Get ready to be introduced to the sweetest, cutest, fastest Valentines dessert in the land. Easy, cherry tarts with a Valentine’s Day twist.
A trip to the grocery store usually goes something like this for me …
Grab the only cart in the store that has a wonky wheel which forces it to pull to the right all the time. Get whatever “in the aisle” goods I need. Turn right. Head down to the dairy aisle and pick up whatever I need there.
I sometimes spend more time gazing at cheese than you would expect from a person who knows how to work a button up shirt.
Take a detour through the potato chip aisle and just sit and meditate for a while. Wipe the goofy potato chip induced grin from my face and head on over to the produce aisle. As you may have guessed, I am forced to hang a right to do this. Pick up leafy, crispy things. I like leafy, crispy things.
Turn right at the broccoli and head directly towards the deli counter. Worry for a full 30 seconds about whether or not, when there is only 1 person ahead of me, I really need to “take a number”.
Decide the deli is too stressful and head over to the meat counter. Stand for what seems like hours deciding on what big, thick, hunk of meat I’d like to devour (usually after cooking it). I get all dreamy in the meat aisle. I browse and I scan and I ponder while in the meat aisle. Turn right.
Then I quickly zip through that area where they sell pies and cakes and stuff without looking at a thing. Check out.
The point of this story? Check the alignment of your cart before comitting to it. There’s nothing worse than a cart with a wonky wheel that always wants to turn right. Except one that wants to turn left. Second point to this story? I’m not one for sweet, gooey baked goods.
And because I don’t like to eat ’em, I don’t like to make ’em. Which is why I came up with this post. Quite possibly the easiest Heart Shaped Tart on the planet! Here we go …. !!!
Easy Cherry Tarts
It occurred to me that I could probably smash those little premade tart shells into any shape I wanted. I mean, nothing terribly complex. Like I probably couldn’t squish them into the shape of a small country or a mathematical equation but I thought I could definitely squish it into the shape of a heart.
I gave it a shot, and turns out I was right. Very easy. Just get a tart … I used the mini kind normally reserved for appetizers.
Update: Apparently these mini shells are hard to find in The United States, whereas in Canada they’re in most frozen food sections. If you can’t find the mini tart shells, just use regular small tart shells.
How do you make a heart shaped tart?
1. Turn the shell into a heart shape, by denting in one end of the tart’s foil.
2. Then push that dent inwards to create the top of the heart shape.
Be careful not to squarsh the dough too much.
3. Once you have the top of the heart shaped, push the sides together a bit and pull the end down into a point. This will finish off the shape of the heart for your cherry tart.
Ta da! Heart shaped tart shell. Everybody needs to calm down now, because the most exciting part is coming up.
4. To fill the tarts, add 1 tablespoon of Cherry Pie Filling. I mean if you want to go nuts you could make Cherry Pie Filling from scratch but … c’mon. The point of this cherry tart Valentine dessert is that it’s easy and fast.
Try to add just a little to each tart at a time. I added a few cherries to each tart and then filled up the rest of the space with the gooey filling.
Don’t overfill the tarts ’cause they’ll get messy once they bubble up and cook.
Now you can either stick your tarts in the oven or …
You can tart up your tarts.
5. Now that you’re tarts have the look of something that took much longer than 20 minutes, stick them in the oven at 375° for 20 minutes.
Take ’em out … and eat ’em.
And there you have it. You’d normally have to cruise a bar at closing time to come across a tart this easy. Enjoy.
Cherry Tarts
Ingredients
- 1 package mini frozen tart shells regular sized tart shells are fine too
- 1 can cherry pie filling cherry is great for Valentine's Day because it's red, but feel free to use any pie filling.
Instructions
- Holding the tart, press gently inwards to form the top of your heart.
- Pinch the tart directly below the indentation on the top to form your heart.
- Fill each tart with a few cherries then top up with the pie filling glaze. Around 1 Tablespoon in total.
- (Optional) Roll out some more tarts to act as tops for the tarts. Be as creative as possible! Basket weave, inlays, cutouts ... anything you do to the top of a regular pie, you can do on these mini ones.
