Jampacked: strawberry shortbread with strawberry and vanilla jam

The leafy runners on strawberry farms around the Cape are finally hanging heavy with this sweet fuchsia fruit. With these strawberry recipes from Tina Bester, taken from her newest book, Jampacked, there will be no missed opportunities this year. To put your freshly made jam to mouthwatering use, she dishes up a tasty shortbread recipe too. It’s no wonder they call her the Queen of Tarts.

I love berry season. This jam is delicious with freshly baked buttermilk scones and whipped cream.

Ingredients for the strawberry and vanilla jam:

1 kg strawberries, washed and hulled
800g sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon butter
1 vanilla pod

Method:

1. Place the strawberries and sugar in a pot and heat slowly until all the sugar has melted.
2. Add the lemon juice and butter and turn the heat up. Cook for 30 minutes, testing it from time to time to see if it has reached setting point and is ready to bottle (see page 193).
3. Split the vanilla pod in half lengthways and scrape out the seeds.
4. Add the seeds and the pod to the jam and cook for 5 more minutes.
5. Remove the pod, pour the jam into sterilised jars and seal.

Ingredients for the strawberry shortbread (makes 15):

Lovely with a cup of tea whenever you feel the need for a bit of a treat

200g butter, softened
300g castor sugar
2 eggs
400g flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
180ml strawberry and vanilla jam, page
50g flaked almonds

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C. Line a 20cmx30cm baking sheet with baking paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together and then add the eggs, one at a time.
3. Sieve the flour and baking powder and gradually mix in until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Bring the dough together and set aside 1 cup of dough. Press the remaining dough into the prepared baking sheet.
5. Spread the strawberry jam over the dough.
6. Crumble the remaining dough over the jam, sprinkle with the flaked almonds and bake for 25–30 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cut into bars and allow them to cool.

For more of Tina Bester’s delicious and delightfully simple recipes check out Jampacked as well as all her other lovely books in our cookery books fold.

Try her roasted red pepper and cashew nut pesto with fresh spaghetti, a tasty dinner solution, if you like her combo cooking.

All recipes and images were taken from Jampacked by Tina Bester Queen of Tarts, a Quivertree publication.