Traditionally, this tart was made to use the curds left over from cheese-making. You'll need to begin it a day ahead, and the tart is best eaten the day it's made.
Yorkshire curd tart
Sweet currants and raisins are scattered throughout a lemony custard that's baked until golden.
- 45 mins preparation
- 50 mins cooking plus cooling, draining, resting
- Serves 8
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Ingredients
- 1.25 litres milk (5 cups)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 50 gm each currants and seedless raisins
- 60 ml apera (see note)
- 100 gm softened butter
- 70 gm caster sugar
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tbsp fine fresh breadcrumbs
- Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Sweet pastry
- 250 gm plain flour (1⅔ cups)
- 60 gm pure icing sugar, sieved
- 120 gm cold butter, coarsely chopped
- 3 egg yolks
Method
- 1Bring milk to the simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat, add lemon juice, reduce heat to low and stir slowly until curds start to form (1-2 minutes). Remove from heat, set aside to cool, carefully spoon curds into a muslin-lined sieve placed over a large bowl and refrigerate until whey drains (overnight; discard whey).
- 2For sweet pastry, pulse flour, icing sugar and 1 tsp fine sea salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter, pulse until fine crumbs form, then add yolks and pulse to combine. Turn onto a work surface, bring together with the heel of your hand, form into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate to rest (1 hour). Roll out on a lightly floured surface to a 24cm-diameter round and line a 22cm-diameter tart tin. Trim edges and refrigerate to rest (40 minutes).
- 3Preheat oven to 180C. Blind bake pastry until edges are golden (10-12 minutes). Remove paper and weights and bake until base is golden and crisp (6-8 minutes). Set aside.
- 4Meanwhile, combine currants, raisins and apera in a small bowl and set aside until fruit is plump (30 minutes). Beat butter and sugar in an electric mixer until pale and creamy, then add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated. Fold in curd, currant mixture, breadcrumbs and nutmeg, spoon into pastry case and smooth top. Bake until golden (20-25 minutes), cool to room temperature and serve.
Notes
Sherry-style fortified wine made in Australia is now known as apera.