British Recipes > Northamptonshire Cheese Cakes

How to make Northamptonshire cheese cakes:
This type of cheesecake or "curd tart" is traditionally found in many areas of the British Isles, particularly in rural areas. Cheese cakes such as these were know by many different names and were differently flavoured according to region. Sometimes they might have a little rum added and in some areas they were eaten as an accompaniment to roast meat. No celebration was complete without them on the table and they were baked for sheep-shearing festivals, Midsummer and Whitsuntide.



Ingredients

Northamptonshire Cheese Cakes
shortcrust or flaky pastry
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
a little almond extract
a little grated nutmeg
2 tablespoons currants
1 egg
1 pint sour milk
a little grated lemon rind
(see measure conversions for more information)

Method

- Stir butter, egg and sugar in a saucepan over a low heat until thick; do not allow to boil.
- Boil the sour milk until it separates into curds and whey.
- Strain off the curd, press well.
- Add it to the mixture when cold, with currants, spice flavourings.
- Line some patty pans with pastry, fill them with the mixture and bake in a hot oven 220oc/425of/gas mark 7 for about 10 minutes.