Jam Tarts: Mk I

So the apple cinnamon jelly went wrong! Those of you who follow my antics on twitter, facebook, LJ or even in real life (whatever that is!) will already have heard of my woes with the jelly. The chutney, various pickles, ketchups, marmalade and jams all came out beautifully. But that darn apple jelly, a recipe mum has made without a hitch for decade upon decade, went wrong.

But the thick, sticky accidental concoction tasted far too good to throw away so we've been racking our brains to think of a way to utilise it's wonderfully caramelised texture and flavour. My clever colleague, Jill, came up with my favourite solution: jam tarts!

Here's the first experimentation and I'm pleased to say that the caramelised apple cinnamon jelly is an absolutely perfect filling!

The pastry recipe we used needs work - more butter and more liquid to make it moister and more pliable. But I did really like the inclusion of orange zest, which adds a real zing to the tart case, so will be keeping that element of the recipe. (I happen to have about 6 tiny bags of orange zest in the freezer from oranges I zested before eating some months ago, and for which I've been seeking uses, so double happiness).

No recipe to share as the filling was an accident and the pastry needs reworking!