Dried Cherry + Nasturtium Jam Tartelettes

Cherry and nasturtium make quite the pair...tart + floral with a hint of earthy goodness. Cherry season flew by this year...so I decided to make some dried cherry jam and it turned out beautifully! I have recently fallen in love with dried fruit jams, though I must say it has taken some experimenting on my part to create the ideal texture...soaking the dried fruit prior to cooking really helps soften the texture and results in a silky, yet deliciously chewy consistency.Jam tartelettes are quite easy to make. Perfect for a summer shower or brunch with the girls...feel free to also try this recipe with my dried apricot + lavender sugar jam (you will need to double the recipe to make 12 tartelettes)...enjoy!Crust: Makes twelve 4″ mini crustsIngredients:1 1/3 cups organic unbleached all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 cup of cold-cold-cold butter cut into 1/2 inch cubes1/4 cup ice cold filtered waterDirections:Mix the flour and salt in a food processor for 5 seconds. Add the cubes of butter. Mix for another 10 seconds. Add the cold water in a slow stream until a ball of dough begins to form. Place the dough on a work surface sprinkled with flour and form into a disk. Resist the urge to play around with the dough and handle as little as possible…this results in a super flaky dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes…then back to the work surface…form 12 balls of dough. Roll out into 4″ rounds. You can use a round cookie cutter if you are wanting to make perfectly round mini crusts. Butter a 12 cup non-stick muffin pan. Place rounds in each cup and gently press down. Add filling (see recipe below). Bake at 325 degrees for about 25-30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes before serving. Garnish each tartelette with a fresh, organic nasturtium flower...Dried Cherry + Nasturtium Jam Filling:Ingredients:3/4 cup organic dried tart cherries1 1/2 cup filtered waterJuice from ½ organic lemon½ cup nasturtium simple syrup (recipe below)Directions:Place dried cherries and water in a bowl and let rest for 2 hours. Transfer water and cherries to a saucepan and place over medium heat. Add the lemon juice and simple syrup. Stir until you bring the mixture to a simmer. Allow to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened and turned into a thick jam.Nasturtium Simple Syrup:Ingredients:1 cup organic sugar1/2 cup filtered waterAbout 6-8 organic nasturtium flowersDirections:Place all ingredients in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Allow the mixture to simmer for about 5-10 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture becomes a thick syrup. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Nasturtium syrup is incredibly versatile. You can drizzle over vanilla ice cream, french toast, or use in cocktails. Store in the fridge…use within one week.Recipe/Photo/Styling by Cassie Winslow