Weekly recipes for warm hearts · Baking

Jam tartlets

Name: Jam tartlets
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 24 small tartlets
Cuisine: South African
Ingredients: 1.3 kg fresh chicken drumsticks and thighs; 30 g butter and 10 ml cooking oil; 2 medium onions, chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 2 medium carrots, sliced; 700 g potatoes, cut into large cubes; 600 g butternut, cubed; 300 g green beans; 20 ml cake flour; 500 ml chicken stock; 30 ml wholegrain mustard; 50 ml apricot jam; 10 ml apple cider vinegar; 10 ml fresh thyme leaves; 2 bay leaves; 200 ml fresh cream; 30 ml fresh parsley, chopped; Salt and black pepper to taste

30 July 2026

Jam tartlets are one of those simple bakes that make a home smell of butter, tea and visitors. These little tarts are made with a crisp sweet pastry and a spoonful of jam, making them ideal for tea tables, school sales and VLU gatherings.

This version uses everyday ingredients, works well with apricot or strawberry jam and can easily be baked in advance. The dough is chilled briefly so that the shells keep their neat shape, and the jam is spooned in sparingly so that it bubbles attractively without overflowing.

A classic little treat

Yield: 24 small jam tartlets
Preparation: 25 minutes
Baking time: 15–18 minutes
Total time: About 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

For the pastry

250 g cake flour or plain flour
125 g cold butter, cut into cubes
80 g caster sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons iced water, if needed
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
a pinch of salt

For the filling

about 180 g apricot or strawberry jam
a little extra flour for rolling
icing sugar for dusting, optional

Method

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Lightly beat the egg and vanilla together. Add them to the flour mixture and work them in with a knife or fork. Add iced water if the dough looks too dry. Bring the dough together quickly by hand without overworking it.
Shape into a flat disc, wrap and chill for 20 minutes.
Heat the oven to 180 °C. Lightly grease a 24-hole mini muffin tin or small tartlet pans.
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 3 mm thick. Cut out rounds and use them to line the pans. Press gently into the corners.
Spoon about 1 teaspoon of jam into each pastry shell. Do not overfill, because the jam bubbles during baking.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the edges are golden and the jam is glossy and hot.
Leave the tartlets in the tin for 5 minutes before lifting them out carefully. Cool completely on a wire rack and dust lightly with icing sugar if desired.

Mini jam tartlets on a baking tray with butter, eggs and jam nearby during the baking process. — Press the pastry gently into the tins and fill each shell modestly so that the jam bakes neatly.

Helpful tips

If the dough becomes warm and soft, return it to the fridge for 10 minutes before continuing.
Use a thick, smooth jam rather than a very runny preserve to reduce spill-over.
For a prettier finish, cut stars or tiny flowers from leftover pastry and place them on top of the jam before baking.

Serve and store

Serve with tea or coffee as a small sweet treat.
Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
The baked shells can also be made ahead and filled later.

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