Yorkshire Speciality

If you love cheesecake as I do, then traditional Yorkshire curd tarts are irresistible. I always look out for them in tea shops but they are often a disappointment - too dry or lacking creaminess. The best ever was in a remote pub in Upper Wharfedale - it was really unexpected to be served a slice of the most wonderful fresh curd tart with coffee somewhere it could only have been baked lovingly by hand - no shops, no bakers, and only a rough road for deliveries. It was so good that it reminded me that I had a recipe scrawled down on a scrap of paper and not used for ages.

This makes 12 small tarts or could be used for one 7'' 'plate' tart. Either way it is easy and beats most, if not all, the ones you can buy.

Yorkshire Curd Tarts (it is important to use the whole title - this is a proud region!)

Shortcrust pastry made with 8 oz P Flour, 4 oz butter, 1 tbs sugar, 2tbs milk to mix.

8 oz/ 250g pot of plain cottage cheese - this is a subsitute for real curds but they are impossible to buy now.
1/2 oz melted butter
2oz sugar
2oz currants
1 beaten egg
Rind of 1/2 lemon grated finely
Pinch of cinnamon
Grated nutmeg on top at end

1. Make the pastry - rest it and then roll it out thinly to line a tin with 12 deep tartlets. You can make shallow ones and get more but lots of filling to less pastry is best. You will have some pastry left for jam tarts, an eccles cake etc etc.
2. Sieve the cottage cheese. You will probably end up with some thick cheese in the sieve which resists the process; put it all in the bowl at the end anyway. Mix in the rest of the ingredients except the nutmeg.
3. Carefully fill each pastry lining, using it all up so you have really full tarts.
4. Grate some nutmeg over the tops.
5. Bake in a hot oven 200/No 6 for 25 minutes until risen and slightly golden. Don't worry if they seem a little wobbly in the middle - this is good.
6. Cool, eat, or freeze for later.