Hokkaido cheese tarts

Elle

pooboobakes

Hokkaido cheese tarts

Serves

4

Cook

20 mins

Prep

10 mins

Difficulty

easy

I LOVE cheese, and one of my favourite ways to have it is when its cooked into a savoury-sweet custard and baked in a buttery tart shell until its caramelised on the outside but rich and smooth on the inside. Originating from Hokkaido, Japan, these tarts had me at a chokehold when I was young. It’s like someone made an extra condensed basque burnt cheesecake and stuffed it in a crunchy, buttery tart shell, and I ADORE IT. Don’t come for me but I have somehow never been able to bake tart shells without them shrinking and deforming on me, so I just bought pre-made tart shells instead, and they’re just as good! But if you want to make everything from scratch, you can find any good recipe on butter tart shells (the flakey ones also work! But I found the crunch from the butter-based ones pairs extra well w the velvety filling)

Ingredients

25g double cream

1 egg yolk

25g milk

10g corn starch

105g cream cheese

30g powdered parmesan

20g sugar

20g unsalted butter

Instructions

Step 1

Whisk egg yolk and sugar together until fluffy and airy

Step 2

Heat the remaining ingredients in a pot on medium-low until melted and simmering

Step 3

Pour the liquids into the egg yolk mixture slowly, while whisking the mixture to make sure the yolk doesn’t get cooked

Step 4

Cook the whole thing in a pot again on low heat until it becomes custard -like

Step 5

Chill the mixture in the fridge (make sure to press a cling film onto the surface of the mixture)

Step 6

When ready, scoop the mixture into the tart shells and bake at 200c in the middle rack for 10 minutes