Yorkshire curd tartlets recipe

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

Method

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Spoon cheese mixture into the pastry cases and grate a little nutmeg on top.
5. 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.