- Bake at 375 F for 20 minutes.
Nutrition
QUESTIONS/ANSWERS
- Do you need to thaw the shells? The shells need to be thawed before baking but because they’re so small it only takes a few minutes.
- Can you freeze them? These can be made ahead, cooked, then frozen. Just be careful when reheating them that you don’t cook them or your crust will be rock hard.
- How many mini tart shells does one can of pie filling fill? 1 standard can of pie filling is 2 cups which would fill 36 mini tarts at 1 tablespoon of filling per tart.
→Follow me on Instagram where I often make a fool of myself←
I revamped and updated this post! It was originally published in February, 2011.
for people in the States – maybe you can get one big pie shell and punch it down a bit in the middle and then squeeze in the sides – maybe using oven mitts if it gets unwieldy – and create a great big heart – then just pour the whole can of cherries in ;)
I’m in Canada, home of all the cute little tarts, and thinking of doing this
Hahaha! Good one
I love the idea but the pie fillings are sickeningly too sweet for my taste and if I can’t make a neat looking dessert, I won’t make at all. Can’t help. I contracted the “It’s gotta be neat” sickness already in childhood age and apparently, there is no cure for it.
Therefore, I usually make linzer cookies (similar to these: goo.gl/FsNPsb (it it doesn’t show up as a link, copy the string into the address field of a new browser window) except that I make them as hearts with little heart cutouts.
If you ever tire of turning right head over to metro..ours go left
Hahahaha! ~ karen
Okay, I love reading comments, and loved that these are from several previous years. I thought this looked familiar, and now I want to make them this year. I googled the heck out of all the words I could think of, and you are absolutely correct – they are VERY dufficult to find in the USofA! I finally located some disposible mini pans, and now just have to find the correct size round cookie cutter to cut the pastry into rounds to fill the tart pans, then dent and squeeze them into shapes. This is getting to be NOT EASY, south of your border, Karen!
I think I may just use my mini muffin tin and make balls of my homemade french pastry and squish them with the tart squisher from Pampered Chef. Hearts might just be overrated down here?
Double check at your local grocery store in with the frozen pie shells. Just in case. :) ~ karen!
Looking some more and found this – the comments are worth a read, too. All the ex-pat Canadians are having a very hard time with the fact that there aren’t any tart shells in the US! https://siliconvalleyloonies.com/2013/08/13/on-the-hunt-for-frozen-unbaked-tart-shells/
love the easy tart at the bar line….
Can you make these ahead and if so can you freeze them or refrigerate them! Hoping to make lemon ones too! Same technique you think?
Hi Sandi! I’ve never done it before but you might be able to make and freeze these ahead. The only issue really is the fact that you’d have to let your frozen tart shells thaw out so you can form them and then you’d have to refreeze them again (which you’re not supposed to do with any frozen stuff because of bacterial growth). As long as you thaw, shape and fill them quickly you should be fine. Good luck! Lemon ones sound great. ~ karen!
These look yummy. Although in general I hate cherry pie filling. You mention that this pie filling isn’t too sweet, but don’t hint at which type it is. Will it forever remain labelless?? Maybe I’ll give this one a try.
Have you ever tried sour cherries??they’re kind of hard to find but oh so yummy
I have never seen the tarts in grocery stores in the USA. If anyone has stores they could recommend, I would appreciate it!
Hi Elaine, they’d be in with the frozen pie shells. IF you can’t find the mini ones you might be able to find the regular small ones. ~ karen!
So, there I was on Pinterest, looking for an easy dessert to help with the Vortex Blues. Thank you, Karen, for this easy recipe that looks so good, and better than eating the pie filling out of the can! You all are fibbing if you haven’t had at least one spoonful! :)
The sad thing about the potato chip aisle is that there are two now! They snuck them into the organic section too. So cruel!
Hah! I LOVE these little tarts! Ridiculously easy and they taste great! ~ karen
Love this idea! This is my new go-to recipe when I need V-day dessert in a hurry. The tart could maybe be reshaped into a flower too for spring tarts!
Easier than a tart after happy hour! You always make me giggle, Karen!
Karen, I adore your blog, and I’m totally making these this week!!
