by Crostata with Amaretti and Jam is a yummy Italian-style jam tart made with sweet shortcrust pastry dough. The tender lemon-scented dough holds a layer of apricot jam and amaretti cookies soaked in liquor. You’ll find it quick and easy to make and is sure to please.
I vividly remember waking up to a glorious array of home-baked goodies on my last visit to Italy while staying with my cousins.
What stood out the most was a crostata with distinctive little humps that looked quite intriguing. I excitedly sliced into the tart, took my first bite and tasted the unmistakable essence of amaretti cookies. And I instinctively knew I would be recreating it back home.
There is so much flavour in this simple jam-filled crostata enriched with crisp, dry amaretti cookies dipped in liqueur.
The amaretti cookies form little humps just below the top layer of dough, giving you a sneak peek at what lies beneath its tender sweet crust. It’s so pretty and delicious!
The pasta frolla dough I used is the same one I turn to when making my Italian crumb cake with jam and ricotta. It’s also the base of my summertime crostata, a tart crowned with fresh peaches.
Although my cousin used Alchermes liquor, a type of Italian red liqueur, I substituted it with Amaretto liquor since the former is nearly impossible to find here. So feel free to use either.
Ingredients for an Apricot Tart Recipe
You needn’t look further than your pantry for the makings of an easy and delicious crostata. Aside from the usual flour, sugar, eggs, and butter, you’ll need:
- Amaretti Cookies: The crispy and crunchy amaretti croccanti variety. Not the soft ones.
- Blanched almonds: Either sliced or slivered.
- Amaretto Liqueur: You can also substitute with Alchermes Liqueur if you’re able to find some in your area.
- Jam: Cherry or apricot jam pairs well with the amaretti.
Now let’s get baking!
Making a shortcrust pastry dough is very easy. More so using a food processor.
- Start by placing the almonds and sugar in a food processor.
- Pulse till finely ground.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into the sugar and nut mixture. Or sift the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and then transfer it in with the sugar-nut mixture.
- Add in the butter.
- Pulse the butter and flour mixture together. You’ll have a very crumbly mixture.
- Add in the lemon zest, whole egg and egg yolk.
- Pulse the egg and flour mixture together until the dough clumps together.
- Transfer the dough onto a work surface and knead just until it all comes together in one cohesive dough.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal parts, wrap in cling wrap and chill for a 1/2 hour.
Assembling the Jam Tart with Amaretti Cookies
- Remove one disc of dough from the fridge and dust both sides with flour.
- Roll it out between 2 sheets of wax paper into an 11-inch round circle.
- Carefully line the baking tin with the rolled-out dough and pierce the bottom with a fork. Don’t worry if the dough tears because you can easily crimp it back together.
- Spread the jam evenly over the bottom layer of the tart.
- Dip the cookies one at a time in the liqueur and place them over the jam in a circular pattern.
- Flour and roll out the second disc of dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper. (Into an 11-inch round circle)
- Peel off the top sheet of wax paper, align the dough against the edge of the tart tin, and carefully slip the dough over the amaretti cookies.
- Trim off the excess dough.
- Bake the crostata in a preheated oven for approximately 30 to 35 minutes. When ready the crostata should be golden brown in colour.
- Transfer the crostata to a wire rack to cool for about 30 minutes.
- Release the crostata from the tart tin and return it to the wire rack to cool completely.
- When ready to serve, dust with powdered sugar.
This crostata with amaretti and jam will keep well for approximately three to four days stored in an airtight container.
Happy Baking!
Other Italian Crostata Recipes You’ll Love:
Chocolate Pear Crostata: A sinfully delicious tart with a silky smooth filling of finely ground walnuts and dark chocolate.
Chocolate Orange Ricotta Crostata: It has a luscious filling of both ricotta and mascarpone cheese, orange-scented and chock full of grated chocolate.
Crostata with Amaretti and Jam
Equipment
- 9 inch Tart tin with removable bottom
Ingredients
For Pasta Frolla Dough
- 1 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
For The Jam and Amaretti Layers
- 3/4 cup cherry or apricot jam (or other favourites)
- 35 amaretti cookies (approximately)
- 1/3 cup Amaretto liqueur
- powdered sugar (for dusting over the baked cake)
Instructions
For The Crostata Dough
- Grease a 9 inch round tart tin with a removable bottom and set aside.
- Combine the sliced almonds and sugar in a food processor and pulse together until very fine.
- Sift together the flour, the baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl.
- Add the sifted flour mixture and the butter to the nut and sugar mixture in the food processor.
- Pulse together until you get a very crumbly mixture.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, and lemon zest and pulse until large clumps form.
- Transfer the pastry dough onto a work surface and knead just until you have one uniform ball of dough.
- Divide the dough in half and cover each with cling wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Assembling the Jam and Amaretti Tart
- Remove 1 disk of dough from the fridge and sprinkle the dough with flour and roll out the dough between 2 sheets of wax or parchment paper. Approximately 11 inches round. (You'll want it wide enough to cover the bottom and up the sides of your pan.)
- Line the greased baking tin with the pastry dough, while pressing together any pieces of dough that come apart.
- Pierce the tin-lined dough with a fork all around and spread it with the jam.
- Pour the amaretto liquor into a small bowl.
- Quickly dip the amaretto cookies in the liquor while turning to coat both sides.
- Starting at the outer edge, circularly layer the amaretti cookies over the jam.
- Roll out the remaining dough between 2 sheets of wax or parchment paper into approximately an 11-inch circle.
- Peel off the top sheet of parchment paper and gently invert the dough while aligning yourself with the edge of the tart tin, over the amaretti-topped tart and peel off the remaining parchment paper.
- Slightly and gently press down around the amaretti cookies and the edges of the tart and cut off any excess dough.
- Bake the crostata in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F, for about 30 to 35 minutes. Or until golden brown in colour.
- Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool for about 30 minutes.
- Release the tart from the baking tin and return the crostata to the wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
- The crostata will keep well in an air-tight container for up to 3-4 days.
This looks sick delicious. Can’t wait to try this. I so appreciate your passion for baking and wonderful recipes.
Thanks so much! This recipe is amazing and we simply adore it. Enjoy the recipes!