Jam Tarts
- Vegetarian
- Energy Kcal 511
- Carbohydrates g 77.7
- of which sugars g 45.9
- Protein g 6.1
- Fats g 19.6
- of which saturated fat g 10.87
- Fiber g 2.1
- Cholesterol mg 141
- Sodium mg 140
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 20 min
- Cook time: 25 min
- Serving: 6
- Cost: Low
- Note + the preparation and resting time for the shortcrust pastry (40 min)
PRESENTATION
Jam tartlets, you know, are a must-have on Italian snack tables, especially at parties or when kids are around. These little delights—really good stuff—are called ‘crostatine’ locally. They come from the classic Italian tradition of making ‘pasta frolla’—a soft, buttery dough that gives each bite a bit of crumbly magic. And the jam? Using different kinds like apricot, cherry, or strawberry means every batch of jam tartlets is a little different. Seriously, there's always something new to try.
What makes them stand out are the playful shapes you can press into the top layer—hearts, stars, or even flowers. Makes each jam tartlets recipe feel special. Kids love picking out their favorite shapes, and adults—truthfully—aren’t immune to the charm either. It’s really fun to see a plate full of colorful, shiny, sweet tartlets disappear in seconds at a birthday or family get-together.
These easy jam tartlets totally become the highlight at any buffet with their creative decorating. In Italy, people make a big batch because these tender, bite-sized pastries vanish fast. The combo of moist jam and flaky dough is hard to resist, especially when fresh and still a little warm. You’ll find these homemade jam tartlets all over the country, but each region might use different jams or decoration styles—some go for simple lattice, others for cheerful cut-outs. Even though they’re made for kids, adults are always sneaking a few onto their plates, too. I mean, who can blame them?
The best thing is how these fruit jam tartlets are easy to change up: swap the jam, try a new shape, or use a family favorite preserve. It's really, really versatile. It’s the kind of jam-filled pastries that makes you want to play around, so no two batches are ever quite the same. Whether you’re baking for a school party or a Sunday treat, these golden, crispy little tarts bring a taste of Italy’s sweetest traditions to your kitchen. Makes every bite feel like a small celebration.
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INGREDIENTS
- Ingredients for the shortcrust pastry x 6 tarts
- Butter 4.4 oz (125 g)
- Type 00 flour 2 cups (250 g)
- Egg yolks 2
- Powdered sugar 0.8 cup (100 g)
- Vanilla bean - the seeds of a pod
- Fine salt 1 pinch
- for filling
- Strawberry jam ⅓ cup (100 g)
- Apricot jam 0.3 cup (100 g)
- Blueberry jam 0.4 cup (100 g)
How to prepare Jam Tarts
To make the jam tarts, start by preparing the shortcrust pastry following the procedure found in the Shortcrust Pastry card: place the flour, a pinch of salt, and the cold butter in the mixer 1. Blend everything until you have a sandy and floury mixture, transfer it to a bowl and add the sugar 2. Then, form the classic well with the mixture, into which you'll pour the seeds of the vanilla bean (split the bean and extract the seeds with a knife) and the egg yolks 3.
Quickly mix everything together 4 until you have a compact and fairly elastic dough. Shape the dough into a loaf, wrap it in plastic wrap 5, and let it rest in the fridge for at least half an hour. Meanwhile, butter 6
and flour 7 single-serving tart molds with a base diameter of 4 inches and 0.8 inches high. After the necessary time has passed, remove the shortcrust pastry from the refrigerator and roll it out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured work surface 8, creating a sheet about 1/5 inch thick. Then, using a pastry cutter with a diameter of about 5.5 inches, cut out circles of dough 9.
to line the molds 10, press gently with your fingers on the bottom and sides to make the dough adhere well. Run the rolling pin along the edge to remove excess dough 11. Prick the base of the tarts with the tip of a knife 12 or the tines of a fork to prevent the dough from rising too much during baking.
Now fill the tarts with strawberry jam 13, apricot jam 14, and cranberry jam (alternatively, you can also use citrus jams or other jams of your choice). At this point, you can focus on the most fun part of the preparation: decorating the pastry! Get small cutters with various shapes and cut out little shapes 14 to apply to the tarts to create a decorative pattern,
in our case, we chose little flowers and leaves (16-17). To make the traditional tart shape, take a small ball of dough and create thin strips 18
to place on the surface of the tart, creating the typical lattice pattern 19. Transfer the molds to a baking sheet and bake the tarts in a preheated static oven at 356°F for 25 minutes (or in a convection oven at 320°F for about 20 minutes). Once done, take your jam tarts out of the oven, let them cool slightly, then turn them out and serve them on a tray.