Fresh Red Wine Cherry Tart
This juicy cherry tart recipe screams summer! It features a Graham cracker crust, a rich, red wine cherry sauce filling and fresh whipped cream.
Summer Wine!
It’s June which means it’s officially summer! In case you couldn’t tell, summer is my favorite season for many reasons. One of them, is sipping wine while eating fresh berries. I’m mostly a white wine drinker but I recently tried a fruity red wine blend, which totally blew me off. It was mild with soft tannins and hints of red cherries. This wine inspired the cherry tart recipe I’m sharing with you in this blog post and once you try it you will be stunned!
This cherry tart is light yet so rich and decadent. It has a Graham cracker crust, a red wine cherry sauce filling and it is topped with fresh whipped cream. Last but not least, it is granished with fresh cherries and chocolate flakes. Enough with the descriptions; Let’s make the best summer cherry tart!
Ingredients for Red Wine Cherry Tart
Fresh Sweet Cherries: opt for sweet cherries not tart cherries as they tend to be more sour and they won’t work for this cherry tart recipe. Since cherries are the highlight, I recommend you purchase good quality cherries.
Red Wine: Baking with wine can be tricky but these tips will help you choose the best for this cherry tart. When deciding on what wine to use, have these factors in mind; avoid full bodied, strong tannin wines such as Cabernet Sauvignons and Syrahs. Oaky red wines will overpower the cherries, leaving an unpleasant chalky taste. An inexpensive but decent wine will work great so no need to spend a lot. Red wine blends with fruity hints, Beaujolais and Pinot Noirs will be ideal for this cherry tart recipe. We use red wine to enrich the cherry flavor and add depth to the dessert. That means, the wine needs to be reduced and the alcohol should evaporate.
Lemon Zest & Juice: The grated lemon zest incorporated in the Graham cracker crust provides a pleasant citrus flavor. Moreover, by using lemon juice for the cherry sauce filling, we balance the sweetness and give a zesty flavor hint.
How to make Fresh Red Wine Cherry Tart
Graham Cracker Crust
Grease a 9 inches tart pan and set aside. In a medium bowl mix together the Graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and lemon zest until combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the tart pan and slightly up the sides using your palm or the bottom side of a measuring cup. Make sure not to leave any gaps. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Red Wine Cherry Sauce
In a medium saucepan, add the pitted and halved cherries, granulated sugar, red wine, cornstarch and lemon juice. Place over medium-low heat and boil for 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally. The cherry sauce should be cooked down and have a medium thick consistency. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Let it come to room temperature, or refrigerate for 30 minutes. Pour the cherry sauce into the cool Graham cracker crust and spread evenly using a spatula. Return back to refrigerator.
Whipped Cream
Using a hand/stand mixer with the whisk attachment on, mix the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, salt and pure vanilla extract on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. When medium peaks are formed, stop mixing. Using a spatula spread the whipped cream on top of the cherry tart and refrigerate for one more hour.
Top with fresh whole cherries and chocolate flakes. Cut into slices and serve cold. Enjoy!
This no-bake, fresh cherry tart recipe check all the boxes. It is light, refreshing, rich and absolutely delicious. If you try this recipe, we would love to hear from you. Leave us a comment below.
If you love this recipe, try these out!
- Phyllo Strawberry Cheesecakes with Basil
- Pasta Flora – Greek Strawberry Jam Tart
- Easy Cinnamon Spiced Apple Raisin Crumble
Did you make this recipe? Tag @siftnwhisk on Instagram and hashtag it #siftnwhisk.
Fresh Red Wine Cherry Tart
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs about 10 sheets of Graham crackers
- 6 tbsp Unsalted Butter melted
- 1 tsp Lemon Zest
Red Wine Cherry Sauce
- 3 cups Fresh Sweet Cherries pitted and halved
- 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 cup Red Wine Red Blend/Beaujolais or Pinot Noir
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup Heavy Cream Cold
- 2 tbsp Powdered Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
Garnish
- Fresh Sweet Cherries
- Chocolate Flakes
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Grease a 9 inches tart pan and set aside.
- In a medium bowl mix together the Graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and lemon zest until combined.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the tart pan and slightly up the sides using your palm or the bottom side of a measuring cup. Make sure not to leave any gaps.
- Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Red Wine Cherry Sauce
- In a medium saucepan, add the pitted and halved cherries, granulated sugar, red wine, cornstarch and lemon juice.
- Place over medium-low heat and boil for 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally. The cherry sauce should be cooked down and have a medium thick consistency.
- Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl. Let it come to room temperature, or refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Pour the cherry sauce into the cool Graham cracker crust and spread evenly using a spatula.
- Return back to refrigerator.
Whipped Cream
- Using a hand/stand mixer with the whisk attachment on, mix the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, salt and pure vanilla extract on medium-high speed for 3 minutes. When medium peaks are formed, stop mixing.
- Using a spatula spread the whipped cream on top of the tart and refrigerate for one more hour.
Garnish
- Top with fresh whole cherries and chocolate flakes.
- Cut into slices and serve cold. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you are using full Graham cracker sheets grind them in a food processor or place in a Ziploc bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
- When pressing down the mixture into the tart pan, make sure you do not leave any gaps or loose parts.
- Choosing the right red wine: Oaky red wines will overpower the cherries, leaving an unpleasant chalky taste. An inexpensive but decent wine will work great so no need to spend a lot. Red wine blends with fruity hints, Beaujolais and Pinot Noirs will be ideal for this recipe. Red wine is used to enrich the cherry flavor and add depth to the dessert. That means, the wine needs to be reduced and the alcohol to evaporate.
- The cherry sauce consistency should me medium-thick. Remember the sauce will thicken more as it cools down.
- It is mandatory to chill the Graham cracker crust and the cherry sauce filling before binding them together.
- Store bought whipped cream can also work but the flavor won’t be the same.
- Tip: Chill the mixing bowl and whisk attachment for 15 minutes before making the whipped cream.
- If you overmix the whipped cream, add some fresh cold heavy cream and mix until it’s the right consistency.
- To store the cherry tart, cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Have any questions about the recipe or want to ask for substitutions? Please contact us.