Cookbooks

Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Jam Tarts

November  3, 2014

Hear ye, hear ye: Longtime Food52er MrsWheelbarrow has come out with a beautiful new cookbook! All week long, Cathy will be sharing recipes from Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Practical Pantry and giving us new ways to use up the preserves in our cupboards. And we're giving away a copy each day -- so you can finally get over your fear of preserving.

Today: Put your leftover jam to good use -- use it to fill tiny tarts for dessert and tea time and all the hours in between. 

Jam Tarts on Food52

Shop the Story

This combination of shortbread and jam is both a perfect ending to a dinner party and a lovely treat for teatime. I’ve made them tiny, in financier molds; medium-sized in classic small tart molds; and in a 9-inch tart pan. The shortbread crust is pantry-friendly, it’s ready in an instant, and it marries perfectly with whatever leftover jam is lurking in your refrigerator.

The crust can be made by hand or with a mixer; I use a mixer. This is a very sandy dough. Don't despair. Just press it into the molds and bake. 

More: Worried you don't have the right pots and pans? Here are Mrs. Wheelbarrow's essential tools for pickling and preserving.

Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Jam Tarts

Makes 12 tiny tarts, six 3-inch tarts, or one 9-inch tart

4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
2 cups all-purpose flour
Big pinch kosher salt
8 ounces any jam, preserves, or conserves

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.

Photos by Christopher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton 

Every day this week, we're giving away a copy of Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Practical Pantry! To win today's copy, tell us in the comments: What's your favorite way to use up leftover jam? We'll choose winners this Friday, November 7th. (U.S. entrants only, please!) 

Update: Nogaga, pamelalee, littleknitter, lizzaljoelle, and Matteo Cavelier are our winners! We hope you enjoy your copies of Mrs. Wheelbarrow's Practical Pantry.

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • Becca Ann Entenberg
    Becca Ann Entenberg
  • Madeline Horrell
    Madeline Horrell
  • The Doctorer
    The Doctorer
  • Melissa Caicedo
    Melissa Caicedo
  • mirabelle
    mirabelle
Four cookbooks. 100s of recipes online. It all started with Food52

74 Comments

Becca A. November 18, 2014
On bread with brie!
 
Madeline H. November 7, 2014
cocktails! :)
 
The D. November 7, 2014
In an oozing grilled cheese!
 
Melissa C. November 7, 2014
One of the best ways to use left over jam is on overnight oats. If the left-over-jam is still in the jar, use the jar to prepare the overnight oats (oats, almond milk/soymilk, chia seeds). This will give the oats a nice sweetness (if not using banana or other fruit).
 
mirabelle November 7, 2014
cookies
 
Pegeen November 7, 2014
Either make a glaze for chicken or pork: mix jam with some vinegar, olive oil and finely chopped shallots. Or make a Poor Man's raspberry sauce: melt any jam with some fresh lemon juice to taste. Let cool, then whir in blender or food processor with a bag of frozen raspberries or mixed berries (if fresh are not in season). Scrape through a mesh sieve with a spatula (to separate the seeds). Add more lemon juice or if it's too tart, a little sugar or honey. Delicious over ice cream, pound cake, poached pears, etc.
 
Christine S. November 7, 2014
Interesting question: jam is not perishable (lasts for months), so I am not sure what you mean by leftover jam. But I love simple ideas pairing jam, cheese and some kind of dough.
 
Laura K. November 7, 2014
On toast, of course, but when I am not eating bread I like it on mozzarella cheese.
 
GlassJam November 6, 2014
Flour tortilla, scrambled egg, cheese, breakfast meat rolled into tortilla and jam for each bite.
 
Vicki November 6, 2014
toast - I really need that book.
 
Rho R. November 6, 2014
There'd better be just enough leftover for the favorite midnight snack... jam on toast...
 
jjmcgaffey November 6, 2014
I don't know what to do with it - it's a problem for me. I like to make jam, and I make it faster than I can eat it (even with giving some to my family). The comments here are very useful (Joy has a jam cake? Hmmm). And obviously I need the cookbook... :D
 
jamcook November 6, 2014
On toasted and buttered English Muffins
 
heyjude November 6, 2014
We always get the last little bit from the jar.
 
Nicole November 6, 2014
Leftover jam? What's that?
 
Jenny November 6, 2014
I use leftover jam to spread on toasted homemade buttermilk biscuits!
 
peggy November 6, 2014
I use it in savory dishes. Add some choppedfresh herbs and brush it on grilled meat a few minutes before you take it off the grill.
 
EmFraiche November 5, 2014
shortbread tart
 
Matteo C. November 5, 2014
I'd make a just-for-the-hell-of-it crostata
 
Sarah B. November 4, 2014
Mixing in yogurt!