Cornmeal and blackberries appear together in many baked goods and desserts, as their late-summer flavors complement each other beautifully. This recipe calls for you to prepare your own jam, for which you will be rewarded with a few extra jars. Otherwise, seek out a top-quality store-bought jam to use in its place; spike it with two tablespoons kirsch.
Recipe information
Yield
makes one 10-inch tart
Ingredients
Old Bachelor’s Jam
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 375°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 12-inch round, 1/4 inch thick. Press dough into bottom and up sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Trim edges to come 1 inch up sides of pan. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
Step 2
Pierce bottom of shell all over with a fork. Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Immediately spread jam in tart shell. Top with blackberries; sprinkle with almonds. Bake 10 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm.
Old Bachelor’s Jam
Step 3
Bring blackberries, 1 3/4 cups sugar, and juice of 1 lemon to a simmer in a large pot. Cook until sugar dissolves and berries are soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Press a parchment round directly on surface of jam, and refrigerate overnight. Repeat with raspberries and remaining 1 3/4 cups sugar and juice of 1 lemon in another large pot.
Step 4
Remove parchment rounds; bring each pot to a boil. Cook over medium-high heat until berries are slightly broken down and mixture is consistency of very loose jelly, about 12 minutes for blackberries and about 17 minutes for raspberries.
Step 5
Divide blackberry jam among 4 half-pint glass jars, filling each halfway; top each with 1 tablespoon kirsch. Divide raspberry jam among jars; top each with 1 tablespoon kirsch.
