Years ago we were given small tart pans from my mom. They had sat unused in her kitchen so we accepted her offer to take them only to have them sit a few more years in ours. They stay in a cabinet Daphne likes to open and play in, and became one of her favorite things to pull out. They clang around and she claps them together as I make dinner or clean up a few dishes. After coming across this recipe I made it for the first time last month, and now tart pans make sense to me.

This recipe is so good having a specific dish to make it in is worth it. Not only that, it’s easy. It’s like pie without the headache of pie crust or filling that is too liquid. In fact you just need to have jam to make the filling so that’s one less thing  you have to make (but you have to make the jam in the summer – haha). If you have individual sized pans you can serve them at tea (well I’ve never really served tea… but I hope I have some tea parties with Daphne ahead of me) or wrap them in parchment and give them away.  So get out your food processor to make the dough and if you don’t have one borrow one and oh go buy those tart pans and pick up some lightbulbs while you’re at it. Okay, maybe this recipe isn’t for you right now but when someone gives you tart pans you’ll come running back.

 Rustic Jam Shortbread Tart featured in The Splendid Table’s How To Eat Supper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit & butter a 9-inch round silver-colored cake or tart pan (if using a dark- colored pan, you will want to cut baking time by about 5 minutes)

zest of 1/2 s lemon | 1/4 c almonds

Combine in a food processor and pulse to combine until finely ground, then add :

3/4 c all- purpose flour | 1/4 c sugar |  generous pinch of salt | 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (cup into 6 chunks) | 1 large egg yoke | 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

pulse in food processor until they start to come together in small clump at the bottom of the processor (they should look like clusters of peas). Turn the pastry dough into the pan + pat it out to evenly cover the bottom of the pan. Nudge the dough 1/2 inch up the sides of the pan to create an edge. Bake the crust in the center of the oven for 13- 16 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and turn heat up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit

Spread jam over the tart (appx 3/4c) and immediately return it to the oven (even if it’s not 500 yet), baking for another 5- 10 minutes or until jam is bubbly. Cool on a rack + enjoy!