PASTERY TART with HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY JAM
The jam tart is a simple and wholesome cake, perhaps the most loved among homemade desserts — a classic that never disappoints, made of shortcrust pastry filled with jam and topped with the signature crossed pastry strips.
As with all traditional desserts, there are many versions and practically every family keeps its own recipe that they claim is the best in the world. The amounts may change, but the ingredients are always the same: flour, sugar, butter and eggs with a few variations — more or less they resemble each other.
In my life I must say I have made hundreds of tarts, not always following the same recipe, because it’s right to experiment. Each time I came back to mine, the one passed down by my mother until I… tasted the best tart I had ever eaten! Needless to say it was made by my best friend Federica, who is excellent at desserts.
A shortcrust with a crumbly yet slightly soft texture, slightly imperfect strips, a heavenly aroma and taste, and then the homemade jam that gives this STRAWBERRY TART an extra edge (find my recipe for the Strawberry Jam without pectin HERE).
Now you may ask: what is Federica’s secret for such a perfect tart? I think it’s the consistency of the shortcrust — slightly soft and not overly cookie-like — which makes it crumbly and meld with the strawberry jam, melting in your mouth.
Of course, for the filling you can choose whatever jam you prefer — any will do, the important thing is that you like it or you have it at home! In any case, the result will be amazing.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Cooking time: 35 Minutes
- Portions: springform pan diameter 8 3/4 – 9 1/2 in
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 475.32 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 68.00 (g) of which sugars 33.03 (g)
- Proteins 5.92 (g)
- Fat 20.96 (g) of which saturated 13.14 (g)of which unsaturated 7.59 (g)
- Fibers 1.27 (g)
- Sodium 126.24 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 125 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
INGREDIENTS FOR THE STRAWBERRY JAM TART
- 300 g (about 2 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 180 g (about 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp / 6.3 oz) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 100 g (about 1/2 cup) granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- Half packet (about 2 tsp) baking powder
- 1 egg yolk
- to taste salt (a pinch)
- 1 packet vanillin (vanilla powder)
- 300 g (about 1 1/4 cups / 10.6 oz) strawberry jam
Tools
- Electric hand mixer
- Bowl
- Spatula
- Springform pan
HOW TO MAKE THE TART WITH JAM
Beat the soft butter and sugar with electric beaters or in a stand mixer until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Then add the eggs (1 whole + 1 yolk) while continuing to mix with the electric beaters. Add the flour previously sifted with the baking powder, the vanillin and a pinch of salt and mix by hand using a spatula.
With hands lightly dusted with flour and working the dough as little as possible, form a soft shortcrust ball that comes away from the work surface (if needed, add a light dusting of flour). Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate to rest and firm up for at least 30 minutes.
Roll out 2/3 of the dough with a rolling pin on a floured surface to a thickness of about 5 mm (about 1/4 in) and line a buttered and floured springform pan (diameter 24 cm ≈ 9 1/2 in), trimming any excess pastry with a knife.
Fill the shortcrust shell with strawberry jam, or with your favorite jam, leaving a 1 cm (about 3/8 in) free border. Prepare the pastry strips to form the classic lattice. Lay the first 3 strips onto the tart and then another 3 crossing them. Put the tart with strawberry jam into the refrigerator for 15 minutes before baking: this little trick will make the shortcrust more crumbly and less cookie-like without being too crumbly.
Preheat the oven to 356°F (conventional). Bake the strawberry jam tart in the center of the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 338°F and continue baking for another 10–15 minutes. Cooking times are indicative and vary from oven to oven; it will be ready when the shortcrust turns slightly golden on the surface but still light and not burnt. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before removing from the pan.
STORAGE
Once baked, the tart can be stored under a glass dome or in a cake carrier at room temperature for 4–5 days in a cool, dry place.
SHORTCRUST VARIATIONS
CHOCOLATE SHORTCRUST For the recipe click here Chocolate Shortcrust Pastry
HAZELNUT SHORTCRUST For the recipe click here Hazelnut Shortcrust Pastry
STORAGE
Once baked, the strawberry jam tart can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days covered with cling film or aluminum foil.
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NOTES AND TIPS
If the shortcrust stays too long in the fridge it may crack while rolling. In that case, knead it quickly and roll it out again — it will be perfect.
Since this dough contains a percentage of baking powder, this type of shortcrust should be rolled no thicker than 5 mm (about 1/4 in).
To make the operation easier, I recommend rolling the shortcrust on a sheet of parchment paper and then flipping it directly into the pan.
I decided to flavor it with vanillin, but you can replace it with orange or lemon zest for a citrusy aroma.
OIL-BASED SHORTCRUST
To make a butter-free shortcrust, use 330 g all-purpose flour (about 2 2/3 cups), 130 g sugar (about 2/3 cup), 1 whole egg + 1 yolk, 1 packet of vanillin and replace the butter with 100 ml vegetable oil (about 3.4 fl oz / roughly 7 tbsp). Whip the eggs with the sugar and vanillin, then add the oil in a thin stream. Finally add the flour.
GLUTEN-FREE SHORTCRUST
To prepare the gluten-free shortcrust you will need the following INGREDIENTS: 100 g rice flour (about 3/4 cup), 100 g potato starch (about 3/4 cup), 50 g corn starch (about 1/3 cup), 100 g sugar (about 1/2 cup), 60 ml sunflower oil (1/4 cup), 1 egg, 8 g baking powder (about 2 tsp). Put the egg, sugar, oil and baking powder in a bowl and mix. Then gradually add the flours, previously combined and sifted (rice flour, corn starch and potato starch). Transfer everything to the work surface and work until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous dough. Your gluten-free shortcrust is ready to use. Remember, however, that this dough’s elasticity is not like the traditional one and it will remain more crumbly.
