Home
About

Lady Shaftesbury's toasted cheese

Three small pots of toasted cheese with toasted fingers of brown bread on brass tray. For Lady Shaftesbury's toasted cheese recipe.

This is a delicious alternative to cheese on toast or rarebit.  The politician, Lord Shaftesbury, who was responsible for child labour and factory reform in the 1830s was relatively poor for an aristocrat and his wife, Emily, was responsible for introducing cheap but nourishing dishes to the household.  One of these was her version of cheese on toast.  Instead of spreading the toast with cheese and then grilling it, a mixture of cheese, cream and egg yolks is heated together and then served with toasted bread soldiers to dip into the unctuously rich concoction.

Equipment

  • Weighing scales
  • Measuring jug
  • Saucepan
  • 6 x 6cm ramekins

Preparation method

  • Place the ingredients apart from the bread in the saucepan.
  • Place over a low heat and mix together thoroughly as it cooks.
  • Keep gently simmering and stirring until the mixture is thick, smooth and creamy.
  • Remove from the heat immediately and divide between the ramekins.
  • Place under a hot grill for a few minutes to brown the tops.
  • Meanwhile slice and toast the bread.
  • Cut the crusts off the toast and cut into fingers.
  • Remove the ramekins from the grill and serve immediately with the toast fingers which you dip into the cheese.

More cheese recipes
Cheese custard
Gloucester cheese and ale
Homity pie
Ploughman's lunch

Victorian

Serves:
6
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • 60 g butter, melted
  • 200 g mature Cheddar cheese, grated
  • 90 ml double cream
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 12 slices bread of your choice, toasted

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Lady Shaftesbury's toasted cheese
Serving Size
 
146 g
Amount per Serving
Calories
493
Percent of Daily Value*
Fat
 
30
g
46
%
Saturated Fat
 
16
g
100
%
Cholesterol
 
133
mg
44
%
Sodium
 
538
mg
23
%
Potassium
 
237
mg
7
%
Carbohydrates
 
37
g
12
%
Fiber
 
6.1
g
25
%
Sugar
 
5.9
g
7
%
Protein
 
20
g
40
%
Calcium
 
341
mg
34
%
Iron
 
2.3
mg
13
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Share this recipe

Keywords

cheddar cheese, Toast, Victorian

© Dr Caroline Gordon 
2026
Illustrations by Chichi Parish
Site by Anselm Eustace