Traditional Yorkshire Curd Tart Recipe

By
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm
Elaine Lemm is a renowned British food writer, classically trained chef, teacher, and author with over 25 years of experience writing about British food and cooking.
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Updated on 03/30/22
Yorkshire Curd Tart recipe

The Spruce / Elaine Lemm

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Chill Time: 30 mins
Total: 105 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Yield: 1 tart

Yorkshire curd tart is a specialty tart from the beautiful county of Yorkshire in Northern England. Made with fresh curd, this variation of cheesecake is a way to use up leftover fresh curd from the cheese-making process. The Yorkshire curd tart is filled with currants and egg and makes a delightful teatime treat or served warm as a filling and delicious pudding.

Fresh curds can be bought from a dairy but are becoming more difficult to find. However, making a variety of the curd is very easy; see the notes at the end of the recipe.

This tart is a perfect way to end a dinner of roasted lemon chicken, or stew and dumplings.

Ingredients

For the Pastry:

  • 2 1/4 cups (200 grams) all-purpose flour

  • 4 ounces (113 grams) unsalted butter, cubed, or an equal mix of butter and lard

  • 1 pinch fine salt

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

For the Filling:

  • 4 ounces (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened

  • 2 ounces (50 grams) superfine sugar

  • 2 medium eggs, well beaten

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground mixed spice

  • 1 rounded tablespoon white breadcrumbs

  • 6 ounces (175 grams) fresh cheese curds

  • 2 ounces (55 grams) plump seedless raisins

  • 2 ounces (55 grams) currants

Steps to Make It

Make the Pastry Dough

  1. Gather the ingredients. 

  2. Place the flour, butter, and salt in a large, clean bowl. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, working as quickly as possible to prevent the dough from becoming warm.

  3. Add the water to the mixture, and using a cold knife, stir until the dough binds together. Add more cold water a teaspoon at a time if the mixture is too dry.

  4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 15 minutes, up to 30 minutes.

Make the Tart

  1. Gather the ingredients. Heat the oven to 375 F/170 C.

  2. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured board to 1/4-inch thickness.

  3. Grease and then line an 8-inch-deep tart tin with the pastry. Prick the base all over with a fork. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. You can also make smaller individual-sized tarts, this is up to you. 

  4. Line the tart case with baking paper and fill it with baking beans.

  5. Cook for 15 minutes or until the pastry is a pale golden color. Leave to cool.

  6. In a large baking bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy and light, and pale in color. Add the beaten eggs, nutmeg, and mixed spice, and breadcrumbs, and mix to combine.

  7. Tip the curds into the bowl and carefully fold them into the mixture.

  8. Finally, add the raisins and currants.

  9. Pour the curd mixture into the prepared tart case, sprinkle with a little more nutmeg, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes until golden brown.

  10. Leave the tart to cool but not go cold, as it is delicious slightly warm. Eating on the day it is made is always best, but it will keep for a few days.

Make Your Own Curds

It is not always possible to buy the fresh cheese curds seen in this traditional tart. You can make a version quickly and simply.

  • Take 2 pints full-fat, whole milk. Gently warm to 100 F/37 C, taking care not to boil the milk. Remove from the heat and add 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Leave the milk to curdle, about 10 minutes, then check; the milk solids will have separated from the liquids. Carefully spoon the curds into a small sieve lined with a muslin cloth. Weigh and use in the recipe above.

If you are really in a hurry, using cottage cheese drained of any liquid will make a great substitute too.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
674 Calories
42g Fat
62g Carbs
14g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 674
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 42g 54%
Saturated Fat 25g 125%
Cholesterol 164mg 55%
Sodium 244mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 62g 22%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 22g
Protein 14g
Vitamin C 1mg 3%
Calcium 241mg 19%
Iron 3mg 17%
Potassium 259mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)