There are many recipes we could make to close out National Cherry Month, but we think Ma Chukar’s Mini Cherry-Fruit Tarts are really the perfect option. Not only are they ooey, gooey and delicious, they’re also deceivingly simple and look fantastic. 
Pie crust may be notoriously finicky, but this lightly sweet and buttery crust is actually really easy to make and work with. (If you’re worried about making pie dough, check out this step-by-step video. And if you’re looking for a super-fast treat, store-bought dough works great, too!).
To form the crust, make the rolled dough into a cup with your hands and press it gently into the bottom and sides of the baking dish, folding any excess over towards the center of the dish.
What makes this tart amazing, though, is the filling. It’s fast, it’s easy and it’s fool-proof. Pretty much any combination of Chukar Fillings or Preserves and crisp fruits will make a delicious pie, so feel free to customize. We combined the Red Sour Cherry preserve with Jazz apples for a tangy pie, but try the Raspberry Cherry Preserve or Cherry Peach Pie Filling, for a sweeter treat.
Once you’ve decided on a combination, just fill the cup 3/4 of the way with the diced or chunked fresh fruit and top it off with a spoonfull of Chukar preserves or filling.
When the cups are filled, it’s simply a matter of sprinkling on some sugar crystals and popping them into the oven. After 20 minutes or so, you’ll be treated to the bubbling, gooey fruits in a flaky, golden brown shell. Make sure to serve them hot!
Cherry-Fruit Tarts in a Cup
For Dough:
2 cups pastry flour
½ tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
12 Tbsp. unsalted butter – cold, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup icy cold water
1 egg, beaten
½ cup large sugar crystals
For Filling:
1 Jar Chukar® Fruit Filling or Preserve – any kind
2 cups pear or tart apple, cut into chunks
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine dry ingredients and cut in the butter. Add a bit of icy water to bind dough. Pat into mounds, cover and refrigerate 2 hours or so. Divide chilled dough into 12 parts. Roll dough into 7 inch diameter using floured surface. Cut dough into 9” circles (adjust if needed) and fold each circle into a baking cup, fill with fresh fruit, top with 2 Tbsp. Chukar® Fruit Filling. Roll and pinch edges of dough toward the center, brush with egg, top with sugar crystals. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Yield 8 cups.
