Isle of Mull Cheddar and Leek Tart
Sharp Isle of Mull cheddar and sweet braised leeks baked in a rich egg custard and crisp shortcrust pastry.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 485 kcal
Equipment
- •23cm loose-bottomed tart tin
- •baking beans
- •frying pan
- •rolling pin
- •mixing bowl
- •baking tray
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 485 kcal
- fat
- 34 g
- carbs
- 31 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 16 g
- calories
- 485 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Rub the cold butter into the plain flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- 2
Add cold water gradually, stirring with a butter knife until the dough comes together.
- 3
Shape into a flat disc, wrap, and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- 4
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to 3mm thickness.
- 5
Line a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin, prick the base with a fork, and chill for 15 minutes.
- 6
Line with greaseproof paper and baking beans, then blind bake at 190°C for 15 minutes.
- 7
Remove the paper and beans, then bake for 5 minutes until the base is pale and dry.
- 8
Melt 15g butter in a frying pan on the hob and gently fry the leeks for 10 minutes.
- 9
Whisk the eggs, double cream, milk, thyme, salt, and black pepper together in a jug.
- 10
Scatter the softened leeks and grated Isle of Mull cheddar evenly inside the tart case.
- 11
Pour the egg mixture over the cheese and leek filling.
- 12
Bake at 180°C for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and just set in the centre.
Chef's tips
Blind baking the pastry thoroughly guarantees a crisp, buttery base without sogginess. Isle of Mull cheddar is naturally salty and robust, so keep added salt light. Let the tart rest for 10 minutes before slicing to allow the filling to firm up.
Ingredient substitutions
- Isle of Mull cheddar → mature Scottish farmhouse cheddar or traditional Dunlop cheese
- double cream → crème fraîche or an equal amount of whole milk for a lighter custard
Storage
Store leftover tart in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat slices on a baking tray in a preheated oven at 180°C for 10 minutes until warmed through.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Overworking the pastry dough, which makes the crust tough and causes it to shrink.
- •Frying the leeks over high heat, which scorches them instead of softening them sweet.
- •Pouring hot leeks into the pastry case, which can melt the raw egg custard prematurely.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Isle of Mull Cheddar and Leek Tart?
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