Recipe of the Week

I have found another use for my
delicious concord grapes.

This recipe was taken from Lottie + Doof
but I've peppered some notes in, they will
be in italics

Concord Grape Jam Tart

serves 8 to 10

Dough:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 8 oz (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup ice water

Jam:

• 1 1/2 pounds Concord grapes, stems removed
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• Salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Coarse sanding sugar, for sprinkling
• Crème fraîche, for serving

Make the dough: Pulse flour, granulated sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add butter, and process until mixture resembles coarse meal, about 10 seconds. With the machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream until mixture just begins to hold together. Shape dough into two disks. Wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate for at least an hour (or up to two days).

Make the jam: Combine grapes and lemon juice in a medium non-reactive saucepan over high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until grapes release their juices, about 7 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve (you should have 1 1/2 to 2 cups of juice). Return juice to saucepan over high heat, stir in granulated sugar and a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer rapidly until mixture reaches 220° F on a candy thermometer, about 8 minutes. Transfer jam to a bowl to cool, stirring occasionally as it sets. The jam should be thick and spreadable.

*Due to a broken candy thermometer I scorched the first batch of jam, while trying to get it to reach 220 degrees. The second time around I made it sans thermometer and gave it about 10 minutes on the stove until it thickened properly.

Assemble: On a lightly floured surface, roll out each disk of dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Transfer one round to parchment-lined baking sheet, and fit the other round into a 9 1/2-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim edges flush with tart pan. Freeze both until firm. Using the wide base of 2 pastry tips, or anything else you can find, cut clusters of holes in dough on baking sheet and return to freezer until firm.

*I used a house shaped cookie cutter

Preheat oven to 375° F. Spread 1 cup of jam over dough in tart pan. Brush top edge of tart dough with egg. Slide remaining round on top. Press edges to seal and trim excess dough. Brush top with egg, then sprinkle with coarse sugar. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Bake tart for 15 minutes, then gently tap pan on counter to release air bubbles. Return to oven and bake until golden brown and bubbling, 15-20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool. Unmold, and transfer to a platter. Serve with crème fraîche.

**This recipe was surprisingly easy (despite the thermometer debacle) and delicious. I recommend serving it with just a little bit of unsweetened whipped cream, or with some peanut butter brittle ice cream.yum.