Coffee and Cherry Tartlets
- Difficulty: Average
- Prep time: 60 min
- Cook time: 40 min
- Serving: 4
- Cost: Average
- Note + the resting times in the fridge
PRESENTATION
Coffee cherry tartlets are this amazing mix of how Italian patisserie just loves to blend bold flavors with seasonal fruits. I mean, really good stuff. These treats have a crisp, tender shell made from a coffee-infused shortcrust pastry, loaded with that classic, slightly bitter aroma coffee lovers go crazy for. Inside? You'll find a layer of cherry compote that's both sweet and a bit tangy. Seriously good.
And here's the thing, the real magic of this coffee and cherry tartlets recipe is in its contrasts—rich, coffee-flavored pastry outside, juicy, fresh cherries nestled in a soft ganache inside. Pretty awesome. In Italy, these tartellette show up in pastry shops, especially during cherry season. Why? Because everyone wants to use ripe fruit in cool desserts. The flavor mix is classic Italian—people love pairing robust coffee with lively cherries. For sure.
These coffee cherry tartlets are really, really good, especially when topped with a swirl of light chantilly cream and some glossy, plump cherries. Yum. The cream adds a smooth, moist touch, tying everything together—making each bite a bit fancy but not too rich. Some regions even throw in a hint of dark chocolate into the coffee ganache, which is awesome, enhancing that deep, velvety feel that works so well with the cherry’s brightness.
These coffee cherry desserts are perfect for dinner parties or any gatherings where you want to wrap things up on an elegant note. Honestly, the Italian tradition of using the best, in-season fruit means these tartlets taste so fresh and bright. Compared to big pies or cakes, these little tartellette are easy to share, giving you just the right amount of every flavor in one go. Every bite? A celebration of sweet, juicy cherries meeting strong coffee—a combo that's both refined and comforting in that totally Italian way.
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INGREDIENTS
- For the coffee shortcrust pastry (for 4 tartlets with a 3 1/8-inch diameter)
- Type 00 flour 4 cups (500 g)
- Butter 1.1 cups (250 g) - at room temperature
- Powdered sugar 1 ¼ cup (150 g)
- Eggs 4 oz (110 g) - (about 2 medium)
- Powdered coffee 4 tbsp (20 g)
- For the coffee ganache
- Dark chocolate 70% 9 oz (250 g)
- Fresh liquid cream 1 cup (250 g)
- Powdered coffee 1 tbsp (5 g)
- For the chantilly
- Fresh liquid cream 1.7 cups (400 g) - cold
- Powdered sugar 5 tbsp (40 g)
- Vanilla bean 1 - (the seeds)
- For decoration
- Cherries 2 cups (300 g)
How to prepare Coffee and Cherry Tartlets
To prepare the coffee and cherry tartlets, start with the coffee shortcrust: put the softened butter cut into cubes in a bowl 1, add the powdered sugar 2 and work with your hands to combine them 3.
Transfer the mixture to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (or continue working in the bowl with electric beaters), pour in the beaten eggs 4 and mix to incorporate. Finally add the flour 5 and the ground coffee 6.
Knead everything to incorporate the dry ingredients 7, then transfer the dough to the work surface and compact it to form a disk 8. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes 9.
Meanwhile, make the ganache: in a small saucepan combine the cream 10 and the ground coffee 11, stir 12 and bring to a boil.
Put the chopped chocolate in a bowl and pour the hot cream over it 13, then stir well until completely melted 14. Let cool slightly, then cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface 15 and chill in the refrigerator.
At this point, take the shortcrust out and roll it on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 3–4 mm (about 1/8–5/32 in) 16. Take round tartlet tins with a diameter of 3 1/8 in and cut 4 discs slightly larger, so you can create the edge 17. Fit the pastry discs into the tins 18 and press them well against the sides and base.
Trim off the excess pastry 19. Place the tins on a baking sheet and prick the base with a fork 20. Bake in a conventional oven preheated to 356°F for about 30 minutes. After baking, remove from the oven and let cool completely before unmolding the tartlets 21.
Meanwhile, prepare the cherries: remove the pits with the appropriate tool 22. Halve some cherries for decoration 23, making sure to reserve 4 whole cherries. Coarsely chop the cherries for the compote 34.
Put the chopped cherries in a small saucepan 25, add the sugar 26 and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes; they should break down and become thick and sticky 27. Set aside.
Finally, prepare the chantilly: in a bowl combine the cream, the seeds from the vanilla bean 28 and the powdered sugar 29, then whip with electric beaters until firm 30. Transfer the chantilly to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
Take the ganache from the refrigerator, loosen it with a whisk and transfer it to a plain piping bag (no tip). You're ready to assemble the tartlets: fill the base with one tablespoon of cherry compote 31, then add the ganache up to the edge 32. Level the surface and decorate by placing the halved cherries around the rim 33.
Pipe a tuft of chantilly in the center 34 and crown with a whole cherry 35. Chill in the refrigerator and serve your coffee and cherry tartlets cold 36!