GOOD ‘OL FASHIONED JAM TARTS
This recipe is an oldie but a goodie! It is a corruptively delicious tea treat that is reminiscent of times in my grandmother’s kitchen. Sundays in the kitchen with a lazy log fire softening the harshness from the icy tiled floors. Jam tarts were a popular favourite often made at weekends and craftily displayed at the tea table. Family often visited without notification and were always marvelled at these old-fashioned jam tarts that were baked in enamel plates and served with stove-top milky tea. I emphasise on ‘milky’ because tea was never allowed to look or taste milk deprived. It was sent back to the kitchen. As time evolved, many of us no longer stick to the same rules as back then.
Today I share with you this recipe with a disclaimer, for good reason. If you make nothing else from my blog or book, let this be the one, with obvious reason!
It is the mainstream of my baking repertoire because it delivers on taste, comfort and brings on all the nostalgic homely feels. It is the kind that you want to make this weekend, to tuck in with a hot cup of tea.
Can I use any fruit jam?
Absolutely! You can use whichever brand or fruit jam you prefer. I have always been a huge fan of apricot jam and back then, it was my gran’s favourite too.
Can I make individual jam tarts?
This recipe works for both plated jam tarts as well as single serving jam tarts baked in a cupcake pan.
Roll out the dough as you would to fit the plate, do the same but in smaller sizes to fit your cupcake holes.
Egg wash or milk?
To use egg wash to brush over the tarts before baking them, mix an egg yolk with a little milk and glaze the tarts right before it goes into the oven. The egg wash has a shinier crisp effect once baked.
Alternatively, plain milk can used, if you prefer to keep the tarts eggless.
Stay safe, stay warm and happy baking❤️
JAM TARTS
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 3½ cups flour
- 3½ tsp baking powder
- 3½ tsp sugar
- 1 cup milk
- Jam for filling
- Eggwash or milk to glaze
Instructions
- Cut softened butter in flour creating fine bread crumbs. Add in the baking powder, sugar and milk to form a soft yet firm dough. Add a little more milk if needed. Dough must not be dry. Form dough into a ball.
- Wrap dough in cling film and leave in fridge for 30 minutes.
- Roll dough out into 1.5cm thickness and cut the size out according to your enamel plate or cupcake holes sizes of the pan.
- Carefully place cut circles into the greased enamel plates or cupcake pans
- Fill with melted jam, not too much otherwise it will spill over whilst baking.
- Using left over pieces of dough, cut out ribbons and decorate the tops by curling the ribbons and sticking the ends onto the bases.
- Glaze jam tarts with egg wash or milk using a brush.
- Bake at 180-degree celcius for 15 to 20 minutes or until tarts are straw-coloured and cooked through.
- Serve with tea or coffee!
