Yorkshire Curd Tarts With Chocolate Pastry
If you’ve not come across Yorkshire curd tarts yet, you’re missing a treat. They’re an old fashioned form of cheesecake baked in a pastry case. Fortunately, I have a nice easy recipe for you to try. Only mine deviates from the traditional one in that the pastry is flavoured with chocolate.
Best Of British
As some of you might have gathered by now, I’m currently involved in a monthly blog challenge for the Best of British. Each month, a food blogger features a different region or county within the UK. The challenge is to make either a dish from that area or use ingredients that come from it.
I’m keen to support this as it’s very much about promoting British produce AND I did kick things off with the Best of British Cornwall back in May.
There is also an incentive of a possible £50 Amazon voucher for one lucky entrant. Janice of Farmergirl Kitchen hosted a Scottish challenge in June and the current one, for Yorkshire is hosted by the exuberant and energetic Karen from Lavender and Lovage.
Yorkshire Curd Tarts
Now, since trying my first (and only) Yorkshire curd tart when I was in York last year, I’ve been wanting to try my hand at making them myself. I couldn’t resist calling in to the famous Betty’s Tea Rooms and sampling this iconic bake.
Needless to say, it took this challenge to get me kick started.
A couple of nights ago a group of us went to see No Fit State Circus. This is an amazing animal free circus that’s performing at the Eden Project throughout August. We were all meeting up for a picnic beforehand, which seemed like a perfect opportunity to try out the tarts.
The tarts are delicious, just as good as I remembered the one from Betty’s Tea Rooms. The chocolate pastry offsets the sweetness of the filling and the overall effect is very satisfying. Certainly everyone seemed to enjoy them.
We picnicked in the evening sunshine, a rare event this summer. We then enjoyed a fabulous performance of flying trapezes, rope climbing, hula hoops, trampolining, contortionism and pole dancing like you’ve never seen before. Oh and the music was good too.
Yorkshire Curd Tarts: Top Tips
Although these Yorkshire curd tarts are actually quite straightforward to make, there are a few things worth taking into account. Here are some of my top tips for you.
Be Prepared
You’ll need to plan ahead in order to make this recipe. Whilst the ingredients are everyday ones, it’s best to make the curds needed for the filling the evening before baking.
Pastry
Of course, these chocolate pastry Yorkshire curd tarts are my interpretation of this classic recipe. After all, I had to get chocolate in somehow. If you’d prefer to use your own shortcrust pastry recipe, please do. I won’t be offended.
Whey
Don’t discard the whey once you’ve made the curds. It’s really useful stuff and is high in protein as well as various vitamins and minerals. You can use it in any number of ways and it keeps in the fridge for ages. Here are a few suggestions.
- Use in baking recipes that call for water or milk. Why not have a go at making my white chocolate and whey scones? It’s particularly useful for soda bread too.
- It’s great for kickstarting ferments such as sauerkraut or kimchi.
- Incorporate some into your morning smoothie for an extra health kick
- If cooking your own pulses from dried, soak them in whey overnight rather than water. Make sure it’s unsalted whey though. Likewise use it to soak nuts or grains.
Tart Size
If you don’t have individual tart cases, you can make this as one large tart. You’ll need to bake it in the oven for an additional ten to fifteen minutes though.
Other Traditional British Bakes You Might Like
- Cornish fairings
- Garibaldi biscuits
- Granny’s apple pie
- Grasmere ginger shortbread
- Jumbles
- Welsh cakes (with wholemeal spelt)
Keep in Touch
Thank you for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make these Yorkshire curd tarts, with or without the chocolate pastry, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Do you have any recommendations or advice for making curds and whey?
Please rate the recipe. If you post pictures of your creations on social media, use the hashtag #tinandthyme so I can see them.
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If you’d like more pastry recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious and nutritious, of course.
Choclette x
Yorkshire Curd Tarts. PIN IT.
