Instructions: Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6. Grease a 23cm loose bottomed flan tin and set on a baking sheet.

Make the pastry put the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Stir in the sugar add 23 tbsp of cold water and mix to a firm dough.

Knead the dough briefly on a floured surface then roll to a 28cm circle.

Flip the pastry over the rollinng pin to transfer to the flan tin and ease it over the base and sides of the tin with your fingers allowing it to flop over the edge.

Run the rolling pin over the tin to trim the pastry to a neat edge.

Line with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans dried beans or rice.

Bake for 15 minutes remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 5 minutes.

Reduce the oven temperature to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Meanwhile make the filling:
Beat together the sugar and butter for about 5minutes until pale and light.

Stir in the cheese and lemon zest blending well.

Gradually beat in 1 lemon juice then the eggs.

Stir in the dried fruit and pour the mixture into the pastry case.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until the filling is pale golden and set about 5cm in from the edge (it will set completely as it cools).

Leave to cool for 10 minutes then transfer to a flat serving plate.

Grate nutmeg over it and finish with a light dusting of icing sugar.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Curd tarts are the British ancestor of the American cheesecake. They have been made since Tudor times leaving us a proud heritage of regionally varied recipes.

Serves 6

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