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–+ servings
One slice of Cheese Tart cut from the whole tart. The tart is on a cooling rack, with thyme sprigs in the background.

Easy Irish Cheese Tart Recipe

Irish Cheese Tarts are not only popular in Ireland and the UK but around the world too. It's an easy recipe, involving a shortcrust pastry base filled with a blend of Irish cheeses and fresh thyme, then baked until golden brown.
5 from 3 votes
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course Brunch, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Irish
Servings 12
Calories 320 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

  • 8 oz flour all purpose / plain.
  • 4 oz salted butter
  • 8 oz cheese scraps Bits and pieces of cheeses, frozen leftover cheeses etc. See post for which cheeses are ideal.
  • 8 oz Irish Cheddar
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp thyme fresh, use only the tiny leaves.

Instructions
 

Shortcrust Recipe

  • Put flour and cut up butter pieces into the bowl of a food processor.
  • Pulse until fine breadcrumbs appear (maybe 1-2 minutes.)
  • Add cold water (around 1-3 tsp) through the feed chute of the food processor, until a dough starts to form, then stop.
  • Remove the pastry dough from the bowl and place on a floured surface. Shape into a disc or ball and start rolling.
  • Roll the shortcrust pastry evenly until it is large enough in diameter to cover the bottom of a loose bottomed tart pan.
  • Push the pastry into the sides and bottom of the pan and trim off excess pastry. (Don't throw them away, see below "A Tip From Me' section for advice for leftover pasty trimmings.)
  • Place the uncooked pastry base into the refrigerator to rest.

Cheese Tart Filling Recipe

  • Crumble up the Cheddar and any cheese scraps into the food processor bowl.
  • Add the cornstarch, egg, and fresh thyme leaves, and pulse until blended.
  • Add cut up pieces of creamed cheese. Pulse until well blended.
  • Remove the chilled pastry base from the refrigerator and fill with cheese mixture.
  • Spread evenly over the pastry and bake the Cheese Tart in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F / 180 degrees C for 20-25 minutes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1pieceCalories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 14gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 446mgPotassium: 116mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 700IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 345mgIron: 1mg
Keyword all butter pastry, Baking, breakfast, cheddar cheese, cheese, Meat-free, shortcrust pastry, Tart
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