But a question…. Do I need to thaw the shells before filling and baking them??
Wendy – You do need to thaw them but they thaw in about .. 30 seconds. :) So no big deal. ~ karen!
Two weeks ago I started following your wicked blog.
Yesterday I made these pretty and delightfully easy tarts. I placed them on a plate that I purchased from Dollarama (after reading your dollar store table setting post of course). I washed up the dirty baking dishes after squirting (or rather lightly drizzling…there is a bit of an issue with the stopper, hmmmm)dish soap, from my newly crafted glass soap container, into the sink. Then, while washing the dishes, I looked out at my snow covered garden and attempted to figure out how I could possibly run a cord from the one outlet in my yard to a place where one of your amazing garden orbs would work…because it quite simply must. be. done.
All in all I would say I’ve been pretty inspired by your blog. It’s also been a couple of productive weeks. Very blogductive indeed! Never before have I actually done things I have seen on a blog. For that I say thank you! I hope to read many more funny, creative and just plain awesome posts from you.
P.s. I adore that you are a fellow Ontarian. I live just a quick jaunt away from you and I frequent your lovely downtown. It’s oh so nice to recognize products and stores that are used and mentioned in your posts!
Meagan, I live in Michigan, we can go for days without sun, but I buy the solar posts you stick in the ground and they will light my orbs for a very long time…I get them at the dollar store.
Just found your site and I am enjoying it. So now you are in my bookmark. Keep, keeping on. Thanks for sharing your many talents. Sandy
Thanks Sandy! I’m glad you found my site. I bet it was Pinterest that led you here. Gotta love Pinterest! ~ karen
LMAO! “You’d normally have to cruise a bar close to closing time to come across a tart this easy.” You need to open up a mini-tart shop and use that for your tagline. Awesome!
And, by the way, I disagree with the assertion that posting blogs twice is gauche. It’s just smart! And it’s not like you just hit publish again… you did it with an intro, so it’s all cool. There’s nothing wrong with directing people to a popular post. I would have missed these charming mini-tarts if you hadn’t. So, thanks!
I know what I am doing today….but I think I will try the Strawberry filling as well….cause I don’t like cherry either. My family will love these!
Diary/Dairy Rectum/ Rectify…..who cares?? LOL
I don’t mind buying things in the diary section of my grocery store nor do I care to rectum that either!
LOVE you Karen!
Well thank you Barbie! Good luck tart. :) ~ karen
wow…you even use a pretty scalloped spoon to put the cherries in your tarts. Is there anything you can’t do that isn’t pretty? They look so yummy too…
Teri – I *love* that spoon! :) ~ karen
Oh yeah! The spoon is gorgeous. I especially like the juxtaposition with the tin can. Ha!
I definitely see why you wanted to rerun this one. It’s a winner for sure. Too darn cute. I’m always looking for things my wonder grands can make and this will be one of them. They are going to love it. I’m especially glad it was a tart/pie thingy because it reminded me I put a Marie Callander single serving apple pie in the microwave and forgot to eat it. It was going to be a midnight snack but since it’s 5 am it can be breakfast. Now, can you see why we love you so much? I would have left it in there for a day or so and it would have been garbage and you saved the day. Old bags with early senility that I am denying need all the help you can give. Thanks
I made these with strawberry rhubarb filling for my dad (its his favorite) and he loved them. I dont think I let the tarts defrost enough though. I was having some crumbling problems with the first few but after they were warmer they seemed much much easier. You need to let them defrost longer than what the box says.
WOW!!! Smart. You sent me this pic on my phone a while ago, but I haven’t been on to read how they were done. nice work
Terri-Lynn – Thank you from the bottom of my tart. ~ karen
have you been waiting to use that line?
Terri-Lynn – LOL. Um. No, I wasn’t waiting until the 43rd comment at the end of a post I wrote a week ago to use that line. I just *this very second* got smart enough to come up with it. ~ karen
Hey Karen,
Brilliant Idea with the premade shells. These are too darn cute- I had to make them yesterday, especially because my 11yo daughter likes your blog, too and she’d seen these tarts.
