Roasted Cantaloupe Cherry Tart

We’ve hit peak season for cantaloupe and cherries and what better way to celebrate than bake them into a tart and serve a la mode???

1 3/4 cups (from about 14 oz/397 g cookies) graham cracker crumbs
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 pounds cantaloupe, peeled and cubed
1 pound cherries, pitted
1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
Pinch fine sea salt
4 tablespoons honey
Whipped cream or ice cream for serving

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, mix the cookie crumbs and melted butter to combine. The crumb mixture should hold together well when squeezed between your fingers.

Press the crust evenly into a 9-inch tart pan (it works with either a circle or a square pan). Bake the crust for 10-12 minutes, or until it’s slightly golden brown and appears set. Cool completely.

Raise the oven temperature to 400°F. Place the cantaloupe and cherries in two separate medium bowls. Sprinkle half the sugar and a little bit of salt over each fruit, and toss gently to combine. Let macerate until the fruit appears juicy, 10-15 minutes.

Roast each fruit on their own baking sheet, as they will take different amounts of time. Roast the cantaloupe until lightly caramelized at the edges, 20-25 minutes. Roast the cherries until just tender, 15-18 minutes.

Drizzle 2 tablespoons of honey over each tray of roasted fruit, and give one or two gentle tosses to combine. Let each fruit mixture cool completely on their baking sheet.

Arrange the fruit inside the cooled crust. If the fruit is super juicy, you can sort of drain it from the excess juice with a slotted spoon before putting into the crust. If the juice on the baking sheet is more jammy in texture, you can scoop it right into the crust with the fruit.

Serve with whipped cream (or ice cream). (The tart should be served relatively soon after assembly. Depending on the combination of fruits and cookie type used, the crust can start to absorb moisture from the fruit after 2-3 hours, and may eventually become soggy.)

Recipe courtesy of Food52

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