Maids Of Honour Old English Tudor Cheesecakes Recipes

MAIDS OF HONOUR - OLD ENGLISH TUDOR CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 220C/450F/gas7 and lightly grease a 12 hole bun or muffin tin.
• Roll out the pastry and stamp out 12 fluted rounds - try to make sure that they are at least 1/4" bigger than needed, as the puff pastry shrinks during baking.
• Line the bun tray with the pastry rounds and chill them whilst making the filling.
• Place the curd cheese or cottage cheese into a large mixing bowl and add the beaten eggs, cream, sugar, orange flower water or rose water and almonds.
• Mix well and then add the mixed dried fruit, mixing again well.
• Spoon the filling into the pastry cases and bake the tarts for 15-20 minutes or until well-risen, golden brown & firm to the touch.
• Allow them to cool a little and then carefully remove them and place them on a wire rack to cool completely.
• Arrange them on an attractive cake platter and sprinkle with icing sugar to serve.

MAID OF HONOUR SQUARES

Steps:

• Base;.
• In bowl,beat together butter,sugar and salt until fluffy;stir in flour.Press into parchment-paper lined or greased 13 by 9-inch metal cake pan;prick dough with fork.Bake in center of 350°F oven for about 17 minutes until golden.Let cool on rack.
• In bowl, beat butter with granulated sugar until fluffy.Beat in eggs,one at a time,beating well after each.Beat in milk and lemon rind.Beat in ground almonds;stir in flour and salt.
• Spread jam over base;Pour almond mixture over jam.Sprinkle with slivered almonds.Bake in center of 350°F oven for about 30 minutes or until golden and cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.Let cool in pan on rack.Sprinkle with icing sugar.

MAIDS OF HONOUR - TRADITIONAL ENGLISH CUSTARD CHEESECAKE TARTS

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 425F degrees.
• In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour with the diced butter and the scant teaspoonfuls of shortening. Cover and place the bowl into the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in another bowl, place the eggs, lemon juice, rosewater or orange-flower water, and a pinch of salt and put in the refrigerator. Using a food processor (or by hand, but this will take some elbow grease), blend the fats and flour until the pastry just begins to come together, yet still is a little coarse and crumbly. Take care not to over-blend, as this process goes quickly, so watch carefully. Gradually feed the liquids in through the feeder spout until the pastry is almost coming together. Scoop it out onto a flour-dusted work surface and knead a few times with your hands, then form into two discs, wrap each disc in cling wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before rolling out.
• While pastry is chilling, make the filling. Cut lengthwise down the vanilla bean with the tip of a sharp knife. Place the vanilla bean with the cream into a saucepan, and heat to just under the boiling point over a medium heat. Do not boil or it will curdle. Off the heat and remove the bean, scraping some of the seeds into the cream. Now add the butter, sugar, ground almonds, egg, lemon zest and juice, and the rosewater or orange-flower water, stirring well to combine. Let stand for about 10 minutes.
• Roll out half the pastry, cut out 12 rounds with a 3-inch round cutter, and place into a 12-hole tart or muffin pan, pressing down with your fingers so they're well lined. Spoon half the filling into the pastry cases (remembering you'll have a second batch to do). Leave a good inch below the rim, as the custard will rise up as it bakes. Dust lightly with some fresh nutmeg and transfer carefully to the pre-heated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until the custard's golden and puffy.
• Let the tarts sit in the pan for a few minutes before standing, unmolded, on a wire rack to cool. Dust tops with icing sugar.
• When the pan is cool, repeat with the remaining ingredients.
• Leave the tarts to cool a little before serving (arrange them on a pretty serving plate or silver platter), but they are best eaten still slightly warm.

RICHMOND MAIDS OF HONOUR

Steps:

• Set oven to 400*F or Mark 6.
• Grease and flour 20 patty tins.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use to line the tins, trimming the edges neatly.
• In a bowl, mix together the ground almonds and sugar, then stir in the beaten eggs, flour, cream, nutmeg and lemon juice.
• Divide the mixture between the pastry cases and bake for about 15 minutes or until firm and golden.
• Turn out on to a wire rack and allow to cool.
• Serve dredged with a little icing sugar.