Cheese Tarts

This was served as part of the second course at the Ymir 2023 feast.

Introduction

A rich cheese custard baked in pastry — eggs, butter, sugar, cloves, and mace in a base of ricotta and cream cheese. You may be thinking this sounds like a cheesecake. It is.

Source

Sir Kenelme Digby, The Closet of the Eminently Learned Sir Kenelme Digbie Kt. Opened (1669)

Take 12 quarts of milk warm from the cow, turn it with a good spoonfull of runnet. Break it well, and put it in a large strainer, in which rowl it up and down, that all the whey may run out into a little tub; when all that will is run out, wring out more. Then break the curds well; then wring it again, and more whey will come. Thus break and wring till no more come. Then work the curds exceedingly with your hand in a tray, till they become a short uniform paste. Then put to it the yolks of 8 new laid eggs, and two whites, and a pound of butter. Work all this long together. In the long working (at the several times) consisteth the making them good. Then season them to your taste with sugar finely beaten; and put in some cloves and mace in subtle powder. Then lay them thick in coffins of fine paste and bake them.

Discussion

• Digby’s recipe begins with making fresh curds from warm milk and rennet — I skipped this step and used a mixture of commercial ricotta and cream cheese, which produces a similar texture and richness without the cheesemaking process.
• The crusts were puff pastry, which is perhaps a departure from the “coffins of fine paste” Digby describes. The shattering texture of the puff pastry against the creamy filling was a pleasant contrast, though, and worked well.
• The crusts were pricked well and parbaked at 400°F for 15 minutes before the filling went in, to prevent sogginess. The filled tarts were baked at 375°F for 70+ minutes — they should be mostly firm with a slight jiggle in the center, as they set further as they cool.
• The tarts were refrigerated until service, which made them easy to manage logistically — another dish that benefits from being prepared well in advance.

Sources