Maids of Honour - Old English Tudor Cheesecakes

These are the forerunner of modern baked cheesecakes, and this recipe originates from one of the first documented versions of this recipe. Curd cheese was very popular as an ingredient for desserts many hundreds of years ago, and these delightful little tarts have a Royal lineage; the story is that whilst Henry VIII was strolling in the gardens of Hampton Court Palace, he came across a group of ladies in waiting (to his queen, Catherine of Aragon), one of whom was Anne Boleyn - whom subsequently became his second wife; they offered him some of these tarts and he enjoyed them so much, that he named them after the Maids of Honour. I always make these for afternoon tea - they are delightfully light and fragranced with delicate orange flower water or rose water. Use any dried fruits that you have available - I find a mixture of seedless raisins and chopped candied peel works very well.