Montmorency Cherries Gone Wild: Chocolate Cherry Ganache Tart with Cherry Whiskey Creme Anglaise, Toasted Almond, Crystallized Dried Cherries & Meringue
by Chef Melody Yono of JRDN in San Diego, California.
INGREDIENTS
Tart Shell:
- 1 ¼ cup Flour
- 3 tbs. Sugar
- ¼ tsp. Salt
- 8 tbs. Butter
Chocolate Cherry Ganache:
- 1 cup Montmorency Dried Cherries
- 25 grams Butter
- 12 oz. 70% Chocolate
- 80 grams Cream
Crystallized Montmorency Cherries:
- ¼ cup Sugar
- ¼ cup Water
- ½ cup Dried Montmorency cherries
Meringue:
- Splash of water
- 150 grams Sugar
- 75 grams Egg whites
Montmorency Cherry Whiskey Creme Anglaise:
- 3 ea. Egg Yolks
- 1.5 tbs. Sugar
- 1 cup Cream
- 2 tsp. Bourbon Whiskey
- 2.5 oz. chopped Dried Montmorency Cherries
- ¼ cup Toasted Almonds
DIRECTIONS
Tart Shell:
- Melt butter, combine sugar & salt, add melted butter to sugar and salt mixture, add flour until a ball forms. Chill for 10 min.
- Roll out and place in desired tart pans. Bake at 350 degrees until lightly brown.
Chocolate Cherry Ganache:
- Melt butter in saucepan, add Montmorency cherries and cook about 10 minutes, purée and set aside.
- Combine cream and chocolate over double boiler, once melted and ganache forms split in 2 bowls, add puréed cherry/butter mix to one bowl and combine.
- Pour cherry chocolate ganache in tart shells and fill 3/4, fill remaining 1/4 with regular dark chocolate ganache for a smooth finish.
Crystallized Montmorency Cherries:
- Combine all ingredients and bring to boil, boil for 5 mins, strain and repeat 2 additional times, strain and toss in sugar, let dry out on sheet tray.
Meringue:
- Place 75 grams egg whites in bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine 150 grams sugar with splash of water and boil over med high heat, boil until you are able to blow a bubble out of a slotted spoon when dipped in sugar water, whisk whites until frothy, add sugar water with a slow and steady stream, whisk until cooled, place in piping bag.
- Toast almonds at 325 degrees for about 7 minute.
Montmorency Cherry Whiskey Crème Anglaise:
- Combine cream, sugar, chopped cherries, whiskey, temper in yolks, cook until thick and nape, purée, strain, chill in ice bath.
Learn more about Melody Yono at her Chef’s Roll Profile.
