Tart disaster

The 2010 November Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Simona of briciole. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make pasta frolla for a crostata. She used her own experience as a source, as well as information from Pellegrino Artusi’s Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well.

Not my favorite challenge, but I got my tart baked. I've never gone out of my way to get me some tart. You know those beautiful cream tarts with the fruit on top? I love the way they look but I always find them surprisingly blah in flavor and end up just munching on the fruit.

I liked the way my finished product looked too, and I was surprised that after a little practice I could make pretty almost-lattice work. It tasted pretty good, but I don't think I'll be making more tarts in the near future.

The first attempt was an unqualified disaster. I didn't burn the house down but I tried my darndest. I didn't have as much jam as was called for in the recipe - maybe that's why the thing burned to a crisp?? The pups did enjoy a tiny, only mildly charred section in the very middle, but the remainder had to be plopped in the garbage.

Second time around was at least edible. We sampled a bit and I brought the rest to work, where my coworkers happily finished off the marmalade tart.

I probably should have been more ambitious and made some preserves or pastry cream or some other filling, but my heart just wasn't in it, so I used some storebought jars I'd been waiting for a good reason to use.

The pdf of the recipe is attached here, if anyone's much more excited about tarts than I am.