GoldenDelights

Fruit jam tart

Until recently, I used to think I didn’t like a simple fruit jam tart. It wasn’t a recipe my mom and I used to bake, so my only reference was a store-bought version. Then, a few years back, a dear friend graciously shared this family recipe, and it completely shattered my preconceptions. This homemade version is nothing like the ones from the store; it’s bursting with flavor and just melts in your mouth with every bite.

Ingredients

  • All purpose flour 300g
  • Granulated sugar 175g
  • Unsalted butter 175g, cold
  • Egg 1
  • Baking powder 3g (1/2 teaspoon)
  • Salt ½ teaspoon
  • Freshly squeezed juice of 1 orange (about 70-80g)
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • Your favorite fruit jam 350-370g (1 jar)

Procedure

  • Cut the butter into cubes and put it in the bowl of a food processor together with the flour, salt and baking powder. Mix together until it is evenly crumbly (you just need a few quick pulses, you don’t want to overheat the butter).
  • Transfer the mixture to a larger bowl and add the egg, sugar and orange zest. Start mixing with your hands while adding the orange juice.
  • Mix just until the dough holds together. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or longer.
  • Prepare the pan. I use a 10” tart pan with removable bottom. Cut a piece of parchment paper the size of the bottom of the pan and keep it aside.
  • Preheat the oven to 180oC (350oF).
  • Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it onto the parchment paper cutout. Using as little flour as possible, roll out the dough about 1cm thick, then gently lift it and put it in the pan. Don’t worry if it breaks – you can patch it back together while in the pan and it will not be noticeable once it’s baked. The important thing is to work quickly as you don’t want the butter to warm up too much.
  • Cut the edges above the side of the pan and set aside.
  • Add the jam to the tart and spread evenly.
  • Quickly mix together the leftover pieces of dough, roll them out and cut them into stripes to decorate the tart.
  • Put the tart in the preheated oven and bake for about 40-45 minutes, until it has a golden brown color and the jam is bubbling.
  • Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack. Once the pan is no longer hot, carefully take the tart out and place on a serving plate.
  • The tart can be stored 3-4 days at room temperature under a glass dome.