Maids of Honor Tarts | History & Recipe

This recipe for Maids of Honor Tarts is one I discovered in the course of my research for Yankee Magazine‘s Lost and Vintage Recipescookbook, though it didn’t make it into this book. But it’s wonderful and well worth a try. According to British cooking maven Delia Smith, these tarts are rumored to have originated at Richmond Palace in the 16th century. The fillings have changed over the years—ours are made with jam and a simple almond paste topping—but the appeal of these bite-size treats hasn’t changed at all.

First, make the pastry dough. You’ll know the dough is ready when the mixture looks like cornmeal with some pea-sized bits of butter remaining. Adding ice water and stirring with a fork until the dough begins to come together comes next. A biscuit cutter or drinking glass gives you the perfect tart crust shape. Tuck a round of pastry into each of the muffin tin cups, folding the dough as needed to make it fit. Spoon a scant teaspoonful of jam into each of the tarts and top with a spoonful of the almond topping. Bake and then enjoy!

GET THE RECIPE: Maids of Honor Tarts