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Cauliflower Cheese Tart

3rd April 2019 by Louise

Cauliflower cheese tart

This was ‘I don’t know where the day has gone and I haven’t planned dinner kind of meal’.  In fact I raided the fridge in desperation only to find cauliflower, spinach leaves and cheddar cheese to work with. (I always try to buy vegetables in season and cauliflower is superb at the moment).  As a self confessed foodie I can’t bring myself to buy anything ready made, it just goes against the grain, truthfully I actually get a kick out of creating something from nothing.

Now that wild garlic is in season I’ll be substituting the spinach for the seasonal leaves, I think the combination works so well. If you find yourself at Marlow market on Saturday, I’ll be selling it with a seasonal salad.

Print Recipe

Cauliflower Cheese Tart

Prep Time45 minutes mins
Cook Time45 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Servings: 6 people

Ingredients

Pastry

  • 230 g plain flour
  • 115 g butter cold and diced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 75 ml cold water

Filling

  • Half a cauliflower or 425g cut into floret
  • 250 ml Whole milk
  • 30 ml Cauliflower water
  • 15 g Butter
  • 15 g Plain flour
  • 80 g grated cheddar cheese mature
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/4 tsp English mustard powder
  • 50 g Baby spinach
  • Approx. 1 tablespoon of Parmesan
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 1 Egg yolk
  • 250 ml Whole milk
  • Salt & Pepper
  • 1 pinch Nutmeg

Instructions

  • In the bowl of a food processor place the flour, butter and salt, pulse until it resembles breadcrumbs, add the cold water and pulse until a dough is formed. Removed from the bowl and roll into a ball and flatten wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a 11 x 34 x 2.5 cm or 28cm round fluted rectangular loose bottomed tin.
  • Line the case with the chilled pastry leaving an overhang. Line with baking beans and bake for 15 minutes, remove the beans and bake for a further 5 -10 minutes or until the pastry is dry and just turning golden. Cool a little. Trim the excess pastry with a microplane.
  • For the cauliflower filling cook the cauliflower in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 3 to 4 minutes until tender. Drain, keeping 30mls of water for the cheese sauce. Heat the milk and cauliflower water in a small saucepan over medium heat until hot. Melt the butter in another saucepan over medium heat, stir in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes. Gradually whisk in the hot milk and stir until it reaches simmering point. Simmer for 10 minutes before adding the cheese. Add the grated cheese and mustard, season well with salt and pepper.
  • Placed the cauliflower in an oven proof dish, pour over the cheese sauce and bake at 180°C for approximately 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool.
  • Crack the eggs in a bowl with the egg yolk, whisk briefly and add the milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg, whisk again.
  • To assemble: Scatter the spinach in the pastry case then nestle the cauliflower cheese among the spinach leaves and sprinkle with Parmesan. Pour in as much of the custard filling as you can without spilling. Return to the oven and bake for a further 25 to 30 minutes or until the past it has it and is golden brown.

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Category: Autumn, Baking, Dinner, Lunch, Spring, Summer, Vegetarian, WinterTag: Cauliflower, Cauliflower cheese, seasonal
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Only @nigellalawson could make squeezing in just o Only @nigellalawson could make squeezing in just one more baking book sound so elegant. She wrote the loveliest words about Buns: Sweets and Simple Bakes — and went for the Brown Butter & Vanilla, a quiet favourite of mine. Deceptively simple, but the kind of bun that’s never trying too hard, because it doesn’t need to.

So chuffed you took the time, Nigella — thank you.

@quadrillebooks 
#BunsTheBook #MorningBuns #bakingwithyeast #bakingbook #NigellaLawson #brownbutterbuns #vanilla #BunsSweetsAndSimple #nordickitchenstories
With all this hot weather lately, a chilled Cucumb With all this hot weather lately, a chilled Cucumber & Almond soup was just what I fancied. Cool, creamy, and packed with protein and flavour. I used 650g small cucumbers, 250g full-fat Greek yogurt, 2 spring onions, a blanched clove of garlic (raw’s a bit harsh for this, I find), 60g skinned almonds, 50ml strong veg stock, a good drizzle of EVOO, lemon juice, and a splash of sherry vinegar to finish. I also threw in a handful of herbs – fresh dill, blanched parsley, and mint – for a lovely hit of green brightness. (Serves 2.)

