Maid of Honour Tarts

A maid of honour tart is a little puff pastry treat filled with a curd cheese mixture. It can often include jam or be topped with nutmeg, but these have a dash of rose water to add a subtle flavour that compliments the curd cheese and ground almonds. 

Recipe - Makes 24

For the puff pastry:

• 120g plain flour
• 120g strong white bread flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 150ml cold water
• 200g butter, chilled

For the filling:

• 25g butter, softened
• 25g caster sugar
• 150g ricotta or curd chees
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 50g ground almonds
• 1/2 tsp rose water

Make the puff pastry by tipping the flours in a bowl with the salt. Add the egg, then enough water to bring the mix together to a soft but not sticky dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead briefly to a smooth ball. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 1 hour. Meanwhile, bash the butter between two pieces of baking paper to a large rectangle about 1cm thick. Return to the fridge to harden.

Remove the dough from the fridge and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out to a large rectangle and place the butter block in the centre at a 45 degree angle. Fold the corners of the dough into the centre to enclose the butter like an envelope. Turn the dough so the shortest end is parallel to you and bash up and down gently with a rolling pin to flatten out, then roll to a rectangle three times as long as it is wide. Fold the top third down and bottom third up, pressing to seal. Wrap and chill for 1 hour. 

Roll the dough out again on a lightly floured work surface, having turned it 90 degrees from the previous time. Roll it to a rectangle three times as long as it is wide and fold the top third down and bottom third up. Chill for a further 1 hour. Repeat this process twice more turning 90 degrees each time and chilling for 1 hour in between. Chill for a further hour before using. 

Place the puff pastry dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll out to a large square 5mm thick, and about 25cm x 40cm. Use a lightly floured 6cm diameter plain cookie cutter to cut out 18 circles of pastry. Use each to line the insides of two 12-piece shallow bun tins. Place in the fridge to chill whilst you make the filling.

Preheat the oven to 180C. Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl to softened, then add the curd cheese and beat well. Mix in the eggs and ground almonds, and then flavour with the rose water. Place a spoonful of the mixture in each of the pastry cases and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until risen and browned. Remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool.