Almond and Jam Tart

From the kitchen of Carly

A nutty almond and date crust holds warm strawberry jam sweetened with rice malt syrup. The filling is bright with lemon, the base toasted and crisp. Simple, elegant, and naturally sweet without refined sugar.

Almond and Jam Tart

Dates in the crust do the heavy lifting here, replacing refined sugar and binding everything together without fuss. The result is dense, nutty, and crisp without being crumbly. Strawberries bubble down into a glossy jam over low heat while vanilla beans perfume it quietly. This is an elegant tart that happens to be naturally sweetened and gluten-free, but tastes purely delicious.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1 cupalmonds
  • 10fresh dates, pitted
  • 3 oz(80 g)cold unsalted butter, chopped
  • 1/2 cupwhite rice flour
  • 1 tspvanilla extract
  • 2 tspground cinnamon
  • 1 1/8 lb(500 g)strawberries, hulled and halved
  • 1 tbsplemon juice
  • 2 tbspwater
  • 1/2 cuprice malt syrup
  • 2vanilla beans, split lengthways
  • 1/4 cupflaked almonds
  • 1for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Set the oven to 320°F (160°C). While it warms, grease a 22cm springform tin with butter and lay a circle of parchment paper across the base so the tart releases cleanly. Tip the almonds into a food processor and run the machine until you have a fine, sandy meal. Now add the dates, butter, flour, vanilla, and cinnamon and process again, pausing once or twice to scrape down the sides, until the mixture binds into a soft, slightly sticky dough that holds when you press it. Scoop the dough into the prepared tin and use the back of a spoon or your fingertips to press it firmly and evenly into the base. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the crust looks deep golden and feels crisp to the touch.

  2. While the crust bakes, set a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat with the strawberries, lemon juice, and water. Bring everything to a simmer, stirring now and then, and cook 6 minutes until the berries have broken down and gone glossy. Pour in the rice malt syrup and slip in the split vanilla beans, then drop the heat to low and let the mixture thicken into a loose jam, about 12 minutes. Fish the vanilla beans out and discard. Spoon the warm jam across the cooled crust, sprinkle the flaked almonds in an even layer over the top, and slide the tart back into the oven for another 20 to 25 minutes, until the almonds turn lightly golden and the jam has set at the edges. Let the tart cool fully in the tin before unmolding and slicing.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Process the crust mixture until it feels like wet sand that holds together when pinched, not a wet paste. Overworking it makes the base tough. If the crust seems too soft after processing, chill it for 15 minutes before pressing into the tin.
  • Cook the strawberry jam low and slow. High heat breaks down the fruit too fast and you lose that fresh flavor. Stir occasionally so it thickens evenly and doesn't catch on the bottom.
  • Don't skip discarding the vanilla beans before spreading. They're there for flavor, not texture, and leaving them in creates an ugly pit in every slice.

Variations

  • Swap strawberries for raspberries or blackberries. Use the same amount and cooking time, but expect a looser, more glossy jam that needs an extra minute or two to thicken.
  • Use raw almond butter instead of whole almonds. Process it directly with the dates and butter to skip the food processor step, though you'll lose a tiny bit of texture.
  • Add a pinch of cardamom to the crust mixture for warmth, or stir a tablespoon of rose water into the finished jam for a subtle floral note.
  • Top with toasted coconut flakes instead of sliced almonds for a different textural contrast and a slightly tropical bent.

Make ahead and storage

Keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. The crust softens slightly but stays good. Freezing isn't recommended because the jam becomes watery when thawed.