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.
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, 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
Can swap the nutmeg for a pinch of ground cardamom. I used cardamom sugar, so omitted the nutmeg.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. See main post for suggestions.Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They’re approximate and will depend on serving size and exact ingredients used. Please refer to my nutrition disclaimer for further information.