Curd Tarts

When someone, not from Yorkshire, thinks of a Curd Tart, I am fairly sure you are thinking of a lemon curd for a lemon meringue pie, but my friends if you are from Yorkshire, which my mom is, you will immediately think of a curd tart, which is literally that. Cheese curd, dried fruit, eggs, sugar, and a liqueur of some form in a tart shell. Now in Yorkshire you can buy fresh curd from the butcher, but in Canada not so much.

 So, that is what I made.

I started with a cheese making kit that I was given for Christmas. The cheese making kit was for Feta, now I started with every possible intention of making said Feta, but did not get to those dizzy heights. The kit asks you to turn 4 litres of milk into cheese over the course of 2 days, yes 2 days, it was worth it I promise. Yield is low but the taste was heavenly.


4 litres of milk yielded around 500 grams of cheese, or curd if you will.











Recipe time:

• 500 g fresh curd
• 2 eggs
• 100 g sugar (or less)
• handful of dried fruit (sultana's, raisins, currants, cherries, blueberries, cranberries)
• choose 1, for this I used cranberries
• 2 tbsp of liquor (brandy, rum, amaretto, grand mariner)
• choose 1, for this I used amaretto

1. Put all of your ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix until everything is well combined. 
2. Preheat oven to 325 - 350 degrees F
3. Spray 14 small tart shell forms and fill almost to the lip of the foil tray. 
4. Place in oven for about 20 minutes, then let cool and enjoy. 

These are traditionally eaten cold, but I found them delicious either way. Now for this I did not make a tart shell I used the tin as my tart shell. This makes this treat gluten free, and I did not find a shell necessary. Some out there might call it blasphemy that I did not make tart shells but it was a personal choice and sometimes a tart shell ruins the overall deliciousness of dessert, depends on the tart shell.

You did read that right, it took me two days and 4 litres of milk to make 14 small tarts, still I say it was worth it, and I would do it again in a heart beat. 

  

February...

For February I have accomplished the reading of 'Heartless' by Gail Carriger, which I must add I was finished by February 6, which is amazing. The second book I finished this month was 'Charm' by Sarah Pinborough.

I have now also completed the Physalis lace scarf found here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/physalis which turned out beautifully, it was a long time getting finished but I feel better now that it is. I used a baby weight yarn, and 6.0 mm needles, and I am so pleased that I am finished it. Not sure what I am going to do with the projects that I am finishing but you never know, so I will keep finishing them.

Knitting I have on the go:

1. I Like Lime: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/i-like-lime
2. Dragon Stole: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dragon-stole
3. Opt Art: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/opart
1. This is my mindless project that I work on in between everything else that is more complicated, it might take longer to finish, but I will get there in the end. 
4. Illuminated Lines Blanket: Thank you Knit Picks
5. Circlet Cardigan: Thank you Knit Picks
6. Tardis Afghan x 2 (Yes I have two on the go)..might soon have three, scary.
1. One of these I need to have finished by May, but the yarn is a bit scratchy so I just need to either figure out how to make yarn softer, or use the softer Yarn I have to make a different one...Thoughts?
7. Fingerless Mittens: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fingerless-mittens-8
1. I have 1 complete and about 25% of another one complete, a matching pair is within my grasp. These are beautiful, I want to do them on smaller needles with smaller yarn, it will take longer, but they will be less thick. Sadly these ones are in black which makes them hard to photograph nicely.
8. Reverie Beret (I have done so many of these I could do them in my sleep, but I have made 1 or 2 minor adjustments to make it my own)
9. Entrelac scarf, I do not think I am going to finish this per se... who knows
10. Feather and Fan Blanket
11. Mitered Square blanket in Parrot...I was crocheting this into something, but I did not like it, I still don't really like it but it will happen. 

Technically all of these should get finished before I start something new, but the temptation to start new patterns some days is just too great. 

Ciao

-A

January....

Has drawn to a close, and I had some basic resolutions put in place. Finish at least one book a month and one yarn project a month. Here they are in the picture:

 The book I started sometime last year, and is a sequel, it was good but did start to dwindle towards the end, or maybe it was me that started to dwindle....

The blanket was started in January and finished in January, a miracle, one that I am impressed by thoroughly. My mom did the edging for me as I am quite bad at edging. But she went along two sides doing 3 stitches then 1 stitch, the other two 2 stitches then 1 stitch.The corners are single crochet, chain 4, single crochet. Do this once. Then single crochet, 1 chain and skip a chain then single crochet. The next row where you have the hole from the chain loop the single crochet.

Then miracle of all miracles, a class I have on Saturday was cancelled, and so I managed to finish yet another blanket, and I also finished another book, blanket here:

The book was Charles_HRH "Guide to Britishness" an excellent read if you are from England, but I am still baffled as to whether or not it was in fact written by the Prince, or if it was in fact written by someone else, the jury is out, and if you know I would appreciate being filled in.

I do not think I would make a very good knitting instructor...I can knit and crochet things to my hearts content but it throws me off if I have to explain how to do it to someone else or how to write it down so that someone else will be able to understand what it is that I am doing. Probably why I am not a tutorial blog just a word vomit with a few pictures blog.



The goal for February, finish "Heartless" by Gail Carriger, and finish this lovely scarf, which was started quite some time ago. The scarf is on the right, and it is a Physllis Lace pattern. When I discovered this pattern there was also a hat, which was completed some time ago and the scarf just hung around. Having cleaned out my cupboard the other day I dis covered it again, and am determined to have it finished by the end of February.


Ciao,
-A