As you embark on your journey to bake the perfect blackberry and bay crostata, you might encounter a few specific baking terms. This simple glossary will help you understand the language of the recipe, empowering you to bake with more confidence and knowledge.
Crostata: An Italian baked tart, traditionally with a lattice top. It is known for its rustic appearance and its use of a sweet shortcrust pastry.
Macerate: To soak fruit in a liquid (in this case, sugar and lemon juice) to soften it and draw out its natural juices. This process is key to creating a rich, syrupy base for the jam without adding water.
Pasta Frolla: (Italian for “friable pastry”) The traditional sweet shortcrust pastry used for crostatas. It is rich in butter and egg yolks, resulting in a tender, crumbly, cookie-like texture.
Creaming: The process of beating together softened butter and sugar until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy. This incorporates air into the mixture, which helps to create a lighter-textured pastry.
Set Point (for Jam): The point at which a jam has cooked long enough to thicken, or “set,” upon cooling. The “wrinkle test” on a chilled saucer is a classic method for determining this.
Lattice: The decorative, woven pattern of pastry strips on top of the crostata. It is both beautiful and functional, allowing steam to escape from the filling as it bakes.
Loose-Bottomed Tart Tin: A two-piece baking tin with a removable base, which allows for the easy and clean removal of the delicate, finished tart.