Spiced Tart with Strawberry Jam

The spiced tart with strawberry jam is a delicious dessert that combines the sweetness of the jam with the enveloping flavor of the spices. Here’s how to prepare it with an all-Italian twist:

Ingredients

• 250 g of 00 flour
• 125 g of cold butter, cubed
• 100 g of icing sugar
• 1 large egg
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon of mixed spice powder (cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger)
• 1 pinch of salt
• Strawberry jam to taste (about 300 g)

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, sift the flour with the icing sugar, salt, and mixed spices.
2. Add the cold butter cubes to the flour and quickly work with your fingertips to obtain a sandy mixture.
3. Incorporate the egg and grated lemon zest, then quickly knead to form a smooth ball.
4. Wrap the dough in cling film and let it rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
5. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
6. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of about 5mm and line a tart pan with parchment paper.
7. Pour the strawberry jam over the tart base and spread it evenly.
8. With the remaining dough, form strips or decorations of your choice to place over the jam.
9. Bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes or until the tart is golden.
10. Let it cool completely before cutting and serving.

Curiosity

In Italy, every region has its own traditions regarding tarts. Adding spices to the shortcrust pastry dough for the tart is a way to enrich its taste and give it an original touch, especially during the winter period or festivities.

Variants: If you wish, you can further enrich the tart by adding fresh fruit such as strawberry slices or almond flakes over the jam before baking. This will add texture and flavor to your dessert.