Recipes

A favourite curd tart recipe from Henrietta Green

Serves 6-8

For the shortcrust pastry

    225g/8oz/2cups plain flour
    pinch of salt
    115g/4oz/½ cup butter
    50ml/3tablespoons/¼cup cold water

For the filling

    115g/4oz/½cup butter
    55g/2oz/¼ cup sugar
    115g/4oz/½cup curd cheese
    55g/2oz/¼cup currants
    grated zest of 1 lemon
    pinch of salt
    pinch of ground cinnamon
    pinch of ground ginger
    2 eggs, lightly beaten

Method

To make the short crust pastry, sift the flour into a large bowl with the salt. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it has the texture of fine breadcrumbs. Add the water and work it in until the dough holds together; if it is still crumbly you may need a little more. Gather the pastry together into a ball, wrap it in plastic film and rest it in the fridge.

To make the filling, cream the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Beat the curd cheese into the mixture, then add the currants, lemon zest, salt, cinnamon and ginger. Stir in the eggs, giving the mixture a vigorous final beat.

Roll out the pastry to about 5mm/¼in thick and line a well-greased 20cm/8in tart tin. Prick the pastry all over with a fork and spoon in filling.
Bake in a preheated 190°C/375°F/gas5 oven for about 35 minutes or until the filling is set and has turned a golden brown.