Crostata di Marmellata (Italian Jam Tart)

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This crostata di marmellata (Italian jam tart) has a tender, buttery crust and a sweet and flavorful apricot jam filling. For ease, I've chosen to use high quality store bought jam, but you can certainly use homemade jam or preserves if you have some! The tart is topped with a simple lattice design. No intricate weaving required.

A lattice topped crostata di marmellata with one slice removed.

Crostata di marmellata is a traditional rustic dessert made throughout Italy. The shortcrust pastry dough (pasta frolla in Italian) is made with baking powder for a light and slightly soft texture. Pasta frolla is a sweet and buttery dough that is a staple in Italian baking.

I've used it in this pasta frola, an Argentine tart made with quince paste, and also to create these rich filled Nutella biscuits. It's a wonderfully easy dough to mix up, and handles beautifully.

A crostata di marmellata recipe usually features a filling of homemade jam made from the season's latest abundance, whether apricots, peaches, cherries, plums, or a myriad of other options.

Since this is a recipe that can be baked year-round, I opted to use a good quality jam from the store. If possible, choose one with a limited amount of ingredients (fruit, sugar, pectin, and citric acid or lemon juice) and less sugar.

If you're in need of a visually enticing, no fuss recipe for a coffee get-together or dinner party, look no further than this easy jam tart!

Jump to:

Ingredients
Instructions
Variations
Equipment
Storage
FAQ
📖 Recipe
More Tarts
💬 Comments

Ingredients

Unsalted butter - Using unsalted butter allows you to control the total quantity of salt in the recipe. Salt content in salted butter varies from brand to brand.
Granulated sugar - For sweetness, and to help the crust brown.
Lemon zest - Zest provides a wonderful, bright citrus flavor and aroma. It smells so good when it's baking!
All purpose flour - Flour binds the dough together.
Kosher salt - For added flavor.
Baking powder - For leavening, giving the dough a softer, lighter texture.
Eggs - One whole egg plus an egg yolk serve as a binder and add fat and flavor to the dough.
Apricot jam - For ease, this recipe calls for high quality store bought jam. If you have homemade jam, feel free to use it here! The jar I purchased contained 370 grams (13 ounces), but you could easily use up to 450 grams (16 ounces).

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Learn how to make crostata di marmellata! All you need is pasta frolla dough and a jar of jam. These photos will walk you through the process. See the recipe card for detailed instructions.

Wet ingredients for pastry dough in a clear glass mixing bowl.

To make the dough, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until well combined. Scrape down sides of the bowl. Add lemon zest and mix again.

Dry and wet ingredients for tart dough in a clear glass mixing bowl.

Add flour, salt and baking powder. Mix on medium low speed until mixture resembles fine sand.

Finished tart dough in a glass mixing bowl.

Shortcrust pastry dough divided into thirds on parchment paper.

Add egg and egg yolk. Mix on low speed just until mixture comes together. Do not over mix.

Gather dough into a rectangle. Separate the dough into two uneven portions - one should be ⅔ of the dough, and the other should be ⅓. Flatten each dough piece into a round disc.

A circle of rolled pastry dough on white parchment paper.

Unbaked pastry dough in a fluted tart pan.

Roll out the larger piece of dough between two pieces of parchment paper. It should be about ⅛" thick.

Carefully flip the dough upside down onto the tart pan. If any cracks or tears occur, patch with extra dough scraps. Press dough to ensure no air pockets remain between dough and pan.

Trim excess dough from the edge of the tart pan with a knife held parallel to your work surface. Place tart pan in refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes.

Lattice dough strips on white parchment paper.

An unbaked tart shell filled with apricot jam.

Combine scraps with remaining ⅓ of dough. Roll dough to ⅛" thick between two sheets of parchment. Place on a sheet pan and chill in refrigerator. After chilling, use a ruler and sharp knife or fluted pastry wheel to cut the dough into long ¾ inch wide strips. Place back on sheet pan into refrigerator to chill.

