Seeking: Tasty Pastries to Utilize a Glut of House-Made Jam

I’ve ended up with plenty of fruit spreads made with assorted seasonal fruits – what are some baking ideas that would use some of it up?
A jam enthusiast, Holland

“Jam is at the heart of countless wonderful traditional desserts,” notes an expert pastry chef. Her go-to suggestion is to tip a jar of the sweet stuff into a buttered ceramic baking dish and top it with fluffy mixture: “Make a simple, balanced combination adjusted for your dish by creaming roughly 180g butter and 180g granulated sugar, slowly beating in one large egg and a dash of flavoring, and finishing with 180g leavened flour.” Spread this on top of the jam and place in the oven at 190C (170C fan)/375F/gas 5 until the sponge “springs back” and it’s fully cooked. Enjoy hot with whipped cream or pouring custard, and you’re all set.

Another great use is jam to layer or garnish cakes. “Obvious things are a Victoria sponge, but that isn’t very generous with jam,” notes a celebrated pastry chef, who prefers to layer icing over the top of a flavorful bake, as an idea, hollow out a spot in the middle with the back of a spoon and pop some jam in there: “It’s a great trick to add flair and it also helps reduce a good quantity of jam.” It wouldn’t hurt to use berry jams to top a classic simple sheet cake: “After baking, top with jam then scatter with toasted flakes.” Alternatively, joy can be found in a retro jam tart or traditional pastry.

Naturally, jam is a perfect partner of cookies, with enthusiasts agreeing that thumbprint cookies are an excellent choice. Some opt for Italian-style cookies: “Whisk egg whites with icing sugar, almond meal and citrus zest until stiff to shape, then roll in icing sugar.” Create a hollow in the centre, fill with the jam and bake: “These are mouthwatering, soft and last for days in a closed tin.” On the other hand, shortbread are another winner: “Make a simple shortbread by beating icing sugar and unsalted butter, then mix in flour – some use plain and spelt – cornflour, a pinch of salt and vanilla paste.” Pipe that, make a thumbprint, spoon in jam and bake until the edges are lightly golden.

A spoonful of jam also gives breakfast an instant zhoosh. For some, that means breakfast bowls, while no sensible person ever said no to a enriched croissant. “Slice croissants in half and slather with jam. Beat together 80g butter and 80g raw sugar, incorporate an egg and 80g almond flour, then fill your flavored croissants, and add a layer, too.” Sprinkle with toasted almonds, then bake at a 190C (170C fan)/375F/gas 5 oven for 20 minutes for a very good morning.

If baking isn’t enough sweet treats you can eat (well, in theory, anyway), so also think about sharing your bounty: “Put a nice bow on the jars and share them,” recommends a baker. “Everyone loves an homemade present.” Or, host a gathering, blend a dash of jam into refreshments – “with gin, lemon juice and tonic,” – and enjoy the taste of sunshine.