Apricot Jam Tart Recipes

APRICOT JAM

Steps:

• Mix apricots and lemon juice in a large pot; add sugar. Slowly bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cook and stir until apricot mixture thickens, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and skim foam if necessary.
• Meanwhile, prepare jars, lids, and rings by cleaning and sterilizing in dishwasher or boiling water bath. Leave lids in simmering water until ready to seal jars.
• Ladle hot jam into hot sterilized jars, leaving about 1/4 inch of space on top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2-inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 15 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area.

HOMEMADE APRICOT TARTS

Steps:

• Add chopped dried apricots and enough water to come 1 inch above apricots in a saucepan. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until thickened.
• Stir in sugar, butter, nutmeg (optional), cinnamon and orange juice. Cook a bit longer, until texture is like jam.
• Stir, cool and store in refrigerator in an airtight container until ready to use.
• Add cream cheese and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer.
• Using the beater blade, combine ingredients on medium-high speed until well blended. Add vanilla, if using, and mix until incorporated. Turn mixer off, add flour and mix on low speed just until combined and a ball of dough forms. The dough should be thick.
• Form into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least one hour, or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Form dough into walnut size balls and place into a mini muffin or tart pan. Using a tart tamper dusted with flour, press down on each ball to form the tart shape.
• Fill each tart with a rounded teaspoon of filling (homemade or store-bought apricot jam). Bake for 10 minutes or until very lightly golden. Remove pan from oven and cool completely on wire racks.
• When completely cooled sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Store in an airtight container or freeze in freezer containers until ready to serve. Allow tarts to come to room temperature before serving for best texture.

JAM TART WITH SALTED CRACKER CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Pulse the crackers in a food processor until very finely ground. Add the butter and sugar and pulse until thoroughly combined. Remove a rounded tablespoon of the crumb mixture and set aside.
• Turn the mixture out into a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom set on a cookie sheet and press evenly along the bottom and up the sides. Bake until light golden, about 15 minutes. Lightly press down on the crust if it has puffed up on the bottom.
• Spoon the preserves into the tart shell and gently smooth to spread evenly. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs on top. Bake until the jam is a shade darker and the edges are bubbling slightly, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely on a rack.
• Serve at room temperature with whipped cream, if using.

APRICOT JAM TART

Steps:

• Blend flour, sugar, lemon peel, baking powder, and salt in processor until combined. Add butter; using on/off turns, cut in until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 2 eggs; using on/off turns, process until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball. Flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight. Let soften slightly before rolling out.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Set aside 1/3 of dough. Roll out remaining dough on lightly floured surface to 14-inch round. Transfer to prepared tart pan. Trim overhang to 1 inch. Fold in dough to make double-thick sides. Freeze crust 15 minutes. Sprinkle amaretti crumbs in crust. Spoon jam into crust, smoothing with spatula.
• Roll out reserved dough to 11x6-inch rectangle. Cut into eight 1/2-inch-wide strips. Arrange strips atop jam to form lattice. Brush lattice with beaten egg.
• Bake tart until crust is golden, about 45 minutes. Cool at least 6 hours to allow jam to set. Cut into wedges and serve.
• Italian macaroons, available at Italian markets and some supermarkets.

APRICOT TART WITH PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lay 1 sheet phyllo on a parchment-lined 12-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon butter and brush to coat the entire phyllo sheet.
• Top with another sheet and butter as above. Repeat with 7 more sheets, for a total of 9, buttering as you go. The final, top layer should also be buttered. (The rest of the phyllo can be wrapped and frozen for future use.)
• Dot the top sheet with jam by the teaspoon, then, using a spatula, spread the jam to cover the entire sheet, leaving a 2-inch border.
• Sprinkle a layer of half the chopped pistachios over the jam. Place the apricot wedges, skin-side down, in even rows across the surface, then sprinkle again with remaining pistachios.
• Carefully fold over the edges on all sides of the tart to make a 10-by-16-inch rectangle. Brush folded sides with butter. Sprinkle sugar generously over apricots and folded edges.
• Bake until pastry is golden and apricots begin to color, about 1 hour. Cool for 15 minutes, then cut into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.