Yorkshire Curd Tarts With Chocolate Pastry
Ingredients
Curds And Whey
- 2 pints milk
- 1 organic lemon zested & juiced
Chocolate Pastry
- 150 g wholemeal flour (whole wheat)
- 25 g cocoa powder
- 15 g icing sugar
- 100 g unsalted butter fridge cold and cubed
- 1 egg yolk
Curd Filling
- 65 g unsalted butter softened
- 65 g golden caster sugar (I used cardamom sugar)
- 1 egg
- 1 good grating of nutmeg
- 25 g currants can use raisins instead
Instructions
Curds And Whey
- The night before you’re planning on making the tarts, bring the milk to a simmer, then remove from the heat.2 pints milk
- Squeeze in the lemon juice and leave the milk to cool down completely. Stir briefly a couple of times whilst it cools.
- Line a sieve with a cheesecloth or piece of muslin and place over a large jug or bowl. Pour the milk mixture into the sieve and leave overnight for the whey to drip from the curds.
Chocolate Pastry
- Place the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.150 g wholemeal flour (whole wheat), 25 g cocoa powder, 15 g icing sugar
- Add the butter then rub it into the flour with the tips of your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs.100 g unsalted butter
- Add the egg yolk with a splash of cold water. Stir with a flat bladed knife or a fork, then bring the dough together with your hands to form a ball. Be careful not to add too much water at first as you don’t want wet pastry, but if you need more than a small splash, add another one.1 egg yolk
- Place in a plastic bag and put in the fridge for half an hour whilst you make the filling.
Curd Filling
- Cream the butter and sugar together until very light and fluffy.65 g unsalted butter, 65 g golden caster sugar
- Grate in the zest of an organic lemon and cream a bit more.1 egg
- Beat in the egg until thoroughly combined, then stir in the curd cheese, followed by the nutmeg and currants.1 good grating of nutmeg, 25 g currants
- Preheat the oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan, 350℉, Gas 4).
- Roll out the chilled pastry as thinly as you can. Cut into rounds to fill eight 10cm tart cases.
- Divide the curd filling between the tarts and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 20 minutes, by which time the tarts should be risen and golden.
- Leave to cool, then tuck in.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
As I baked these Yorkshire curd tarts especially for a picnic, at which they were all consumed I might add, they fit very well into this month’s Tea Time Treats. This month’s theme chosen by Kate of What Kate Baked is picnic pies. I might almost have planned it.
I’m dropping by via TTT. Wow, these look like a lot of work, but sure looks very delicious.
Love, love LOVE Yorkshire Curs Tarts! Why has it never occured to me to make them before now (I am noticing a theme with my blog comments today!!) time to get out of the dark me thinks ;0)
I have to admit I’ve never had the pleasure of a Yorkshire Curd Tart but your post has me reaching for the ingredients!!
these little cakes are delicious. I have never had them and they look interesting.
Ahhh, now these do bring back some very happy and tasty memories for four years spent in York! What a delicious twist too on such a classic…and thank you so much for entering these perfect picnic pies into TTT!
These look really good…I’ve never tried a Yorkshire Curd Tart before…or even heard of one!!! It sounds really tasty! I went to Betty’s recently…if I go again I’ll have to try one of these! 🙂
I never tried Yorkshire curd tarts. It sounds good traditional British food. I like the idea of using a chocolate pastry!
I made a big version of a Curd Tart what seems like years ago now – it’s on my blog somewhere! – and I remember how surprised I was at how fabulous it tasted. A bit of blinding inspiration and a real treat to add the chocolate pastry, if I may say so! 🙂
I’ve had a look at your curd tart Jenny – more than once it would seem: It looks really good.
Oh I haven’t been to Yorkshire for ages but used to hiking near Howarth and visit the Bronte museum. I’ve heard of the legendary Betties but never visited. I’ve heard of these curd tarts too they look amazing.I’m a big custard fan my mum used to make the best ones ever.
These ones look and sound amazing though as did your picnic and animal free circus..
Hope you win the £50!
Deb
Hiking near Howarth sounds really exciting – striding around imagining oneself as one of the Brontes. I’ve never been, which is pretty shocking really, given I’m such a fan.