Tip: blitz the blanched almonds with the veg stock first until really smooth – that’s key. Then add the cucumber, herbs, spring onions, garlic, EVOO, lemon, vinegar, and just a third of the yogurt. Only whisk in the rest once the soup’s puréed – it gives a lovely thick, creamy texture. If you add all the yogurt to the blender at once, it can end up a bit thinner than you’d like.

Finish with a swirl of EVOO, a drizzle of thinned yogurt, and maybe a few cucumber ribbons if you're feeling a bit cheffy.

As I sat down to eat, it occurred to me that some chopped pickled jalapeños on top would be lovely – so that’s exactly what I added to the finished soup before tucking in!

#chilledsoup #cucumbersoup #summerrecipes #almondsoup #vegetarianrecipes #glutenfree #coolingmeals #easyrecipes #greekyoghurt #souprecipe #healthyandfresh #britishsummerfood
This week’s bits and pieces… 1 & 2. A christe This week’s bits and pieces…

1 & 2. A christening cake I loved making, thank you for the flowers @littlebeechesfarm 

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4. Stumbled on some wild raspberries while out and about 

5. Making the most of the gorgeous summer tomatoes

6. Grass dancing in the wind



#LittleMoments #BritishSummer #SlowDays #HomeBakes #ForagedFinds #SeasonalEating #CountrysideWalks #ChristeningCake #SimplePleasures #nordickitchenstories
I’m fully embracing my current obsession with to I’m fully embracing my current obsession with tomatoes — and honestly, who wouldn’t? They’re so sweet and juicy at the moment. This little tart is packed with toasted fennel seeds, chunks of salty feta, and a mix of whole and sliced tomatoes that roast beautifully. The feta is so good with the sweet, blistered tomatoes — such a lovely mix of textures and flavours. All of that’s tucked into a light spelt pastry that’s perfectly crumbly. The full recipe will be on the blog tomorrow!

#tomatoseason #seasonaleats #summertart #vegetarianrecipes #homebaking #britishseasonalfood #tomatolove #easyvegetarian #eattheseasons #tartrecipe #bloggerrecipes #instafoodie #savourybakes #tomatotart #ukblogger #nordickitchenstories
What a weekend! I managed to deliver a Strawberry What a weekend! I managed to deliver a Strawberry and Elderflower Buttercream Cake in 30°C heat without a single mishap – a small miracle if you ask me. Huge congratulations to the lovely newlyweds Victoria and John –  hope you had the most wonderful day 💐🎂 (There’s a snap of the cake over on stories)

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#strawberryandelderflowercake #buttercreamcake #summerwedding  #tunasalad #seasonaleating #haricotbeans #capers #chives #homemadelunch #simplemeals #foodinspo #saladseason #homecooking #frommytable #inmykitchen #onmyplate #ukfoodie #ukfoodblog #foodbloguk #slowdownwithstills #nordickitchenstories
I meant to post this much earlier, but I’ve been I meant to post this much earlier, but I’ve been busy prepping a wedding cake for a Midsummer wedding tomorrow. Buttercream and a heatwave are not the best combination! I was up at 4:30 to get ahead of the heat, and I’m so glad I did — the cake is finished and happily chilling in the fridge.

Being half Swedish, Midsommar holds a special place in my heart. It’s all about flower crowns, fresh air, and that lovely feeling of long summer days. We gather with family and friends, share a beautiful midsommar feast - pickled herring, new potatoes, strawberry cream cake (this is not the wedding cake), and snaps! 
A time to slow down, dance around the maypole, and celebrate life and light. 

 Glad Midsommar! 💛🌞

#Midsommar #GladMidsommar #swedishmidsummer #weddingseason #Midsommarvibes #FlowerCrowns #ScandiStyle #NordicTradition #SummerSolstice  #SkålToSummer  #Familytraditions #ScandinavianCelebration #nordickitchenstories
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