With all the cherries coming in I just had to figure out a way to use them in a dessert. Cherries and chocolate make a perfect combination and this no-bake, grain-free chocolate crust is so easy and quick! Your family will devour this treat!

Cherries are Nutritious

Although most of the calories in sweet cherries come from sugars, the glycemic load is low and there is some omega-3 fat. The most important thing about cherries is the huge amount of anti-oxidents and various anthocyanins.

The most nutritional benefits come from tart cherries which are harder to find, as most cherries in the market are sweet. Tart cherries are mainly used for baking and may be found frozen, canned, dried, or as juice. Fortunately, standardized extracts of tart cherries are available for those with conditions like gout and arthritis that may benefit from tart cherry juice.

Both sweet cherries and tart cherries have been found to significantly reduce inflammation. This recipe is bases on using sweet cherries. If you do use tart cherries you may want to adjust the amount of sweetener you use.

I used this handy dandy cherry pit remover which I received from my mother-in-law who has a multitude of neat kitchen gadgets from Germany. This one is very cool and in mint condition and it works great for cherries and small plums! (I guess I will have to make a plum pie at some point!)

This cherry tart has just the right amount of crunch which is enhanced by the addition of the layer of chocolate over the crust. Portion control is the operative term here. Enjoy!

Decadent Black Cherry Chocolate Tart (Paleo, GAPS)

Ingredients for Jam

• One 10 ounce bag of frozen pitted black cherries  (organic) or use fresh
• 1 Tbsp honey

Instructions for Jam

1. Cook the cherries on medium heat for about 10 minutes stirring and smashing them (search for any stray pits)
2. Remove extra liquid and set aside carefully as it is hot, into a small jar and save for drinking or other uses
3. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes as above
4. Let cool
5. Chop up the cherries in a mini processor
6. Add the honey and mix and set aside

Ingredients for Chocolate Crust

• 1 Tbsp gelatin + 2 Tbsp warm water (where to buy)
• 3 tablespoon raw honey (where to buy honey)
• 2 tablespoon butter or ghee in pieces — room temperature (how to make ghee)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups almond flour (where to buy almond flour) (how to make almond flour)
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder (where to buy cocoa powder)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (where to buy sea salt, spices and extracts)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 – 3 ounces of chocolate to melt (I like these) for coating the crust

Topping

• Fresh cherries with pits removed and cut in half

Equipment

• Food processor (where to buy a food processor)
• pot for cooking the cherries (where to buy)
• 9″ tart pan (where to buy)
• Angled spatula (where to buy)
• parchment paper (where to buy parchment paper)
• Cherry pit remover (where to buy)

Putting It All Together

1. Mix the gelatin and warm water to create a gel and set aside
2. In a food processor processor all the ingredients for the crust (including the gelatin) except the butter or ghee and except the chocolate for coating the crust
3. While the processor is running drop in small pieces of the butter or ghee
4. The batter should form a ball but it is OK if it does not
5. If the dough looks too wet add a little more flour a teaspoon at a time
6. Remove from processor and place the dough into the tart pan that is lined with parchment paper and greased with coconut oil
7. Work the dough (with your hands) into the pan and build up the sides and all around as evenly as possible
8. Place the tart pan on a small cookie sheet for ease in moving
9. Place into the freezer to firm up the crust for about 30 minutes then remove when ready to coat the crust with chocolate
10. Gently melt the chocolate in a small pot on #2 heat
11. Spoon the melted chocolate into the crust and spread it out on the bottom and around the sides
12. Keep the tart crust out and let the chocolate set (you can refrigerate if you like)
13. When you are ready to fill the crust, get it to room temperature and then slide the crust out from the tart pan keeping it on the bottom piece of the tart pan
14. Place this on your serving plate
15. Fill the crust with the jam, smooth out with the angled spatula and add the fresh cherries in a decorative pattern
16. Place in refrigerator until ready to eat
17. Serve cold

Tip: Remove the crust from the outer rim BEFORE filling. For easy removal from the outer rim, let the tart come to room temperature before removing it.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Freezer time: 30 minutes

Shared at: Hearth & Soul Hop, Real Food Wednesday, Allergy Free Wednesday, Gluten Free Wednesday, Gluten Free Friday, Fight Back Friday