Yorkshire Curd Tart

Cakes & BakingServes 8

A teatime staple and firm favourite of many for good reason, Yorkshire Curd Tart was traditionally made as a way of using up leftover cheese curds but has now has become fixture on many afternoon tea menus. This delicious version from Yorkshire food writer and recipe developer Elaine Lemm is taken from her book More Than Yorkshire Puddings and makes the perfect weekend treat served with lashings of whipped cream. For more recipe inspiration visit www.elainelemm.com  

Ingredients

350g shortcrust pastry

 

For the Filling:

125g unsalted soft butter

50g caster sugar

2 large eggs (well beaten)

175g fresh cheese curds

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground mixed spice

1 rounded tablespoon white breadcrumbs

55g plump, seedless raisins

55g currants

Method

  1. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured board to ¼ inch/5mm thick. Grease and line a 20cm x 4cm deep tart tin with the pastry. Prick the base all over with a fork and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
  2. Line the tart case with baking/greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans and cook for 15 minutes or until the pastry is a pale golden colour. Leave to cool.
  3. Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy and light and pale in colour, for this you can use a hand or stand mixer, or a wooden spoon.
  4. Add the beaten eggs, salt, nutmeg, allspice, beating well until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Finally stir the curd into the creamed butter followed by the breadcrumbs, raisins and currants.
  5. Pour the mixture into the prepared tart case and sprinkle the surface with a little extra nutmeg (optional). Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until golden brown.
  6. To Serve the Yorkshire Curd Tart: Leave to cool, then serve slightly warm. Eat within 24 hours of making.