Fresh Cherry FrangipaneTartlets

A couple weeks back, when I saw the nearby grocer having some fresh bing cherries on sale, I grabbed a couple of punnets without hesitation. :)) Somehow eating this fruit just brings back some nostalgic memories of my past life in California. Going to the cherry orchard and plugging those ruby red fruits fresh from the trees....and straight to my mouth, heehee. I also remember baking cherry pies and jams...such a luxury since it's so abundantly available there in CA. However back in Asia, it's so scare to see it selling in the grocer and it's usually pretty expensive. :P Anyway, I have this lovely and delicious recipe that uses fresh bing cherries which has become my family favorite; its Fresh Cherry Frangipane Tartlets.

These tartlets might not look scrumptious to you but once you take a bite, you would wish you have baked a dozen more!

The cherries had retained its juices during the baking and combining it with the soft cake like frangipane filling which is both nutty and creamy, its such a wonderful combination! Not forgetting the flaky and buttery pastry tart crust encasing all these....yum yum!

Ingredients for Fresh Cherry Frangipane Tarlets: (makes about 10)

Pastry tart : Please refer to my Fresh Strawberry Vanilla Custard Cream tarts.

Frangipane filling:

120g butter, soften
120g icing sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 tbsp cake flour
165g finely ground almond meal
1 cup of fresh bing cherries, pitted and halved
Some chopped chocolate (optional)
Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla together till well combined
2. Add the first egg and beat well. Then crack the 2nd egg in and continue to beat till mixed in.
3. Then add in the flour and almond meal into the egg mixture and combine well.
4. Preheat the oven to 180C and take out the tart pastry that has been pressed into the greased tart tin shells. Please refer to my Fresh Strawberry Vanilla Custard Cream tarts for the steps on making the tart pastry. Note that no pre-baking is needed for the pastry tarts in this recipe.
5. (Optional but it'll definitely taste better) Sprinkle about 1/2 tsp amount of chopped chocolate at the base of the pastry tarts.
   
6. Spoon the frangipane filling into the pastry tarts and fill it about 2/3 full. Then press in 4 cherry halves in to the filling. Repeat till all the tart shells' been filled.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes till the top is golden brown and the tester comes out clean.

I got really good reviews for this tartlet when I gave some to my sister, parents and in-laws. They were actually asking for more but I couldn't find any more bing cherries in the nearby grocer anymore. :P Looks like the super short "season" is over. :P I was thinking to myself should I freeze some cherries next time but wonder if the taste of the tartlets will be the same. :P Oh well...we'll see. :)

Okay, gonna keep this short and will post again very soon. ;)

Have a good day all!