Bull's Eye Tart with Jam

The bull’s eye tart is a classic and delicious baked sweet, perfect for breakfast or as a snack. Here is the traditional recipe with an Italian twist.

Ingredients

• 300 g of flour
• 150 g of cold butter, cubed
• 100 g of powdered sugar
• 1 whole egg and 1 yolk
• Grated zest of 1 untreated lemon
• A pinch of salt
• Jam of choice (for example, apricot or strawberry)
• Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour with the powdered sugar and salt.
2. Add the cold butter cubes and quickly work the mixture with your fingertips until you have a sandy compound.
3. Incorporate the whole egg and the yolk, and the grated lemon zest, and knead until a smooth and homogeneous ball is formed. Wrap the shortcrust pastry ball in cling film and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
5. Roll out two-thirds of the shortcrust pastry and line a previously buttered and floured tart tin, creating an edge about 3 cm high. Prick the bottom with the tines of a fork.
6. Pour the jam onto the shortcrust pastry base laid out in the tart tin, leveling it well.
7. Roll out the remaining dough and cut out circles of shortcrust pastry to create the “bull’s eyes”. Place these circles on top of the jam, leaving a space between them.
8. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the tart is golden.
9. Allow to cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar, if desired.

Curiosity

The bull’s eye tart gets its name from the particular shape of the shortcrust pastry circles which, once cooked, resemble the appearance of bull’s eyes. This dessert is a variation of the classic jam tart, and the “visible” part of the jam contributes not only to the taste but also to the inviting aesthetics of the sweet.