Macaroon Jam Tarts

How to make old-fashioned British macaroon jam tarts with a moist almond filling. Easy recipe with shortcrust pastry.

Old-Fashioned Jam Tart Recipe

What is a Macaroon Jam Tart? The other day, I re-discovered an old faithful British baking guide during a crazy New Year's it's-about-time-I-tidied-that-mess-up moment. Out fell a dusty 40th edition Be-Ro Flour Home Recipes book which Mum had handed me in 1992 before I left for France, a Scottish reminder to make the odd scone or shortbread now and again.

These British old-fashioned jam tarts are basically jam tartlets filled with an almond cream. If you've ever tasted them in Britain, you'll immediately be whisked back in time. Our Scottish bakeries sold them as individual tarts and they included a hidden dollop of raspberry jam.

They had the same taste as a Bakewell Tart - except they were always served as tartlets. My thoughts also turned to Mr Kipling: we all knew from his low and croaky yet reassuring UK advert voiceovers that he "makes exceedingly good cakes".

Not to Be Confused with the Other Macaroons

Since these childhood macaroon memories in the UK, however, I'd never have dreamed I'd marry a Frenchman and move to Paris. Macaroons took on something different. For a start, the British macaroon was not the same as in France.

I say maca-ron, since these days there's still some confusion between the macaron and macaroon. What's the difference? Basically:

• the French macaron is made with ground almonds, sugar and egg whites;
• the coconut macaroon (rocher coco in French) is made with coconut, sugar and egg whites;
• the British Macaroon is yet something else completely different. Let me explain below.

What is a British Macaroon?

So, after the French macarons and coconut macaroons, how come there is yet another British version? In fact there are  two kinds of macaroons in the UK:

• In Scotland, there is the popular Scottish macaroon bar. It has a very sweet fondant centre of mainly icing sugar mixed with a little potato, then rolled in chocolate and toasted coconut;
  See my recipe for Scottish macaroon bar snowballs;
• Then there are these macaroon jam tarts. I have no idea, however, why they are called macaroon. I can only assume that they contain an almond filling but that is all that gives it any relation to a macaron or macaroon, as the word originally comes from the Italian word for paste, referring to the almond, maccarone.

Jam Tarts with Shortcrust Pastry

So I first took the basic short pastry recipe from the Be-Ro flour book. It's the most basic and simple form of pastry and is insanely easy to work with, using water and no egg. However, its taste is so bland and doesn't do these jam tarts justice, in my humble opinion.

Instead, use this pâte sucrée or shortcrust pastry we use in France. It's worth taking the time for the real old-fashioned taste of jam tarts! It's also great to make mince pies with this quick no-suet mincemeat recipe. If you don't have time, you could cheat and buy ready-made shortcrust. You could use ready-made puff pastry but shortcrust is best for these jam tarts.

The crosses added on top of each tart are simply made by cutting thin strips out of the leftover pastry. So there is no waste!

How to Make Old-Fashioned British Macaroon Jam Tarts

Use my easy step-by-step recipe for pâte sucrée (shortcrust pastry) in the printable card below.

Either by hand or stand mixer, mix the butter and sugar together, add the egg and flour, salt and vanilla powder until it forms a ball.

Cut out 9-10 7cm circles (2.5-3 inches) or circles slightly bigger than the size of the tartlet cavities.

Why Do We Prick Them with a Fork Before Putting in the Jam?

Press the shortcrust pastry dough into the pattie/tartlet or muffin tins.

Prick with a fork before putting in the jam. The reason why we do this is to stop the dough from rising in the oven. However, this isn't necessary if your dough is chilled. If placed in the fridge before adding the jam filling, then this can be skipped.

Mix together the ground almonds, sugar, almond extract and egg to a paste. Add a teaspoon of your favourite jam in each then top with the almond mix.

No wastage with leftover pastry: cut thin strips for crosses and place on top of the jam and almond filling.

Bake for 15-20 minutes then leave them to cool on a wire rack. There's no need to chill them (unless you live in a hot climate or are in the middle of a heat-wave!)

Just leave on the counter until ready to eat later in the day. If chilled, remove from the fridge 20 minutes before serving to bring out their flavours.

Macaroon Jam Tarts: Fruity Fillings

For the jam fillings in each tart, any kind of jam is good. Make these easy recipes for apricot and lavender jam, Corsican fig jam, raspberry, rhubarb & rose jam, and spiced plum jam.

Any of these jams makes exceedingly good macaroon jam tarts!

Jam Tarts (British old-fashioned Macaroon style)

Jill Colonna

How to make old-fashioned British macaroon jam tarts with a moist almond filling with a little jam centre. Rather like individual Bakewell tarts.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course almond tarts, jam tarts, macaroon tart, teatime

Cuisine British

Servings 9 tarts

Calories 93 kcal

Equipment

• non-stick patty, tartlet or shallow muffin tins 9 cavity

Ingredients

  

Sweet Pastry (pâte sucrée)

• ½ quantity sweet pastry SEE RECIPE BELOW

Macaroon Almond and Jam Filling

• 50 g (2oz/¼ cup) sugar
• 50 g (2oz/¼ cup) ground almonds (almond flour)
• 1 large egg organic
• 2 drops almond extract (or good pinch powdered vanilla)
• 9 teaspoon raspberry or apricot jam
• 1 tablespoon sugar for sprinkling before baking

Instructions

 

To make the short pastry

• Follow the recipe instructions (steps 1. and 2.) below and skip the chilling of the dough.
• On a floured mat, roll out the dough on a floured mat to about 5mm thickness (or as thin as you like it) and cut out 9 rounds using a cookie cutter (7.5cm/3 inch).
• Press the dough into 9 patty or tartlet tins. Set aside the ends of the pastry to make thin strips to decorate the tops. Chill in the fridge while making the filling.

