Labneh + A Lebni Tart

Once I get an idea or a goal in my head, it tends to stay there. I am stubborn determined that way. Blame my grandmother. I flipped through Alice Medrich's Pure Dessert virtually, and the lebni tart stole my heart. It was beautiful - in Medrich's words, like a pristine little white dress. Classic, minimalist, but with a twist, and so, just my style.
All I needed was the lebni. Lebni, or labneh as its sometimes called, is simply a yogurt cheese. Rather than souring or turning milk or cream, labneh begins with yogurt as the base ingredient. I thought it would be easy to find, but after trying various grocery stores, high-end pantries, and even a cheese shop or two - nothing. Given my stubbornness determination, I could not let go of the idea. I had to have the tart. Lucky for me, I found out that it is actually quite easy to make labneh at home. In fact, in the Lebanese culture, it is sometimes made and formed into balls, bathed in olive oil, and then served for breakfast.
Even more lucky for me, I just happened to make the perfect amount of labneh for this tart. However, the best part of this tart was that I got to share with my grandmother. From her comes my stubbornness. My tendency to drink tea at all hours of the day and night. A love of history and of learning. She encouraged my kitchen experiments and passed down her love of sweets. So when she had a bite of this tart, her face, ever so slightly, lit up.

I think I know why. This tart is well-worth the very minimal effort - all it takes is a little planning. The closest dessert to it would perhaps be cheesecake (but its much easier). However, lebni tart is the cheesecake that grew up. It has picked up a light grace and elegant sophistication. It has soul and depth, in that it is tangier yet more complex and creamy and yet shed itself of the thick gumminess of cheesecake. 

Labneh Tart:
Adapted from Alice Medrich's Pure Dessert, for original see HERE
Tart shell:
1/2 cup/1 stick butter
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp each, vanilla extract and salt
1 cup (4.5 oz) flour
Filling:
3 large eggs
3 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp honey
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
12 oz/1 1/2 cup lebni/labneh (see below)
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten with a pinch of salt
My variations: I used homemade lebni/labneh. Also, I cut back on the sugar and used a combination of honey and sugar in the tart filling. I found that the filling cooked very quickly, in approximately 12 minutes - this could be because I used an old-fashioned gas oven.
How I made the labneh/lebni: Place 20 oz. of Greek style yogurt in a cheesecloth, and tie the cheesecloth. Place into a colander, and place colander into a large bowl. Leave at room temperature, for 24-48 hours. A whey-like water will slowly drip out. You should have approximately 12 - 13 oz of labneh/lebni leftover (or 1 1/2 cups).
Tea pairing: Creamy desserts work with a variety of teas. Anxi/Iron Goddess of Mercy, formosa, phoenix oolongs would all work, as would a floral Darjeeling.