Rustic Morello Cherry Tart

Butter cold and cubed freezes the occasional flake while baking, making the crust layered and flaky instead of dense. Almond flour replaces some wheat—nutty aroma and tender crumb. Coconut sugar instead of plain adds toffee whispers in the filling. Cornstarch is a fail-safe against runny juices; more is safer than less here, but too much ruins texture—dots like glue, not rubber. If cherries unavailable, frozen raspberries or cranberries stand in, but increase thickener by 5-10g for their higher juice load. Lemon zest and juice help balance tartness and add brightness. Be cautious about patting dough too thin; around 4-5mm ideal—too thin tears easily. Egg wash and flaky salt on crust edges promotes color, crunch, and flavor contrast. Keep dough chilled at every stage—soft dough equals tough crust. Resting dough 40 minutes minimum lets gluten relax and butter firm up again.

Starting with crumbly dough retains texture—the goal is patchy butter lumps apparent in the dough, not fully homogeneous. Work fast; warm hands can melt butter, ruining flakiness. Chilling dough is not optional; skip it and pastry runs flat. Toss fruit with sugar and cornstarch, not before draining—excess juice dilutes thickener and wets dough early. Roll dough roughly, no perfect circle needed; rustic tarts live in imperfection. Fold edges loosely; tight folding squeezes juices out and inhibits crust browning. Egg wash only on dough edges to keep fruit from sticking and to deepen color where high heat hits first. Oven temperature at mid-high is best; too hot burns edges before filling cooks, too low yields soggy bottom. Watch fruit texture and bubbling, not just clock. Cover edges with foil if burning. Cooling on wire rack prevents soggy underside from steam trapped underneath. Use serrated knife for neat slicing. If crust soggy, blind bake next time 10 minutes with weights or sprinkle ground almonds before fruit placement—simple tricks to keep texture crisp.