Method

• 1.
  Place the flour, sugar and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl and stir to combine. Add the cold butter and using your fingers, crumble butter into flour until there are pieces no bigger than a dried bean. Using the palms of your hands, rub the butter and flour together to create thin sheets of butter (this will help to create thin flaky layers). Add 1/2 cup (125ml) iced water, 1 tbs at a time, until the pastry comes together. (You may not use all the water.) Turn pastry out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until it just comes together. Shape into a ball, flatten into a disc and enclose in plastic wrap. Rest in the fridge for 1 hour.
• 2.
  Roll out pastry on a lightly floured work surface to 3mm-thick round and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Chill until needed.
• 3.
  To make the frangipane, beat butter and 1/4 cup (55g) sugar in a bowl using a wooden spoon. Mix until well combined and butter is pale. Add 1 egg and beat to combine. Add almond extract, a pinch of salt flakes, almond meal and 1/3 cup (50g) plain flour. Mix to combine and set aside.
• 4.
  Place cherries in a bowl with remaining 20g flour, 40g sugar, kirsch, if using, orange zest and pinch of salt flakes.
• 5.
  Preheat oven to 200°C.
• 6.
  Remove pastry from the fridge and spread frangipane on the tart, leaving a 3-4cm edge. Top with cherry mixture then fold edges over cherries to form a crust.
• 7.
  Lightly beat remaining egg in a bowl and brush the edges of the tart with egg wash and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Bake for 50-60 minutes until evenly golden. Drizzle with pouring cream to serve.