Name: Yorkshire curd tartlets recipe
Yield: Makes: 24
Ingredients: 100g (3½oz) butter, diced; 200g (7oz) plain flour; 30g (1oz) caster sugar; 1 medium egg yolk

By GoodtoKnow

published 9 October 2007

in Recipes

These traditional tarts - with a delicious dash of brandy - may well be the forerunner to the cheesecake recipes we have today

Ingredients

100g (3½oz) butter, diced
200g (7oz) plain flour
30g (1oz) caster sugar
1 medium egg yolk

For the filling:

250g (8oz) curd cheese
2 medium eggs, beaten
75g (2½oz) caster sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
60g (2oz) currants
1 tsp finely chopped mixed peel
1 tbsp brandy
Freshly grated nutmeg
Icing sugar, for dredging

WEIGHT CONVERTER

I want to convert...

grams

cups

Method

To make the pastry: Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in sugar, then mix the egg yolk with 2 tablespoons cold water, add to mixture and stir with a round-bladed knife to make a fi rm dough. Knead dough lightly to a disc shape, wrap in cling fi lm and chill while the oven heats up. Set oven to Gas Mark 4 or 180°C.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface, fairly thinly (in 2 batches is easier) and cut out rounds to line the patty tins.
To make the filling: Soften the curd cheese in a bowl, then beat in the eggs with the sugar, and stir in the lemon zest, currants, peel and brandy.
Spoon cheese mixture into the pastry cases and grate a little nutmeg on top.
Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, until the pastry is lightly browned and the filling set. Dust with icing sugar. Serve warm or cold, with cream, if you like.

Top Tip for making Yorkshire curd tartlets

You can use cottage cheese instead of curd cheese and add 4 tablespoons of single cream. Vanilla extract makes a suitable, non-alcoholic alternative to brandy. To freeze the tartletspack into a plastic tub, interleaved with paper. Seal, label and freeze. Use within 2 months. Allow to thaw, then warm through for serving.

Trusted, informative, and empathetic – GoodToKnow is the ultimate online destination for parents. At GoodtoKnow, our mission is 'simple': we're trying to make sense of parenthood. On the site, you'll find everything you need for a happy, healthy family life. Our huge archive of content includes more than 18,000 articles and 1,500 how-to videos. These include expert-backed advice features on parenting, dealing with relationship changes after having a baby, self-care for mums and managing your family finances. We also feature tried-and-tested product reviews and buying recommendations for every stage of family life - from prams and Moses baskets to birthday gifts and top toys.