So I made them for the kids & hubby yesterday~ heart shaped for the kids but my valentine is a bit more like Frankenstein when it comes to pie or tarts, shape is not a factor (Monster, Eat!).
I shaped them just as you described- worked perfectly. But since I don’t like cherry, I made strawberry & custard. Excellent idea for Vday- thanks for the inspiration.
Cred! Thanks! That’s great. I’m so glad you made the tarts. They’re so much fun. If you ever do anything like this again send me a picture! I like to post them on the Art of Doing Stuff Facebook page! ~ karen
What is the name of the company who makes these t tart shells? I looked everywhere for the yellow box of Tenderflake tart shells.
I want to find them. These are so perfect..
Lora! The company is actually Tenderflake. Where are you? In Canada they should be readily available. The tart shells are in the frozen food section with the other frozen pie shells. However, the “mini” tart shells aren’t in *all* stores. If you can’t find the mini/appetizer sized shells just use the slightly larger sized ones. The ones you’d normally use if you were to make butter tarts. I can’t imagine this sort of thing isn’t available in the States. Just browse the frozen food section. Lemme know how you do! ~ karen
I’m so in love with this idea. Truly GENIUS.
I’m making them tonight and trying not to eat them all!
Michelle – Thanks! I think you’re right to eat them all. I mean … what reason could there possibly not to?? ~ karen
OMG I love your spoon! its so cute, is there a name of a spoon like that or should i just start searching for scalloped/frilly spoon??
I personally don’t like cherry tarts but my dad does, maybe ill make some for him for valentines. Great post!
The cheese isle is where I learned to work a button up shirt, but that’s probably an entirely different topic.
My grandchildren would love to make these! Are those frozen tarts available in “the states”?
I’ve gotten these same (but only tiny, not super tiny) in packs of 4 in the baking aisle. Try that.
I will definitely be making some of these, and using a bit of cream cheese as Pam suggested! Then I will probably eat the whole batch myself….
These are adorable! I love the way your brain works.
I think even I could manage to make this simple recipe. Thanks for sharing!
peach not beach though maybe I can come up with something that is beachy
What I love the most about this and I am a second generation pie maker/lover is that I don’t have to write down a complicated recipe that I will file away with my other long recipes and then have to read it each time I want to bake it. Terrific. I think I’ll try a beach tart.
Thanks,
nancy
Those look fantastic! I think I must make them.
I know! LOL. I guess I shouldn’t say that about my own post, but I must say I was pretty impressed with myself for coming up with it! Today I bought some apple pie filling to make some quick, tiny apple pie tarts complete with tiny, little lattice tops. *Very* excited about them! Thanks. :) ~ karen
Thanks for the quick therapy fix..I can always count on you for a good laugh.
Ought. So cute. I’ve never seen those pre-made tart shells before, but I’m going to keep an eye open for them now that I know such a thing exists. True confession time- even though I love to bake and can make just about any kind of cake or cookie, I’m just rubbish when it comes to pie crust. I’d never ever buy a cake mix, but always buy pre-made pie crusts.
Oh, honey! If I can do it, you can, Rose! Try this: 3:2:1 ratio flour:fat ( butter/lard mix is good):liquid. That works out to 1 cup of low gluten flour ( White Lily if you are in the Southeast US), 6 tablespoons of butter, 3 tablespoons of water for a single 9 inches. Pinch the flour and fat between your fingers… I find it handy to pretend I am the Headsquisher from the Kids in the Hall…so that there are irregular chunks that are about the size of peas. Add water, mix with abandon, chill, let the crust chill as well, roll it out on floury wax paper. Egg wash or not. Prebake or not. Voila! You are ready to make pies or hand pies or tarts or fried pies or quiche or whatever your heart desires. Benton’s Bacon grease is fabulous as part of the fat.
Didn’t we learn from Karen that we can do anything someone else can do as long as we are sober? Plus, if you make piecrust in high heels it makes one feel really badass.
Yummy…think I can manage this one..love cherries
How many mini tart shells does one can of pie filling fill? That sentence sounds like a tongue twister. But seriously?
