Hot Cross Lemon Cheese Tarts is a modern British recipe for a classic twist on the traditional hot cross bun, these being tarts of cream cheese and egg cooked on a lemon curd base in a shortcrust pastry shell and which are finished with pastry crosses. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Hot Cross Lemon Cheese Tarts.
This is the next in my series of interesting recipes for Easter. As Easter itself is less than two weeks away, I'm sharing this interesting twist on the traditional hot cross bun (I will share the recipe for that tomorrow). This is excellent if you want something different for an Easter tea.
1/4 tsp sea salt
110g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter or margarine
2 tbsp sugar
ice old water, to bind
100g (1/2 cup) full-fat cream cheese
2 large eggs
75g (1/2 cup less 2 tbsp) caster sugar
finely-grated zest of 1/2 lemon
75g (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp) plain flour
a little milk
icing sugar, for dusting
Make a shallow well in the flour mix and add 2 tbsp ice cold water. Gently mix the water into the flour to bring the ingredients together as a dough. Depending on flour quality and humidity you may need to add a little more water until you get a smooth but not wet dough.
Turn this dough onto a floured work surface and knead lightly until you have a smooth (but not hard) dough. Cover the dough with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes (this makes the dough easier to work).
Turn the prepared pastry (dough) onto a floured work surface and roll out. Use a 7.5cm fluted round cutter to cut out 12 circles from the pastry (but reserve the scraps). Press the pastry into the wells of a 12-hole patty tin. Prick the bases with a fork then arrange 1/2 tsp lemon curd in the base of each tart.
Combine the cream cheese, eggs, sugar, lemon zest and plain flour in a bowl. Beat well until smooth then divide this mixture between the pastry cases.
Now bring the pastry scraps together and turn out onto a floured work surface. Roll out thinly then cut into 1cm wide strips. Brush the base of these with a little milk then arrange in a cross shape across the centre of tach tart.
Brush the tops with milk then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180ºC (360ºF) and bake for between 20 and 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
Allow to cool in the tins for 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
If stored in an air-tight tin, they will keep for 2 or 3 days.
For more Easter recipes and a little about the history of Easter go to my Easter information and Easter Recipes page.
This is the next in my series of interesting recipes for Easter. As Easter itself is less than two weeks away, I'm sharing this interesting twist on the traditional hot cross bun (I will share the recipe for that tomorrow). This is excellent if you want something different for an Easter tea.
Hot Cross Lemon Cheese Tarts Recipe
Ingredients
For the Sweet Shortcrust Pastry:
225g (1/2 lb) plain flour1/4 tsp sea salt
110g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter or margarine
2 tbsp sugar
ice old water, to bind
For the Filling:
2 tbsp lemon curd100g (1/2 cup) full-fat cream cheese
2 large eggs
75g (1/2 cup less 2 tbsp) caster sugar
finely-grated zest of 1/2 lemon
75g (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp) plain flour
a little milk
icing sugar, for dusting
Method:
Begin with the pastry. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl then cube the butter and add the butter and either rub into the flour with your fingertips or cut into the flour with two knives. Scatter over the salt and using your fingertips rub the ingredients together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.Make a shallow well in the flour mix and add 2 tbsp ice cold water. Gently mix the water into the flour to bring the ingredients together as a dough. Depending on flour quality and humidity you may need to add a little more water until you get a smooth but not wet dough.
Turn this dough onto a floured work surface and knead lightly until you have a smooth (but not hard) dough. Cover the dough with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes (this makes the dough easier to work).
Turn the prepared pastry (dough) onto a floured work surface and roll out. Use a 7.5cm fluted round cutter to cut out 12 circles from the pastry (but reserve the scraps). Press the pastry into the wells of a 12-hole patty tin. Prick the bases with a fork then arrange 1/2 tsp lemon curd in the base of each tart.
Combine the cream cheese, eggs, sugar, lemon zest and plain flour in a bowl. Beat well until smooth then divide this mixture between the pastry cases.
Now bring the pastry scraps together and turn out onto a floured work surface. Roll out thinly then cut into 1cm wide strips. Brush the base of these with a little milk then arrange in a cross shape across the centre of tach tart.
Brush the tops with milk then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180ºC (360ºF) and bake for between 20 and 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
Allow to cool in the tins for 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
If stored in an air-tight tin, they will keep for 2 or 3 days.
easter, cakes, baking, cream cheese, pastry, sponge
Cakes
Britain
Hot Cross Lemon Cheese Tarts
https://fabulousfusionfood.blogspot.com/2019/04/braised-lamb-shanks-with-cannellini.html
Hot Cross Lemon Cheese Tarts. This is a traditional British Easter cake of a sweet shortcrust pastry base with a cream cheese filling flavoured with lemon topped with sponge cake and decorated with a paste cross. This is an excellent accompaniment to Easter tea.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivS90WkZalQW3iGJOU_SsyXwXiLaAYvaFumVjKnF5MEv3wnmQE_rx3gD6nDM571iZrWW_PhoYEsULKjUThwGGkFac0meN_LNJqyW8EJyS2vP8p-u1zrSt9j6V9qabIh8CP7xcd7tP7Xiw/s1600/braised-lamb-shanks-cannellini-beans.png
2019-04-06
Yield: 12
Hot Cross Lemon Cheese Tarts
Hot Cross Lemon Cheese Tarts. This is a traditional British Easter cake of a sweet shortcrust pastry base with a cream cheese filling flavoured with lemon topped with sponge cake and decorated with a paste cross. This is an excellent accompaniment to Easter tea.
prep time: 35 mins
cook time: 30 mins
total time: 65 mins
Ingredients:
- 225g (1/2 lb) plain flour
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 110g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter or margarine
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ice old water, to bind
- 2 tbsp lemon curd
- 100g (1/2 cup) full-fat cream cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 75g (1/2 cup less 2 tbsp) caster sugar
- finely-grated zest of 1/2 lemon
- 75g (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp) plain flour
- a little milk
- icing sugar, for dusting
For the Sweet Shortcrust Pastry:
For the Filling:
Method:
- Begin with the pastry. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl then cube the butter and add the butter and either rub into the flour with your fingertips or cut into the flour with two knives. Scatter over the salt and using your fingertips rub the ingredients together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Make a shallow well in the flour mix and add 2 tbsp ice cold water. Gently mix the water into the flour to bring the ingredients together as a dough. Depending on flour quality and humidity you may need to add a little more water until you get a smooth but not wet dough.
- Turn this dough onto a floured work surface and knead lightly until you have a smooth (but not hard) dough. Cover the dough with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes (this makes the dough easier to work).
- Turn the prepared pastry (dough) onto a floured work surface and roll out. Use a 7.5cm fluted round cutter to cut out 12 circles from the pastry (but reserve the scraps). Press the pastry into the wells of a 12-hole patty tin. Prick the bases with a fork then arrange 1/2 tsp lemon curd in the base of each tart.
- Combine the cream cheese, eggs, sugar, lemon zest and plain flour in a bowl. Beat well until smooth then divide this mixture between the pastry cases.
- Now bring the pastry scraps together and turn out onto a floured work surface. Roll out thinly then cut into 1cm wide strips. Brush the base of these with a little milk then arrange in a cross shape across the centre of tach tart.
- Brush the tops with milk then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180ºC (360ºF) and bake for between 20 and 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.
- Allow to cool in the tins for 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
- If stored in an air-tight tin, they will keep for 2 or 3 days.
© Dyfed Lloyd Evans
For more Easter recipes and a little about the history of Easter go to my Easter information and Easter Recipes page.
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