The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #137657 Message #3151868
Posted By: Valmai Goodyear
11-May-11 - 02:14 AM
Thread Name: Tim Laycock in Lewes 14/05/11
Subject: RE: Tim Laycock in Lewes 14/05/11
More information about the little tarts:
MAIDS OF HONOUR (makes about 16)
8 ozs pastry (I use pastry made with half wholemeal flour and half white flour as it can be rolled very thinly and goes crisp)
8 ozs curd cheese
3 ozs sugar
2 ozs currants
grated rind of a lemon & juice of half a lemon
1 oz ground or chopped blanched almonds
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons brandy (optional)
1 oz melted butter
Heat the oven to 190 deg C (375 deg F). Grease two mince pie trays. Rub the cheese through a fine sieve. Add the sugar, currants, lemon juice & rind, almonds, egg, brandy and butter. Mix well to combine them all thoroughly.
Roll out the pastry and cut it in rounds to fit the depressions in the mince pie trays. Half fill them with the curd mixture. Bake in the pre-heated oven for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.
This sort of ancestor of the cheesecake was a seasonal treat to make the most of the new May cream. Apparently they first became popular because Henry VIII was very fond of them, but there could be more than one explanation for that.
Valmai (Lewes)