Jam Tarts Recipe: How to Make Fruit Jam Tarts
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Jun 9, 2022 • 2 min read
Jam tarts are individual tart shells with a jam filling, perfect to serve at parties. Popular jam tarts include those with strawberry or raspberry fillings. You can serve jam tarts year-round; during winter, jam stands in for out-of-season fresh fruit.
Learn From the Best
What Is a Jam Tart?
A jam tart is a dessert tart with a crisp, buttery shortcrust and a jam filling. Almond flour and powdered sugar give the shortcrust pastry a cookie-like texture, which holds up well against the bold flavors of the jam filling. Strawberry jam and raspberry jam are popular fillings for jam tarts, but you can also use any kind of fruit marmalades or preserves.
4 Tips for Making Jam Tarts
Makingjam tarts is simple, but consider these tips to ensure success:
- 1. Use smooth jam. Other jam-like condiments, like rhubarb compote or apricot preserves, often have large chunks of fruit in them—great on your morning toast, but not ideal for a sleek, modern tart filling—which would compete for attention with the beautiful fruit on top of the tart. You can try other smooth fruit preserves like apple butter, lemon curd, or orange marmalade.
- 2. Use store-bought jam. Instead of making homemade jam for tarts, you can save time by using store-bought jam.
- 3. Use a muffin tin. You don’t need specialized tins or tart pans to make perfect mini tarts. To make the individual tart shells, simply cut the dough into circles using a cookie cutter and press each circle into the cup of a standard 12-cup muffin pan. Then, dollop a teaspoon of jam or two into each of the individual tarts.
- 4. Add a topping. Streusel crumb topping or a sprinkling of powdered sugar will make a delicious jam tart even more special. For holidays like Easter, try sprinkling powdered sugar with a festive stencil.
Simple Jam Tart Recipe
makes
12 tartsprep time
30 mintotal time
1 hrcook time
30 minIngredients
- 1
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, almond meal, and salt and set aside.
- 2
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until creamy, about 3–4 minutes. (Alternatively, pulse ingredients in a food processor.)
- 3
Use a mesh strainer to sift in the powdered sugar, then beat with the butter on medium speed for another minute.
- 4
Add the egg and vanilla and beat until fluffy and smooth, about 2 minutes more.
- 5
Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
- 6
Sandwich the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll into a ⅛-inch thick round. Chill dough until firm, about 1 hour.
- 7
Once chilled, peel one of the parchment sheets off. Using a 4-inch round cookie cutter, cut the dough into 12 circles.
- 8
Press each dough circle into the cup of a standard 12-cup muffin tin. Refrigerate the tin until ready to bake.
- 9
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- 10
In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the jam, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.
- 11
Fill the tart crusts with jam in an even layer.
- 12
Bake the tarts in the muffin tin set on a baking sheet until lightly golden brown, another 15 minutes.
- 13
Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.
- 14
Serve the jam tarts with whipped cream, if desired.
Become a better chef with the MasterClass Annual Membership. Gain access to exclusive video lessons taught by the world’s best, including Alice Waters, Gabriela Cámara, Niki Nakayama, Chef Thomas Keller, Gordon Ramsay, Yotam Ottolenghi, Dominique Ansel, and more.