Name: Yorkshire curd tart
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 95 min
Yield: 8
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

Yorkshire curd tart

Sweet currants and raisins are scattered throughout a lemony custard that's baked until golden.

Serves 8

Prep

45M

Cook

50M

Total

1H 35M

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.

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

1.Bring 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).

2.For 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).

3. Preheat 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.

4.Meanwhile, 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.