Tarts with frangipane cream and cherry jam

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PRESENTATION

In the gorgeous region of Lombardia, Italy, there’s this really lovely tradition of making sweet treats with fresh, local ingredients. And look, one delight that stands out is crostatine con crema frangipane e confettura di ciliegie—those charming little tarts you spot in Italian bakeries.

These tarts? Well, they’re crafted with a base of homemade pasta frolla—sort of like a buttery shortbread—and filled with rich, moist frangipane cream and sweet cherry jam. It’s this combo that makes these crostatine crema frangipane ciliegie really special. Like, really really special. The way the tender almond cream melds with the tangy cherry jam is just perfect for any time of day. Pretty simple, right?

In Lombardia, folks love making these for a special breakfast or a snack that’s a bit more exciting than the usual cookie. And the classic lattice decoration? It not only adds visual appeal but also gives the tarts that inviting, homemade vibe—like straight from an authentic Italian kitchen.

Here’s the deal: In Italy, tradition is everything. When it comes to crostatine con crema frangipane e confettura di ciliegie, there’s a huge emphasis on using high-quality, fresh ingredients. You know, each region has its version of jam tarts, but the Lombard twist with almond cream gives these crostatine frangipane ciliegie a soft bite that sets them apart from the usual fruit tart. They’re the type of dessert that pops up at family gatherings, where even the kids can't resist the golden, crumbly crust combined with the fruity, crispy top.

Whether known as crostatine frangipane marmellata ciliegie or simply little cherry pies, these treats are a nostalgic snack that many remember from childhood. Perfect for dunking in milk or enjoying with coffee. Honestly, they’re more than just about eating. In Italy, it’s about sharing, crafting by hand, and passing down flavors that always feel like home. That's the real charm of crostatine crema mandorle e ciliegie—they're simple, moist, and bring smiles to everyone around the table. Seriously good.

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INGREDIENTS

Ingredients for the shortcrust pastry (for 4 mini tarts)
Butter 9.5 oz (270 g) - cold from the refrigerator
Type 00 flour 4 cups (500 g)
Egg yolks 4
Powdered sugar 1 ½ cup (200 g)
Fine salt 1 pinch
for the frangipane cream
Almond flour 1 ½ cup (150 g)
Butter 7 tbsp (100 g) - (at room temperature)
Eggs 2
Sugar 0.6 cup (120 g)
for filling
Cherry jam 1 cup (250 g)
Preparation

How to prepare Tarts with frangipane cream and cherry jam

To make the mini tarts with frangipane cream and cherry jam, start by preparing the shortcrust pastry: place the sifted flour, a pinch of salt, and the cold butter from the fridge cut into cubes 1 in a mixer. Blend everything until you get a sandy and floury mixture 2; pour the obtained mixture onto a work surface (or into a bowl), create a well, and add the sifted powdered sugar in the center 3.

Pour in the egg yolks, then start mixing everything with a fork 4. When the eggs have absorbed the flour, you can continue by hand: knead briefly, just enough to compact the dough 5 so that the pastry doesn't heat up too much with the warmth of your hands and remains crumbly. Form a dough ball, flatten it so it cools more easily, and wrap it in plastic wrap 6, placing it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

In the meantime, you can prepare the frangipane cream: in a bowl, pour the room temperature butter cut into pieces and the sugar 7. Work with an electric mixer with beaters 8, and when the mixture is well whipped, add one egg at a time 9, waiting for the previous one to be incorporated and continuing with the beaters.

Scrape down the sides with a spatula and finally add the almond flour 10, then put the cream in a piping bag without a nozzle, placing it in the refrigerator 11. After the necessary time, roll out the shortcrust pastry with a rolling pin to a thickness of about 0.4 inches 12.

With a pastry cutter 5.5 inches in diameter, cut out 4 disks 12 and line 4 non-stick round molds, previously buttered and floured, of the size of 4 inches in diameter and with a rim 1.2 inches high 14; press lightly with your fingers on the bottom and sides to adhere the dough well, then with a small knife, trim the excess dough, saving the leftover dough 15. If you want to make a single tart, you can use a mold with a diameter of 11 inches with a rim 1.6 inches high.

Then proceed to the filling: with the help of the piping bag, fill about 0.4 inches of the bottom of the mini tarts with the frangipane cream 16 and then finish with the cherry jam, filling the mold to the rim 17. Then proceed to the decoration: roll out the reserved shortcrust pastry to a thickness of 0.16 inches and then with a fluted pastry wheel cut strips 0.4 inches wide 18.

Apply the shortcrust pastry strips on the mini tarts to create a decorative lattice pattern 19. Once finished 20, bake in a preheated static oven at 340°F for 40 minutes (or in a ventilated oven at 300°F for 30 minutes). When ready, take them out of the oven 21, let them cool completely on a wire rack, then remove from the molds. Finally, serve and enjoy your mini tarts with frangipane cream and cherry jam.

Storage

Store the mini tarts with frangipane cream and cherry jam under a glass bell for 3-4 days at most. If you want, you can freeze the shortcrust pastry and then thaw it in the refrigerator when needed.

Tip

Want to add more flavor and sweetness to your mini tarts? Try flavoring the shortcrust pastry with the seeds of a vanilla bean or with grated orange zest! You can also replace the powdered sugar with whole cane sugar: you'll get a pastry with a stronger flavor and a crunchier finish!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.