Strawberry Vanilla Jam Crumb Bars

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups Ruk's Preserves Strawberry Jam        

For the Shortbread:

1 1/2 sticks Unsalted Butter                                 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar                                        

1/2 tsp Salt                                                           1 tsp Vanilla Extract                                                

1 3/4 cups All Purpose Flour                    

For the Crumb Topping: 

1/4 cup All Purpose Flour                                 1/4 cup Packed Brown Sugar                                     1/4 cup Toasted Almonds, finely chopped      Pinch of Sea Salt                                                        2 Tbsp Cold, Unsalted Butter, Cut into small pieces

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DIRECTIONS: 

Spray the inside of a 9×9 inch pan with baking spray and line it with parchment, allowing the paper to hang over two sides of the pan.

Cream the butter, powdered sugar and salt in a stand mixer on medium-high until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, lower the speed and gradually add the flour until the dough is smooth. Briefly stir to ensure the dough is evenly combined.

Using plastic wrap, press the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the shortbread for 25-30 minutes, or until lightly golden on top. Allow to cool to room temperature.

To prepare the topping, combine the flour, brown sugar, almonds, salt and butter in a small bowl. Use a fork to mash the ingredients together until crumbly.

Spread 1½ cups of the strawberry jam on top of the shortbread. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the jam.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the topping is brown. Allow to cool completely before slicing into bars.

Recipe altered by Ruk's Preserves originally from: www.savorysimple.net

Jam Kolachis

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter, softened                      1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 oz. cream cheese, softened             1/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted   

1/4 cup Ruk's Preserves Strawberry Jam, (or any flavor)

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INSTRUCTIONS: 

Beat butter and cream cheese in mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Add flour gradually, beating well after each addition.

Roll dough to 1/8 of an inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 2 inch circles. Spoon 1/4 tsp. jam into each center. Fold opposite edges together slightly overlapping edges. 

Place  2 inches apart onto a greased cookie sheet. 

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove cookies from sheets to wire racks to cool. Once completely cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Yield: 24 servings

Recipe altered by Ruk's Preserves originally from: www.allrecipes.com

Pineapple Preserves Upside Down Cake

INGREDIENTS:
1 Box Yellow Cake Mix (prepared using box instructions)
1 (8 oz) jar Ruk's Preserves Pineapple Jam (or any flavor)

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INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to to your box recipe's instructions.                                                            Grease 2 round cake pans.
Spread 4 oz of the jam over the bottom of each pan. (or more if you choose and have it on hand)
Pour half of the prepared cake mix over the jam in each pan.
Place the pans in the oven and bake to your recipe's instructions                                                                                                                             Once finished, allow to cool for a few minutes, then turn upside down onto a platter and enjoy!

Yield: 2 Round Cakes

Recipe by Ruk's Preserves

Frozen Jam Yogurt Pops

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups plain, yogurt

2 Tablespoons honey

¼ cup Strawberry Ruk's Preserves Jam (or any flavor)

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EQUIPMENT:

• ice cream machine
• popsicle molds

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INSTRUCTIONS:

Whisk yogurt and honey together and pour into the bowl of an ice cream machine*. Churn until stiff.

Return to bowl and ‘ribbon’ jam into frozen yogurt.

Spoon into ice cube tray or popsicle molds, push in a wooden skewer or popcicle stick and freeze until solid.

*I use this Cuisinart Automatic Ice Cream Maker.

Recipe altered by Ruk's Preserves originally from: www.simplebites.net 

Jam Twists

INGREDIENTS:
2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
1/2 cup Ruk's Preserves Red Berry Jam (or any flavor)

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INSTRUCTIONS: 
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Place one of the sheets of puff pastry onto a cutting board.
Spread a thin layer of jam over the entire surface and top with the remaining sheet of puff pastry.
Gently press down on the surface to seal the sheets together.
Using a pizza cutter or large knife cut 16 strips.
Twist each puff pastry strip and place it onto a baking sheet lined with parchment.
Line the baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch gap between each strip.
Bake for about 15-17 minutes or until the strips puff up and begin to brown.

