Try this Cherry & Vanilla Bean Tart made with simple Italian pastry is a perfect balance of tart and sweet. Serve at breakfast, as a snack, or as dessert.
I am not the biggest fan of cherries, but my kids and hubby love them! In fact, a favorite event this summer has been who can spit the cherry seed the furthest. Yes, I have 3 young boys, 4 if you include my husband, and two little girls that well can push their brothers to the limit and almost, just almost outspit them when it comes to a cherry seed spitting contest.
I was seeding some cherries for my 3-year-old and as the juice was staining my hands, I thought this would just make an excellent pie filling. So I boiled together some cherries and a vanilla bean and made such a tasty and beautiful jam/filling. This would be well served on bread, in a pie, or, as I did it, in a homemade pastry, making a fabulous tart. This tart can be enjoyed for breakfast or add a dollop of ice cream and serve for dessert, either way, you won’t be disappointed.
Enjoy this original recipe inspired by my cherry seed-spitting family. Happy cherry season!
More Cherry Recipes
Don’t forget to pin this to your favorite Pinterest board to save for later!
Cherry & Vanilla Bean Tart
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- pinch salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter cold and cut into ½ inch cubes
- 2 large egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- 3 cups fresh cherries seeds removed
- 1 whole vanilla bean
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/3 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 2-3 tablespoons natural cane turbinado sugar you can use regular white granulated sugar too
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- In a medium mix bowl add flour, sugar and a pinch of salt and stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl or cup, beat together egg yolks and water until well blended.
- Add unsalted butter to flour mixture, using a pastry blender or a fork, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbles, with some small pea-sized pieces.
- Gradually mix in the egg mixture using a fork. It will be crumbly, use your hands to bring it together, it will moisten and the mixture will start to clump together. If the mixture is still too crumbly and not holding together when pressed, add an additional teaspoon of cold water. *Note this is not a wet dough, you do not want to add too much water.*
- Shape dough into a thick disk, wrap with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator while you make the cherry vanilla bean filling.
- Slice the vanilla bean in half, remove seeds and place the seeds in a medium sauce pan, add the vanilla bean stem too. Add cherries, water, sugar, and cornstarch, stir to combine and heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Cool slightly and remove vanilla bean stem. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with wax paper and set aside.
- Remove dough from refrigerator. Roll out into a large rectangle, cut 6 rectangles from the dough, or whatever shape you desire. Add about 2 tablespoons of the filling to the center of one side the pastry, fold over the other half and press the edges, you can use a fork for texture if you would like. Brush the pastry with the melted butter and sprinkle the dough with turbinado sugar.
- Using a metal spatula carefully place on to prepared pan, add remaining tarts and place in the oven to bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let it cool to serve later or you may also serve immediately.
Kids review: They loved this, not a big surprise since they love cherries.
I love how simple that is to make! It sounds amazing.
Sounds delicious.
I just bought a huge bag of cherries, perfect timing. Thanks for the recipe!!
Tammi – hope you can make it soon. xo San
I am not a fan of canned cherries but love fresh ones. This is something I am sure we would all love!
I am right with you girl! xo San
Oh yes, this looks great and I will take one please! Thanks!
Those look so good! I’ve never made my own tarts, but may have to give these a try. 🙂
That looks so good. It looks light enough that I wouldn’t feel to bad about going off of a diet.
Carlee – you can totally have one. 😉 xo San
I love cherries and this looks so good!!
Looks soo yummy!
Oh.. my… GOD!!! That looks totally amazing. I mean from the ingredients to just the look of it, this recipe is to die for. I will be making this soon. Before I do, though, I’ve got to go out and get myself a cherry pitter.
Everything about this screams YUM. The ingredients are to die for, and the tarts themselves are just absolutely gorgeous looking. I will be making this soon!
Thanks Dawn! xo San
A bean tart? Never heard of it! Looks really good though. I’d love to try one.
Oh it is so good. Enjoy! xo San
That sounds delicious. I love cherry and vanilla. What a fun combination. Thanks for sharing.
Holy Moly this looks incredible!! We love cherries at our home too and I cant wait to make these for my family.
Thanks Jen, hope your family likes them. xo San
Your photos are always so mouth-watering. This looks delicious.
Thanks Pam. xo San
I love cherries! I have some in my fridge right now, and they are calling my name. This tart looks really delicious and I will have to give it a try!
Excited for you to try. xo San
This sounds AMAZING! My kids would love these, I think hubby would too.
These tarts look so delicious! I haven’t had anything cherry this summer yet. I need to go get some, I love them.
That looks fabulous! This is yet another recipe of yours I need to pin. 🙂 You make the most delicious things.
Thanks for the pin Liz and the sweet comment. xo San
Like you I’m not the biggest cherry fan either but I’d be willing to put that aside for one taste of that gorgeous looking jam! Oh, and of course the pastry itself as well 😉
Wow!! These look delicious! I love anything with cherry!! Thanks for this great recipe!
Delicious — this looks like something I’d buy at the farmer’s market! Love the rustic look of the pie.
Thanks Dede! xo San
The tarts look delicious! I will definitely have to try this recipe.
It looks really good! Like a homemade pop-tart! I bet it tastes way better tho 😉 I like the cherry vanilla combo!!
Jenn – I wanted to call it a homemade pop tart and my oldest son and husband were like “noooo” it made me laugh.
I would eat them all. One sitting. These look SOOOO good!
you are making me wish I was not on a diet, this looks amazing and so easy to make! I have to make this for my kids!
That does look very delicious. My MIL bought me a load of cherries the other day and I had no idea what to do with them. I might give this a try!
Hope you do! xo San
This looks so delicious!! 🙂 Yummy!
Thanks Nancy. xo San