Caitlin! I dunno. I did a “bunch” of tarts and didn’t even come close to using up the can. My official answer is “a lot”. You can fill “a lot” of shells. ~ karen
So very cute!!! I am not a very good baker, but I think I can do these…what are your thoughts on eggwash over the crust to make it more shiny? Ooh! How about those giant sugar crystals on top? Too much?
Traci,I’m with you- more is more! How about also dumping some cream cheese in each tart before the pie filling? The sugar would be beautiful. Let’s also think of ways to add chocolate…
Yes! That was my thought too…
So…
A: I love your blog!
B: I too lay awake at night and think of ways to make things into things
C: I adore sweets, never bake, and wish I was one of those moms that do. But the oven has been broken since we killed it on Thanksgiving therefore I need a post on how to fix a vintage electric oven circa 1965…
Kthanksbye!
I have a brand new (well, 13 month old) house with brand new (13 month old) fancy appliances but recently I went nutso on amazon and bought a toaster oven/real oven/convection oven. It was $79. Then an hour later I went to send the link to my son and damned if it hadn’t gone on sale for $49!
So I messaged amazon and said I wanted the $30 refunded and the woman said no! She said it wasn’t their policy to price match. But it was THEIR price! And less than 2 hours before! But she refused.
So I texted again and the guy said just to return it when it arrived and then reorder at the new price. But that would take DAYS.
So then I called amazon because I am nothing if not tenacious. And the guy I spoke with said they couldn’t refund the $30 because they don’t price match and that I could return it but what he’d do, because I’m SUCH a good customer (or they just wanted to shut me up) he’d refund the entire $79 price and when the oven arrived, I could just keep it. Free!
Anyway, my message is that amazon has a really nice toaster oven/regular oven/ convection oven (and it can even hold a 9×13 dish) for either $79 or $49 and it’s a bargain. I think it’s Oster. So now you can bake tiny pies!
I literally gasped at this post!! Omg how cool is that! It’s a heart!! I have to do this!!! Ooo totally following & Bookmarking your post!!
Melanie’s Randomness
Great tips!!! Thanks.
Those tarts are so freaking adorable! As someone who also doesn’t care too much for valentine’s day AND who lingers a little too long at the cheese aisle, i can appreciate the simplicity. I love how you stepped it up a notch with the lattice-work :)
Enjoyed this sooo much,you really crack me up!!
My hubby loves cherry so I think I will labor away and make these for him on Valentines day!
Thanks!!!
Wow. You have no-label cans. How do you know what’s inside? Could have been crushed tomato or kidney bean tarts. Exciting!
We got the cart with the squeaky wheel yesterday at Sam’s Club. After loading two kids plus diaper bag and reusable grocery bags, we were committed. It was a noisy experience.
I don’t know which is worse- the squeaky wheel or the wonky wheel.
Brilliant! I’m always up for easy and cherry pie filling? Unlike you, I love my sweets.
HeHe, I just found your blog a few days ago, you crack me up, I love your wit and style of writing. Great morning chuckle.
Barb
Thanks Barb! I appreciate you coming back after you initially found me! ~ karen
I am new to your blog and can tell I will be looking forward to your posts. I needed this dose of laughter tonight! Thanks! I think I may try to whip up these cherry tarts, too.
Thanks Allison! And welcome to the blog. ~ karen
If it wasn’t midnight with me in pajamas, I’d head for the closest grocery store and make some right now – and probably eat most of them before the family wakes up. Oh well, there’s always tomorrow!!
I don’t have a diary aisle in my store. I know if there was it would be full of embarrassing stories from my 7th grade dances.
Laura! LOL. Oops. Dear dairy, Today I got my … Nevermind. Diary has since been fixed to read dairy! Thx. ~ karen
An inspiration for my blogging technique. You crack me up at 12pm on a Monday nite. : ) What kind of camera do u use???? Great photos! U really capture the texture of that cherry pie goo.
Jean! Thanks. The camera isn’t anything too fancy, a Nikon D40. I have quite a nice macro lens on it though! Plus cherry pie goo tends to look good no matter what. ~ karen
Love it. I do believe even *I* could manage this one. Move over, smittenkitchen.