Almond macaroon & jam filling

• Heat the oven to 200°C/ 180ºC fan / 400°F / Gas 6.
• In a bowl, mix the ground almonds, extract and sugar with the egg until a soft mixture.
• Using a teaspoon, place a little jam in each case and top with the almond mixture.
• Sprinkle with the extra caster sugar (don't skip this part as this gives their extra shine). Make thin strips from the reserved pastry to make crosses on the tarts and press each end into the edges.

  Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Notes

For Jam Fillings, see recipes:

• French apricot and lavender jam;
• Fig jam;
• Spicy plum jam;
• Rhubarb, hibiscus and rose jam;
• Recipe for express Strawberry & Apricot jam in my book, Teatime in Paris.

Keyword almond jam tarts, jam tarts, macaroon tarts, old fashioned jam tarts

Pâte Sucrée Recipe (Sweet Pastry Dough)

Jill Colonna

French Pâte sucrée is the best all-round sweet pastry dough for tarts. This is the most basic and easiest French pie crust recipe to work with - taken from my book's tart chapter in Teatime in Paris (2015).

The result means no soggy tart bottoms, just a delicious tart pastry base with a touch of vanilla. It's perfect as a base for fruit tarts, chocolate and almond tarts. Makes 500g pastry dough for 1 large tart or 8 tartlets.

5 from 14 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Chilling Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Servings 12 people

Calories 181 kcal

Equipment

• loose-bottomed tart tin or tart ring (27-28cm/11" diameter x 3cm)
• stand mixer with paddle attachment optional as dough can be mixed by hand
• Rolling Pin with optional end rings to roll out evenly
• baking beans or washed coins, rice or dried beans

Ingredients

  

• 125 g (4.5oz/½ cup) unsalted butter at room temperature (not melted), cut into cubes. Chilled if mixing by hand.
• 75 g (2.75oz/½ cup) icing/powdered/confectioner's sugar
• ½ teaspoon sea salt fleur de sel
• 1 medium egg organic (room temperature)
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla powder or extract
• 240 g (8.5oz /1.9 cups) T45 French all-purpose/cake flour or plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted

Instructions

 

• Using a stand mixer with a paddle beater (otherwise mix by hand with cold butter), mix the butter, sugar, vanilla and salt until pale and creamy.
• On low speed, gradually add the egg and flour and mix until combined. Half way during mixing, push the dough down the sides of the bowl and paddle with a spatula. Continue mixing just until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl and stop.
• Form the dough into a ball. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for an hour.

  Normally you will only need ⅔ of this dough quantity - either freeze the rest or keep it chilled for up to 3 days.
• Remove from the fridge and after 5 minutes (as easier to work with), roll out the pastry to 3-4mm (⅛ inch) thickness on a lightly floured surface.

  When completely rolled out about 3cm (about an inch) bigger than the tart tin/ring, transfer the dough by rolling around the pastry roller and cover the tart tin. If using a tart ring, place the ring on baking paper or a silicone mat.
• Press well into the tart tin or ring, leaving no air holes around the edges. Trim off excess pastry by rolling over the edges with the rolling pin. Prick evenly with a fork.

  Leave to set in the fridge uncovered in the tin/ring for at least 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/Gas 4/360°F.
• Blind bake (top with baking parchment and baking beans - see NOTES) for 15 minutes. Remove baking paper and beans.
• Bake uncovered for a further 5-10 minutes or until the pastry is golden.

  This step may be optional, depending on the recipe filling's instructions (such as this almond rum tart, which stays in the tin and is baked further with the filling in it).
• Leave to cool for about 5 minutes then remove from the tart tin/ring. Set aside on a wire rack to cool completely before filling.

Notes

For the original detailed step-by-step recipe, see the tart chapter in my book, 'Teatime in Paris' (2015) along with many more tart recipes.

Storage: although this dough can be prepared on the day of baking, it can be made 1-2 days in advance. Keep chilled rolled in cling film until ready to roll or prepare the tart shell and keep covered in the fridge. Otherwise freezes well - either the raw dough or the baked tart shell. Just defrost thoroughly before use.

Flour: Although all-purpose flour is good, I generally prefer a finer T45 (French all-purpose) cake flour for tarts. For more, see FAQs

For chocolate pastry, add 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder to the flour in step 2.

Keyword easy pate sucree, French sweet tart dough, pastry recipe using tart ring, pate sucree recipe, pate sucree recipe in grams

More Almond Tarts

If you love these macaroon jam tarts with an almond filling, then you'll love:

• French Saint-Germain Almond Cake: it's more of a tart with a moist, creamy almond filling with extra almond slivers and topped with a rum glaze.
• Almond and Pear (Bourdaloue) Tart
• Strawberry and Almond Tart
• Galette des Rois (King Cake): traditionally served in January at Epiphany in France, it's puff pastry stuffed with an almond cream filling with a little rum.