prep is easy--the crust is made in a food processor and therefore little fuss, and can be pressed into the pan, so no rolling and measuring are needed.  The dough does need to be made ahead for at least an hour to chill. The blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries only need to be washed and drained.  The strawberries need to be hulled and sliced, and the cherries need their pits removed. I cut the cherries in half and picked out the pits easily.  Linda added sliced almonds to the bottom and crust of her crostata--I added them to the fruit rim of my tart.  They are optional but add a nice crunch and almond flavor.

Berry Cherry Almond Tart

Ingredients:

Crust:

This recipe makes two 8-inch or one 12 inch tart crust--if making 8-inch tart freeze half of the crust dough for an another time
2½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
½ cup granulated sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 small lemon
1 teaspoon almond flavoring
1 teaspoon baking powder
⅛ teaspoon fine salt
½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into dice
2 large eggs

Filling:

4 cups fruit -- I used a mix of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, sliced strawberries and pitted cherries cut in half
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon almond flavoring
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Toppings: (optional)

1/2 cup slivered almonds

If desired, a coating of apricot or apple jelly heated to make liquid can be brushed on top of the fruit after the pie is baked to make the fruit shine.

Instructions:

In a food processor, combine the flour, granulated sugar, lemon zest, almond flavoring, baking powder, and salt and pulse to mix.
Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly.
Add the eggs and process just until the dough comes together.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. If you are using an 8-inch tart pan divide the dough it in half, and pat it into two disks and wrap one half in plastic wrap and freeze for another use.
If using a 12-inch tart pan pat dough into a flat disc and refrigerate it for 1 hour.
After an hour remove dough from the refrigerator and roll it out to a diameter to fit your tart pan or simply flatten and press dough into your tart pan. I like to then re-chill the dough in the tart pan in the refrigerator while preparing the filling

Mix all the ingredients for the filling. Mix gently, but well, and fill your tart pan with the fruit.
Carefully transfer the tart pan to a Silpat or parchment paper-lined cookie sheet to catch any baking overflow or seepage.
Sprinkle the slivered almonds around the rim of the tart.

Bake on the lowest oven rack at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, then remove it and place it on an upper rack for another 15 minutes, or until the crust of the tart is baked a golden color.

 What a nice summertime treat! 

We really enjoyed eating all our berries this way.  I added a bit of whipped cream on top of my slice--so delicious. You could also serve with ice cream on the side.  The crust has a delightful cookie taste to it which made it extra special, and all the berries, cherries, and almonds were a sweet combination.   I hope you will enjoy it this summer before berry season is over!

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