Bourbon Sun-Dried Cherry Tart

What a wonderful grown-up dessert this is. This recipe was adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks, From The Earth To The Table written by Chef John Ash, Santa Rosa, Ca. I'll give you more background on him and the book later in another post. Just a wonderful person and fine chef.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before or not, so I'll mention it again. In my opinion there is only one Kentucky bourbon, Old Pogue . If you live too far out of the Ky. area it will not be available so choose Woodford Reserve, Marker's Mark or any other fine Kentucky bourbon.

Don't be intimated by the long directions. It is very easy and simple. Use any dried fruit you like, such as pears, apricots or golden raisins. I have mixed fruits.

Bourbon Sun-Dried Cherry Tart
serves 12
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Filling
2 cups coarsely chopped dried cherries, or apricots, pears, golden raisins, etc.
3/4 cup Old Pogue, or any good Kentucky bourbon

Glaze
1/2 cup Old Pogue bourbon
3 tablespoons sugar
One 3-inch strip orange zest

Crust
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups finely ground almonds (do this in a food processor with the metal blade)

To make the filling: In a small saucepan, simmer the cherries and the Old Pogue until the bourbon is absorbed and the cherries are soft. Remove from the heat and cool.

To make the glaze: In a small saucepan, combine the whiskey, sugar, and orange zest. Bring to a boil and reduce by half. Remove the orange zest.

To make the crust: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon,and baking powder. In another medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar together, then add the egg yolk and almond extract and mix well. Mix in the flour mixture and then the almonds.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Divide the dough in half. Press half the dough onto the bottom and one-third the way up the sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Divide the remaining dough into 8 pieces and roll into 10-inch-long ropes for us on top of the tart. Pour the filling into the tart shell and arrange the ropes of dough in a lattice design on top of the tart.

Place the tart on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until the edges start to brown and the dough is set. Cool the tart on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes. Paint the entire top of the tart evenly with glaze. Gently run a knife around the edges to loosen and remove the sides of the springform pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.