Trying a Betty’s curd tart is just one of those things it’s good to do – just so you know what everyone else has been going on about. I expect they wouldn’t be as good as your mum’s though – homemade is invariably best I find.
they look gorgeous. I tried a jamie Oliver ‘quick Portuguese custard tart’ thing out of 30 Minute Meals the other week – he just used creme fraiche and an egg as the filling based, and it worked quite well, but I bet these are just heavenly!
I’ve heard so much about Portuguese custard tarts and really want to try one to see what all the fuss is about, but it’s very hard to imagine they could beat a curd tart. I can see creme fraiche and an egg would make a nice filling though.
i’m not a massive fan of this kind of set custard thing but I can totally see the appeal, plus the chocolate pastry is stunning… great Yorkshire representation too, my mum used to love these as a kid!
Oh is your mum a Yorkshire lass Dom? It’s so strange the things we don’t like – CT who will eat virtually anything that is put in front of him can’t stand semolina – weird!
My boyfriend is from Yorkshire and we’ve just spent the weekend up there, which involved, amongst lots of other eating, curd tarts which were delicious.
I like the idea of incorporating some chocolate into them too – yum!
Oh how lovely. I’m so very tempted to go to Yorkshire specifically to do a curd tart tour! Have you had or are you going to have a go at making some?
Is this a bit like a Bakewell Pudding?
No idea what a Bakewell pudding is Scott, but if it’s anything like a Bakewell tart, it’s got to be a good thing. But this isn’t anything like a Bakewell tart.
I am loving all the best of british entry this month – love how you’ve added chocolate to yours – it looks amazing! Please send one over 🙂
Ros, if only there had been one left, it would have been yours 😉
They look great – love the idea of chocolate pastry, and your circus sounds like fun!
Thanks C, they were delicious and the circus was excellent.
Oh, some more wonderful curd tarts … and with chocolate pastry … that was to be expected … great!!!
Thanks Chris. Who else has been baking curd tarts I’m wondering – you?.
There should be a statue put up in honour of curd tarts (maybe there already is one in Yorkshire) – it’s such a good dish. I like the choc pastry idea a lot. I know that you can add brandy but my favourite is a drop or two of rum.
You and Karen between you are determined to lead me astray! Think I’m with you on the statue, can’t believe I’ve discovered them so late in life.
I love yorkshire curd tarts, my mother is from Yorkshire and she makes them really well!
I’m thinking I might have to do a tour of Yorkshire at some point, just so I can try a few more authentic curd tarts 🙂
Love the combo of the curd filling and chocolate pastry. Look beautiful
Thanks CC. A thing of beauty I’m not sure about, but I think my stomach agreed if not my eye 🙂
Utterly lush pastries. I think I will join you in with the challenge, just need to do a blog post.
I’m tempted now to make the curd tarts like yours.
Well Galina, they are very good 😉
A FABULOUS and TYPICAL chocolate recipe with verve and imagination from you! What a GREAT idea to add the chocolate pastry, and I ALWAYS make my own curds too! As you know, we always add a little brandy to ours “up North” too….maybe you can have a tart with a wee dram! Thanks for your lovely Best of British entry and Yorkshire is proud of you! Karen
Thanks Karen – yes I forgot the wee dram! Next time, although Phil reckons rum might be better!!!
They look so good! I’ve heard of Yorkshire curd tarts, but I’ve never tried one.
With your cheese making skills, making curds would be a cinch for you. They are so worth trying.
Great entry for BoB, love your chocolate twist on a very traditional recipe.
Thanks Janice – I have to try 😉
Gosh! There’s and interesting twist on something I was brought up on. My grandma, the best curd maker ever used to put a little ground almonds in her curd tarts and she used epsom salts to curd the unpateurised milk. Right up to the late 1980s there was a little old lady who sold curd in Hull market, the best pork butchers in the world in Beverley still does…x
How interesting Liz, I’ve never heard of using epsom salts in cheese making before. I’ve not tried buying curds either, so I’ve no idea how hard they are to acquire. I can see ground almonds would work really well. So did your grandmother pass on her excellent curd making skills to you?