This is an amazingly easy, beautiful, and delicious recipe adapted from Wednesday Chef (via David Lebovitz).
9 Tbsp (110g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup (100g) sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/8 tsp almond extract
1 ½ cups (190g) flour
½ cup (70g) stone-ground cornmeal or polenta
½ tsp sea salt
2 tsp baking powder (aluminum free)
1 ¾ cups (450g) apricot, raspberry, plum, or other jam, conserve or marmalade (maybe not jelly)
Coarse raw sugar, cassonade turbinado, or demerara sugar for finishing the tart
1. Beat together butter and sugar until well combined. Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and almond extract.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt and baking powder.
3. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter, just until the mixture comes together.
4. Measure out 11 ounces (300g) – about 2/3 of the dough – pat it into a disk and wrap in plastic or parchment and chill.
5. Take the remaining dough and roll it into a log about 2-inches (5cm) in diameter, wrap in plastic or parchment and chill it too.
6. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow to warm slightly. With the heel of your hand, press the dough into the bottom and sides of an unbuttered removable bottom tart pan (9” or 10”, 24cm), patting it in to even it out.
7. Spread the jam evenly over the dough
8. Remove the log of dough from the refrigerator and slice in cookie size disks, then lay them over the jam. Top very generously with lots of sugar, at least 2 Tbsp.
9. Baker at 350F until the pastry is golden brown – about 20 or 25 minutes. Let cool before serving and serve at room temperature. Keeps well for a couple of days if well-wrapped.
