TODAY’S RECIPE: Jam tarts

VALENTINE’S treats. MAKES 12.

Ingredients

250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 125g butter, chilled and diced, plus extra for the tin 1 medium egg 1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped (optional) 100g jam, fruit curd or marmalade of your choice

Method

1 Put flour, butter and a pinch of salt in a bowl and rub together with fingertips (or pulse in a food processor). When the mixture looks and feels like fresh breadcrumbs, stir in the egg and vanilla seeds, if using, with a cutlery knife. Add 1 tbsp cold water, then start to bring dough together in one lump with your hands — try not to knead it too much. Add an extra 1 tbsp of water if it’s not coming together. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

2 Heat oven to 200c/180c fan/gas 6. Butter a 12-hole tart tin, then dust work surface with flour. Unwrap and roll out chilled pastry so it’s the thickness of a £1 coin, then use a straight or fluted round cutter to cut out 12 circles big enough to line the holes in the tin. Dollop 1 tsp to 2 tsp of your chosen filling into each one and, if you like, cut out little pastry hearts and pop them on top.

3 Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden and the filling is starting to bubble. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes and then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.