Matcha Black Sesame Tarts

Oh, hello there! It has been way too long since I last shared a recipe here. I haven't abandon this blog. I just haven't been baking as much lately. In fact, these Matcha Black Sesame Tarts are the second thing I baked this year. (The first was Afghans Cookies which will be a post for another day.)

Anyway, these tarts are soooooo good that I decided to come out from my hiatus so to share this recipe ASAP. It's that good!

I love the addition of the black sesame seeds in the sweet pastry case. The unmistakably nutty sesame flavour in the pastry case adds an almost savory-like element to the tarts, not overpowering as sesame seeds can be sometimes, but rather a gentle note that has a somewhat lingering familiarity.

Matcha is the star of the show of course. For anyone who is concerned about the bitterness, typical of Matcha, these tarts carry the flavour but not the bitterness. And the pretty jade green pastry cream makes the tarts seem deceptively healthy. Green means healthy, right?

I'm so excited to finally use the elderflowers from my garden. I planted the elderflowers last winter with hope that I will be able to use them to decorate my desserts. The elderflowers exceed beyond expectation, with constant blooms since spring. Ahhh, the joy of gardening.



Matcha Black Sesame Tarts
(Adapted from Delicious Magazine)

Makes 6x6cm tartlets

Black Sesame Sweet Pastry Case
125 grams unsalted butter, chilled, chopped
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
200 grams plain flour
2 tablespoons black sesame seeds
60ml cold water

Matcha Pastry Cream
375ml pure (thin) cream
5 egg yolks
50 grams caster sugar
2 tablespoons matcha powder
125ml double cream

You will also need fresh strawberries (and elderflowers to decorate).

To make black sesame sweet pastry case:
Place butter, sugar, salt, flour and sesame seeds in a food processor and process until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add water and process until the dough just comes together. Turn out the pastry, flatten into a disc, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll out the pastry between two sheets of baking paper until 1/4 inch thick. Cut rounds large enough to fit the tart tins. Lift pastry into tin, ease into base and side. Trim off any excess pastry. Prick the base all over with a fork. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (I like to freeze the pastry overnight. I find that baking the pastry from when it’s completely frozen helps minimize shrinkage.)

Preheat the oven to 180 degree celcius fan-forced. Place tart tins on baking tray. Line the pastry with a sheet of baking paper and pour in dried beans or rice. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove paper and beans/rice. Return to the oven for another 10 minutes, or until light golden. Set aside to cool completely.

To make Matcha Pastry Cream:
Place the cream in a saucepan over high heat and bring to just below boiling point. Place egg yolks, sugar and matcha in a heatproof bowl and whisk until creamy. While whisking, slowly pour the hot cream over the matcha mixture.

Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water) and stir custard with a wooden spoon for 4-6 minutes until mixture coats the back of the spoon.

Cover surface with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or until cold. Transfer to a stand mixer, add double cream and whisk until soft peaks form.

To assemble the tart, spoon the matcha cream into the tart shells and top with the strawberries (and elderflowers).