Cherrium Almond Tart

I discovered a new fruit a few weeks ago: cherriums. They are a cross between cherries and plums and look like small plums but with a small cherry-sized pit. We bought a bagful at our farmer's market and reserved some for this simple free-form tart. I almost always use Trader Joe's frozen pie crust (it has a strong cult following among bakers) because I think it's just as good as homemade crust, but feel free to use your own recipe or any store-bought crust you like. The crust is just a vessel for holding the fruit, which turns soft and jam-like. The almonds add a nice crunch and flavor that really takes this over the top. I think it's a must to serve the tart a la mode, but it's really good either way.


Cherrium Almond Tart:

• Combine 2 c. halved and pitted cherriums with 1 tsp. sugar and let sit for 10 minutes at room temperature.
• Roll out 1 defrosted pie dough to 1/4" thick and place on a lined baking sheet.
• Meanwhile, combine 2 tbsp. cold butter with 1/2 c. sugar, 1/3 c. chopped almonds, 2 tbsp. flour, and a pinch of salt until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
• Dump the cherriums into the middle of the pie dough, then sprinkle with the almond topping.
• Fold the edges of the dough inward to form a border and crimp to secure.
• Bake the tart in a 375F oven for 30 minutes, or until crust is golden and fruit is bubbling.
• Let cool slightly, then cut into wedges and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Serves six-eight