Grandma Monette’s Cherry Jam Tart

If a recipe calls for a fruit that may be available at a reasonable price only a few months of the year, such as fresh berries, cherries, and peaches, go for jam instead. Jam delivers the essence of the fresh fruit in a much more economical package. If fresh fruit is called for as a topping, dilute jam with some lemon-mint simple syrup or even just a little hot water – then serve as a fruit sauce. 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Make the filling: Combine the cherry preserves and lemon juice in a bowl, stirring to break up any clumps.

Make the crust: Butter a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl with a mixer on medium speed. Add the whole egg, then the vanilla. Whisk the all-purpose flour, almond flour, lemon zest, cinnamon and cloves in a bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in up to 1 tablespoon water until the dough just comes together. Wrap two-thirds of the dough in plastic wrap, then wrap the remaining one-third in plastic wrap. Refrigerate both for 30 minutes.

Put the larger piece of dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper and roll it out into an 11-inch round. Remove the top sheet of parchment paper and invert the dough into the prepared tart pan; peel off the other sheet of parchment paper and trim the excess dough. Spread the jam evenly on the crust. Roll out the remaining dough to about 1/4 inch thick and cut it into 1/2- to 1-inch-wide strips (10 to 14 strips). Arrange the strips in a lattice pattern on top of the filling. Beat the egg yolk with 1 tablespoon water and brush on the lattice and edge of the crust. Bake until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely.