Old Fashioned Jam Tartlets

  • Prep time:

  • Cook time:

  • Total time:

  • Portion/Yield:

    Makes 24 jam tartlets

  • Difficulty:

    Easy

There is nothing remotely complicated about this recipe, it’s just a good (and delicious!) reminder of simplicity. Any jam can be used, but making your own with seasonal fruit is best. The basic sweet pastry (see sweet paste recipe) is brilliant as you can make it in advance and freeze the dough in blocks or portions to then defrost when needed. Just roll the pastry, bake the tartlet cases and then fill them with your own homemade jam. I have used Greengage jam for these tarts, see recipe on previous page.

I usually bake a load of these pastry tartlet shells and keep them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 1 week. In fact, you will be surprised how well they keep, as they remain crispy and are very handy to have as a standby to be filled with a dollop of jam, ready for an unexpected visitor or two. This recipe is also ideal for a picnic and a DIY dessert idea, take a container of the baked tart cases and a jar of jam with a teaspoons, build your tarts as you lay on the grass and relax in the shade. Bliss…

photo of Old Fashioned Jam Tartletsphoto of Old Fashioned Jam Tartletsphoto of Old Fashioned Jam Tartlets

Ingredients & Method

  • 300g Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
  • 300- 350g g greengage jam
  • icing sugar, to dust

Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas Mark 6. Lightly grease two 12-hole shallow bun tins and set aside. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface to about 2mm thickness. Cut out twenty-four 5.5cm rounds using a fluted pastry cutter, then line the prepared bun tins with the pastry rounds and leave to rest in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Prick the pastry rounds all over with a fork, then place a paper cake case filled with baking beans inside each one and bake blind in the oven for 8–10 minutes. Remove the beans and paper cases, then return the pastry cases to the oven and bake for a further 5 minutes or until cooked, golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven and carefully transfer the pastry cases to a wire rack. Leave to cool completely before filling with the greengage jam.

When you are ready to serve, fill each pastry tartlet case with a generous dollop of jam, then dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.

Cook’s Note

Use other flavours of homemade jam of your choice such as raspberry, strawberry & redcurrant, mulberry or apricot jam. Add a dusting of chopped nuts for texture if you wish.