Yield: 16 Servings

Recipe altered by Ruk's Preserves originally from: Spoon Fork Bacon

Jam Filled Buns

INGREDIENTS:

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted                  1 tsp vanilla extract            

3/4 cup cake flour, sifted                                 1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 1/4 tsp (1 envelope) instant dry yeast           Orange Zest from 1 orange

1/2 tsp salt                                                         1 egg (for egg wash)

4 tbsp white sugar                                           1/4 cup butter

2 cups milk, lukewarm                                     Powdered Sugar (optional)

3 eggs                                                              

1  cup Ruk's Preserves Chunky Triple Berry Jam (or any flavor) 

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DIRECTIONS: 

Combine all the dry ingredients together (flour, cake flour, instant dry yeast, sugar, and salt). 

Add the lukewarm milk, eggs, vanilla extract, vegetable oil and the orange zest.

You can knead this by hand, or make it easy on yourself and use your mixer. Mix until the dough is smooth, add more flour as needed. The dough needs to be just a little bit sticky.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl and let it rest in a warm place. Let the dough rest until it doubles in size, usually about an hour.

Punch down the dough and roll out onto a slightly floured work surface. Roll it out so that it's a big rectangle (about 14 inches x 18 inches). It should be about 1/2 inch in thickness. Using a pastry cutter, a pizza cutter, or a knife, cut the dough into 2 3/4 x 2 3/4 inch squares.

Using your fingers make a small indentation into each square and place about 1 tsp of jam in the center.

Carefully fold each square in half and pinch the ends together. The dough should be sticky enough so that it sticks together.

Repeat these steps until all rolls are made. Place the dough onto a buttered pan and brush some more butter on the sides of the rolls, so that they don't stick together.

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.

Brush all rolls with egg wash, and let them rest for an additional 20 minutes. They will rise a bit more.

Bake them for about 25 to 30 minutes, until nice and golden brown.

Optional - Serve sprinkled with some powdered sugar.

Yield: 34 buns

Recipe altered by Ruk's Preserves originally from: www.jocooks.com  

Jam Squares

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup all-purpose flour                           6 Tbsp butter, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar                                          1/2 cup walnuts, chopped               

7 oz Ruk's Preserves Lemon Marmalade (or any flavor jam)

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INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F..  Spray an 8"x8" baking pan with non-stick cooking spray or lightly grease with butter and set aside.

Add flour, sugar, walnuts and butter to a medium bowl.  Using a pastry blender or a fork, combine butter with dry ingredients until mixture is combined.  Alternatively, place ingredients in a food processor and pulse a few times until combined.

Reserve 1 cup of the mixture and press the remaining mixture on the bottom of prepared baking pan to form crust.  Press until mixture is firmly in place. 

Spread jam on top of crust and sprinkle with reserved flour mixture. 

Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.

Cool on a wire rack completely.  Cut into desired size squares.

 Yield: 8-10 servings

Recipe altered by Ruk's Preserves originally from: www.motherthyme.com  

Jam Filled Butter Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup butter, softened                      1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar                              2 egg yolks   

1/2 cup Ruk's Preserves Pineapple Jam, (or any flavor)

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INSTRUCTIONS: 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). 

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar, and egg yolks. Mix in flour a little bit at a time until a soft dough forms. Roll dough into 1 inch balls.

(If dough is too soft, refrigerate for 15-20 minutes) 

Place cookie balls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Use your finger to make a well in the center of each cookie. Fill the hole with 1/2 tsp. of preserves. 

Bake for 8-10 minutes in a preheated oven until golden brown on the bottom. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.  

Yield: 36 servings

Recipe altered by Ruk's Preserves originally from: www.allrecipes.com