Buttery Viennese Tarts

Buttery Viennese Tarts are delicate piped treats with a sweet jam centre and icing sugar finish. Perfect for afternoon tea, baking ideas, butter cookies, and easy homemade desserts.

These Buttery Viennese Tarts have a delicate crumb, sweet jam centre and pretty icing sugar finish. They’re a lovely addition to an afternoon tea board or homemade baking collection. Would you choose strawberry, raspberry or apricot jam?

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Why You Will Love and Enjoy These Buttery Viennese Tarts

• They’re buttery and tender: The generous amount of butter gives these little tarts their delicate texture.
• The jam centre makes them special: You get a sweet little hit of jam in every bite without making the recipe complicated.
• They look more impressive than they are: Once you’ve got the piping technique down, these are surprisingly easy to make.

Additional Information

• Can this be frozen? Yes. They can be frozen once completely cooled. Freeze them in a single layer first, then transfer them to an airtight freezer-safe container with baking paper between the layers. For the best texture, use within about 2 months and thaw at room temperature.
• How long can this be stored and how? Store the cooled tarts in an airtight container at room temperature for about 4 to 5 days. Keep them somewhere cool and dry rather than in the fridge, as refrigeration can affect their delicate texture.
• Should the butter be melted? No. Use soft butter that can easily be beaten, but it shouldn’t be oily or melted.
• Do I need to grease the paper cups or patty pans? Not usually. The butter in the mixture provides plenty of fat, and the paper cups make removal easy.
• How much jam should I add? Use enough to fill the small centre depression without overflowing. Around ½ tsp per tart is a useful starting point for average-sized tarts.
• Can I use a different jam? Yes. Smooth strawberry, raspberry, apricot or plum jam would all work well. If the jam contains large pieces of fruit, chop or stir it before using.
• Why did my piped mixture feel too stiff? The most likely culprit is butter that wasn’t soft enough before creaming, or flour that was packed heavily into the measuring cup. Weighing the flour, as this recipe does, helps avoid that problem.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Vanilla essence: Vanilla extract can be used in the same amount.
• Jam: Strawberry, raspberry, apricot or plum jam all work well.
• Cake flour: If you don’t have cake flour, a suitable homemade cake flour substitute can be used, but the texture may be slightly different.
• Icing sugar: Don’t swap the icing sugar for granulated sugar without adjusting the recipe. Icing sugar helps give these tarts their fine, delicate texture.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

• What if the tarts spread too much? The butter may have been too warm, or the mixture may not have been creamed properly. Soft butter is what you want, not butter that’s close to melting.
• What if they’re difficult to pipe? Let the butter soften properly before starting and cream it thoroughly with the icing sugar. Once the flour is added, fold just until combined.
• Why add the jam while the tarts are warm? The warmth makes the jam easier to spread or spoon into the centre and helps it settle neatly into the cavity.
• Why add the icing sugar after they’re completely cool? If the tarts are still warm, the icing sugar can melt into the surface instead of giving you that clean dusted finish.

Print

The best part of these buttery tarts is right in the middle. These tarts get their sweet filling while they’re still warm. That small detail helps create their signature finish. Did you expect the jam to go in afterwards?

Buttery Viennese Tarts combine a tender, buttery crumb with sweet jam and a delicate icing sugar finish. The piping technique is straightforward, the ingredients are familiar, and the finished tarts look special enough for afternoon tea while still being easy enough for an ordinary baking day.

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