Yorkshire Curd Tart
A teatime staple since the 1600s, and Betty's Tea Room's most-ordered slice today. Somewhere between a custard tart and a cheesecake, spiced with nutmeg and studded with currants.
Servings 8 servings
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Pastry
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (190g)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (50g) for the pastry
- 1 pinch salt for the pastry
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter (115g) cubed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tbsp. cold water (30g)
Filling
- 2 cups full fat cottage cheese (450g) * well drained
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter (57g) melted
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (67g) for the filling
- 2 large eggs
- 1 lemon zested
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg freshly grated, plus extra for the top
- 2/3 cups dried currants
- 1 pinch salt for the filling
Instructions
Make the Pastry Dough
- Whisk together in a large bowl the 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and 1 pinch salt. Add 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed and cut it into the flour with a pastry cutter or two knives, then rub the mixture between your fingertips until it looks like coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces of butter left.
- Shape the dough into a disc, wrap it, and refrigerate.
- Roll the chilled dough out and fit it into a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Trim the edges and prick the base a few times with a fork.
- Refrigerate the lined tart pan until chilled (30 minutes).
- Line the shell with parchment and pie weights. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes, then remove the weights and parchment and bake 5 minutes more, until the pastry is lightly golden.
Make the Filling
- In a large bowl, whisk together well-drained full-fat cottage cheese, 1/3 cups unsalted butter, melted, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, for the filling, 2 large eggs, 1 lemon, zested, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated, plus extra for the top, and 1 pinch salt, for the filling until smooth.
- Add the currants: Stir 2/3 cup dried currants into the filling.
Fill and Bake
- Pour the filling into the baked shell and spread it evenly. Dust the top with a little extra nutmeg. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 35 minutes until the filling is set but still has a slight wobble in the center
- Cool the tart in the pan on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges.
Notes
*Real curd cheese is almost impossible to find in the US.
Drain full-fat cottage cheese overnight in a cheesecloth-lined sieve and it does the job. Farmer's cheese also works well and needs no draining.
Keeps 2 to 3 days in the fridge, but it's best the day it's baked, with a strong cup of tea.
Nutrition
Serving: 50g