Spoon tarts: how to use artisanal jam in summer desserts

The tart and Sunday dessert par excellence in southern Italy. Shortcrust pastry, jam, a curled edge or a grid of pastry: simple, honest, good. But artisanal jam opens up much broader possibilities than the classic tart - spoon desserts, semifreddos, panna cotte, rustic cheesecakes that large pastry shops do not know.

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The jam as the protagonist, not as a filling

The difference between an industrial jam and an artisanal one is perceived above all during cooking. Industrial jam, rich in thickeners and added sugars, behaves predictably in the oven: it solidifies, does not spread, and stays in place. Artisanal jam, with a more balanced quantity of sugar and without artificial gelling agents, has a livelier behaviour: it heats up, softens, releases aromas. For the classic tart, this means a filling that is not a solid block but a living cream, which moves on the spoon.

Spoon desserts with jam

Beyond the tart, the artisanal jam is used in many summer desserts: panna cotta with fig coulis (the jam heated with very little water becomes an elegant sauce), rustic cheesecake with apricot jam where the freshness of the apricot contrasts the creaminess of the cheese, semifreddo with pear jam and amaretti to be prepared in advance, and soft tart with ricotta and fig jam without shortcrust pastry.

Pairing with cheeses in dessert

The Cilento pastry tradition knows the combination of desserts and cheeses well. A dessert built on fresh ricotta with a drizzle of honey and a spoonful of fig jam, accompanied by a few walnuts or toasted almonds, and as simple as it is effective.

Advice for choosing the jam

In pastry making, the choice of jam affects the result. For baked tarts, a jam with a high percentage of fruit (at least 60%) and a consistency that is not too liquid is preferred. For puddings and cold desserts, a more fluid jam is ideal as a sauce or coulis. Quality artisanal jams always indicate the percentage of fruit on the label: at least 70-80% guarantees an authentic flavor and not excessive sweetness.