Spoon the jam into the chilled tart shell and use a mini offset spatula or the back of a spoon to level and smooth the filling.

An unbaked crostata di marmellata with strips of lattice dough on top.

Place half of the lattice strips on the tart in one direction, spacing them ¾ inch apart (the same width as the lattice). Press down gently on the edges to seal them. Place the top layer of lattice strips at an angle to the bottom layer of strips to create an X shape. The holes between the lattice strips should resemble diamonds. Use a knife to trim the ends that overhang.

Place tart in freezer to chill for 10 minutes.

A lattice topped crostata di marmellata on a grey speckled plate.

Bake for 32-34 minutes, until lattice and crust are golden brown and jam in middle of tart is bubbling. Place on a baking rack to fully cool.

Refrigerate tart for one hour prior to serving in order to slice cleanly. Sprinkle with powdered sugar directly before serving.

Close up side view of sliced apricot jam tart.

Hints: When working with dough for lattice, make sure you chill the dough well first. Cut the lattice strips after you chill the rolled out dough, and then place back into the refrigerator again until cool.

If the lattice strips become too pliable as you are placing them on the crostata, pop them back in the fridge again for a few minutes.

Chill the fully assembled crostata alla marmellata for at least 10 minutes (I put it in the freezer) before baking to ensure the butter in the dough is cold.

Three slices of lattice topped jam tart on tan plates.

Variations

Give these variations and serving suggestions a try.

Other jam flavors - While apricot is the most traditional flavor of jam for Italian crostata di marmellata, feel free to substitute any good quality jam in your pantry or fridge, whether store bought or homemade.
Reduced sweetness - If you are concerned that the apricot jam alone will be too sweet for your palate, consider substituting ⅓ of the apricot jam with orange marmalade. The tart orange flavor of the marmalade will help temper the sweetness of the apricot jam.
Citrus zest - Pair the zest in the pasta frolla dough with the flavor of the jam. You might try lime zest with strawberry jam, lemon zest with blackberry or raspberry jam, or orange zest with plum or fig jam.
Spiced crust - Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of spices to the dough (when you add the flour) to compliment the jam. Check here for a great list of flavors to pair with different fruits. For example, apricot jam might pair well with cinnamon and ginger, while cardamom and nutmeg would complement blueberry jam.

Equipment

Items below contain affiliate links.

For my tart recipes, I use this nonstick carbon steel tart pan with a removable base.

A half sheet baking pan (18 x 13 inches) keeps the base of the tart from browning too quickly and catches any drips or spills. Sometimes a bit of butter leaks from the bottom of the tart. Save yourself the work of cleaning the oven and use a baking sheet underneath!

Parchment paper is great for lining the baking pan. The cookies won't stick at all if you use parchment underneath. One roll of this 15 inch x 164 foot (38 centimeter x 50 meter) non-stick paper lasts a LONG time! If you have access to a Costco store, the price is often a bit better.

A pastry wheel makes cutting lattice strips easy. It has two wheels with both a plain side and a fluted side. The fluted side makes the pretty scalloped edge you see on the lattice in this recipe.

Storage

This apricot jam tart is easiest to slice when chilled. Chill in the refrigerator until close to serving time.

Store: Keep this tart (well wrapped) in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Freeze: To freeze leftovers, wrap with plastic wrap and place in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, unwrap to avoid condensation making the crust soggy. Defrost in the refrigerator prior to serving.

FAQ

How much jam is in a crostata di marmellata?

This recipe calls for 370 grams of apricot jam, or 13 ounces. It's flexible, so you could easily use 340 grams (12 ounces) or 400 grams (14 ounces) if you have slightly more or less jam available.

At what temperature do you bake a crostata di marmellata?

The crostata bakes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177° Celsius, Gas mark 4).

How long does a crostata di marmellata bake?

At 350 degrees Fahrenheit, the apricot crostata bakes for 32-34 minutes on the center rack of the oven.

A slice of lattice topped apricot jam tart on a plate.

📖 Recipe