Cheese Cake (Parsi Custard Tarts)
A delightful Parsi interpretation of historical 'cheesecakes,' which were often rich custard tarts rather than cheese-based desserts. This recipe features a luscious, rose-scented custard filling studded with sweet raisins, encased in a flaky puff pastry shell. Topped with decorative pastry lattice strips, these golden, bite-sized treats offer a perfect contrast between the crisp buttery crust and the smooth, aromatic filling.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Raisins or currants (Cleaned and stemmed. Originally 'darakh'.)
- 4 large Eggs (Separated into whites and yolks. The original text refers to mixing 'dal' (likely a colloquialism for yolks/dolo) into the whites.)
- 2 cups Whole milk (Quantity estimated for a standard custard base.)
- 1 pinch Salt (Originally 'nimak'.)
- 1/2 cup Granulated sugar (Adjust to taste. Originally 'khand'.)
- 1 teaspoon Rosewater (Originally 'gelab'.)
- 1 package Puff pastry (Thawed. Originally 'puff paste'.)
- 1 tablespoon Butter (For greasing tins. Originally 'bhakhnu'.)
Instructions
- 1Clean and wash the raisins thoroughly, removing any stems. Separate the eggs. Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks (referred to as 'dal' in the original text) with a fork until smooth, then gently fold them into the beaten egg whites.
- 2Pour the milk into a heavy-bottomed saucepan (originally a tinned pan) and place it on the stove. Bring the milk to a boil (let it bubble up twice), then remove it from the heat. Gradually whisk the prepared egg mixture into the hot milk, ensuring it is well combined. Return the pan to the stove on low heat.
- 3Cook the mixture on low heat, stirring constantly to prevent curdling, until it thickens slightly. Remove from heat immediately once thickened. Stir in the salt, cleaned raisins, sugar, and rosewater until well combined. Allow the filling to cool slightly.
- 4Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease tartlet tins or a muffin pan with butter. Roll out the puff pastry and cut circles to line the tins. Fill each pastry shell with the prepared custard mixture. Cut thin strips from the remaining puff pastry and arrange them in a lattice or cross pattern on top of each tart. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden brown.