Excerpted from Mary’s Comfort Classics by Mary Berg. Copyright © 2026 Mary Berg. Photographs by Kyla Zanardi. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
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| Makes one 10-inch tart |
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract, divided
- 1 egg
- 2 egg yolks, divided
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup pitted fresh or frozen cherries, thawed and drained if frozen
- 1 jar (8 oz) cherry jam
- 1 orange, zested
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2–3 tablespoons sliced almonds
Directions
- Lightly grease a 10-inch removable-bottom tart pan or 9-inch standard pie plate with nonstick cooking spray. Place on a sheet pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together. Add ½ teaspoon of almond extract, the egg, and one egg yolk and beat until smooth. Stir in the flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt. Transfer the dough to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, if using fresh cherries, cut them in half. Add the cherries to a large bowl, along with the jam, orange zest, and remaining ½ teaspoon of almond extract. Stir gently to combine.
- Transfer about two-thirds of the dough to the prepared pan and press it into the bottom and up the sides. Spread the jam mixture over top and set aside.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the remaining dough to a scant ¼ inch thick. Cut the dough into 1-inch-wide strips and lay in a lattice pattern over the tart. Unlike with traditional pie dough, this pastry is quite delicate, so you will not be able to weave the lattice. Simply lay it in a grid pattern over the filling. Trim the edges and transfer to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
- Place your oven rack in the lower third of your oven and preheat it to 350°F.
- Beat the remaining egg yolk with the tablespoon of water and brush over the lattice top of the tart. Scatter with the almonds and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Cool completely before slicing and serving. Cover and store any leftover crostata at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Note: If using frozen cherries, reserve the cherry juice for cocktails or mocktails. It’s really tasty when stirred into soda water with a squiggle of orange juice.