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1
Make the pastry shell.
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2
Mix the flour, sugar, salt and lemon peel in a bowl or food processor.
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3
Cut the butter into 1/2-inch slices and work them into the flour mixture with your fingers, or use the pulse motion of your processor, until the pastry is mostly cornmeal-size pieces and the mixture begins to hold together.
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4
Combine the water and vanilla and work them into the mixture just until the pastry is well blended and will hold together if you press it.
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5
Press the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch tart pan.
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6
Wrap in foil and freeze for 30 minutes or overnight.
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7
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
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8
Lightly press foil to line the bottom and sides of the pastry shell and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
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9
Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the pastry edges are golden brown.
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10
Carefully lift off the weights and foil.
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11
Bake the pastry 5 minutes longer.
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12
Cool the pan on a wire rack.
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13
While the pastry bakes, make the cherry filling.
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14
Combine 6 tablespoons of the sugar, the wine and the lemon juice in a medium-size saucepan and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
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15
Heat to boiling.
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16
Drop in the cherries and simmer for 5 minutes, or until they are just tender.
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17
Cool in the syrup for 30 minutes.
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18
Then drain, saving the syrup for another use.
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19
(It can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.)
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20
Meanwhile, make the almond custard.
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21
Whisk the egg and egg yolk in a mixing bowl until blended and gradually whisk in the sugar until the mixture is pale yellow.
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22
Whisk in the flour.
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23
Heat the milk to boiling in a small saucepan and whisk it into the egg mixture in a thin stream.
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24
Whisk until smooth.
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25
Pour into a medium-size saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking slowly, until the mixture coagulates into lumps.
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26
Whisk vigorously until the custard is smooth.
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27
Lower the heat and beat with a wooden spoon 2 to 3 minutes longer to cook the flour thoroughly.
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28
Remove from the heat; beat in the butter, Cognac and extracts.
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29
Fold in the almonds and the drained cherries.
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30
Preheat the broiler.
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31
Spread the cherry filling in the tart shell.
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32
Sprinkle the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar over the tart and broil 2 to 3 minutes to caramelize the sugar lightly.
