Chäschüechli means little cheese cakes in Swiss German, and in French speaking Switzerland they go by ramequin. They are a fixture of Swiss bakery counters in every corner of the country: individual tarts of crisp, buttery pastry filled with grated cheese and a light egg custard, baked until the tops rise and turn golden. Bought warm from the bakery, they make a snack to eat on the move, or are set out with a glass of white wine before dinner, the Swiss aperitif known as the apéro.

The cheese is the point, and Switzerland is not short of choices. Gruyère gives nutty depth, Emmentaler a mild sweetness and good melt, and Appenzeller a sharper, spicier edge; a mix of two is ideal. A muffin tin stands in perfectly for traditional tart tins. Like many of the best things in Swiss life, they are small, precise and gone in exactly as long as it takes to say the name correctly.

The butter pastry

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 7 tablespoons (100 g) cold unsalted butter
• 4 to 5 tablespoons (60 to 75 ml) ice cold water

Method

1. Mix the flour and salt in the bowl. Add the cold butter and cut it in with the pastry blender or two knives, or rub it in with your fingertips, until most of the butter is in pea sized pieces. In a food processor, pulse 8 to 10 times.
2. Sprinkle over 4 tablespoons of the ice water and stir with a fork until the dough begins to clump. Squeeze a handful; if it crumbles, add the last tablespoon of water. Do not knead.
3. Press the dough into a flat disc, wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
4. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rack in the lower third. Grease the muffin tin lightly with butter. On a floured counter, roll the dough out to about 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Cut out 12 rounds with the cutter, rerolling the scraps once if needed. Press each round into a muffin cup so it lines the base and comes about 3/4 of the way up the side.

The cheese and custard filling

Ingredients

• 3 oz (85 g) Gruyère
• 3 oz (85 g) Emmentaler or Appenzeller
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black or white pepper
• a generous pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• a pinch paprika

Method

1. Toss the grated cheeses with the flour in a small bowl until every strand is lightly coated. The flour helps the cheese and custard set smoothly instead of separating.
2. In the jug, whisk the eggs, milk, cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg together until completely smooth and no streaks of egg white remain.
3. Divide the cheese evenly between the pastry cups, about 2 heaped tablespoons in each. Pour the custard over the cheese, filling each cup about three quarters full. Dust the tops with a little paprika if you like.
4. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the filling has puffed and the tops are golden and lightly browned in spots.
5. Set the tin on the wire rack for 10 minutes. The tops will sink a little; that is normal. Run the small spatula around each tart and lift it out.

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