Michelle’s Cherry Gingerbread Tart Recipe
Handfuls of salted cashews and juicy cherries were always Idle’s Head Chef Michelle’s mum’s favourite go-to Christmas snack. Drawing on those treats, Michelle layers a cashew-sweet pastry with soft gingerbread cake and cherry jam, finishing it with a crown of fresh cherries. With rich reds and warm spice, this tart puts holiday cheer front and centre.
Serves 6 || Prep time 1 hour | Cook time 30 minutes
Equipment List:
Stand mixer (hand mixer is okay too!)
18 cm round tart ring / pie dish / cake tin
Rolling pin
Pie weights / baking beans / rice (for blind baking)
Small saucepan
Small spatula or spoon
Ingredients:
Sweet Tart Dough
120g unsalted butter
200g plain flour
25g toasted cashews, blitzed into meal (or almond meal / other nut meal)
65g icing sugar, sifted
2g salt
40g eggs, lightly whisked
*The dough can be made a day ahead to save time.
Cherry Jam
250g cherry puree (store bought or housemade from fresh / tinned cherries)
125g caster sugar
20g lemon juice
Fresh Cherries
50g (approximately 8 cherries) for baking in the cake
350g (approximately 40 cherries) to decorate the top
Gingerbread Cake
100g unsalted butter, warm (not hot)
100g eggs
80g brown sugar
40g molasses or golden syrup
90g self-raising flour
6g ground ginger
2g ground cinnamon
2g ground cloves
Method for Sweet Tart Dough
In a large bowl, rub the butter and flour together until the mixture resembles fine, sandy crumbs. Use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment if you like.
Mix in the toasted cashew meal, icing sugar, and salt briefly (or use almond meal if you prefer).
Add the whisked eggs and mix until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix.
Roll the dough between two sheets of baking paper to a size slightly larger than your tart ring. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
Grease the tart ring lightly (optional) and cut a circle slightly larger than the ring. Line the ring with the dough, pressing gently into corners. Patch any cracks with leftover trimmings.
Prick the base with a fork and chill until ready to blind bake.
Method for Cherry Jam
Combine the cherry puree and sugar in a small saucepan.
Bring to a boil, then simmer until slightly thickened (2–3 minutes for a runny coulis, longer for thicker jam). Watch closely — the jam thickens quickly once it starts bubbling.
Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, cover, and refrigerate to cool.
Tart Shell | Next Steps
Preheat the oven to 160 °C.
Line the chilled tart shell with baking paper and fill with pie weights, beans, or rice.
Bake for 15 minutes, until pale golden and partially cooked.
Remove weights and let the shell cool.
Method for Gingerbread Cake
Melt the butter and let it cool slightly.
In a stand mixer, whisk the eggs and brown sugar on medium-high speed until pale and tripled in volume.
Add the molasses or golden syrup and mix gently.
Gradually pour in the melted butter while mixing on low speed until smooth and emulsified.
Sift together the flour and spices. Fold into the wet mixture using a spatula until just combined.
Assemble & Bake The Tart
Spoon or pipe the gingerbread cake batter into the cooled tart shell, filling only halfway (the batter will rise while baking). Smooth the top with a spatula.
Slice 8 cherries in half, remove the pits, and press evenly into the batter.
Bake at 160 °C for 10–15 minutes, until the cake springs back in the center. If the edges brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
While warm, spoon a layer of cherry jam over the top. Let the tart cool to room temperature.
To Serve
Slice the remaining cherries in half and remove pits. A cherry pitter makes this easier.
Spread a thin layer of cherry jam over the top for the fresh cherries to settle into.
Arrange the cherries in any pattern you like.
Slice and serve at room temperature.
Optional: serve with freshly whipped mascarpone cream.
Tips:
Serve the tart the same day for best freshness.
Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days.
