Hokkaido Cheese Tarts (the BEST Baked Japanese Tart Recipe)

❤️Why you will love this recipe

• This is an easy recipe, with detailed step by step instructions for making homemade Hokkaido cheese tarts.
• The tarts are easy to make and turn out perfect every single time.
• The recipe makes absolutely delicious tarts with creamy cheese filling and buttery tart shells.
• The aroma of the tarts as you bake them is so divine and inviting.

Like this recipe? Here are more recipes you can check out:

• Japanese Cotton Cake (Jiggly & Fluffy Cheesecake)
• Cream Cheese Frosting without Butter (the Best ever!)
• Mascarpone Chocolate Mousse (Rich & Decadent)
• Cream Cheese Mints (Easy Homemade Candy)
• Mascarpone Whipped Cream Frosting Recipe

Crust

• All purpose flour + salt - best sifted. Use fine salt as it dissolves more easily.
• Butter - should be cold and firm but soft enough to cut into small cubes. Cut into small pieces for easy mixing. I use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, add an extra small pinch of salt to the recipe.
• Powdered sugar (icing sugar) - sift first before using to break any lumps.
• Egg - use large egg.
• Vanilla extract - adds a lovely aroma and flavor to the crust.

Filling

• Cream cheese - makes up the largest type of cheese used in the filling. Use the block cream cheese and not the spreadable one.
• Mascarpone cheese - adds to the creaminess of the filling.
• Parmesan cheese - contributes to the slightly savory taste in the tart filling.
• Granulated sugar - sweetens the cheese filling
• Egg yolk - contributes to the custard texture of the filling.
• Corn starch - helps to thicken the creamy cheese filling.
• Heavy cream - use cream with at least 35% fat content.
• Fresh milk - use whole milk as it contributes to the creamy filling.
• Butter - I use salted butter. Unsalted butter will also work fine for the recipe.

Egg Wash

• Egg yolk - to brush on top of the tarts.

🧾Substitution and Variations

• The distinct feature of these Hokkaido cheese tarts is the sweet, tangy and savory taste of the cheese filling. This is achieved by using a combination of cheese in making the filling. The largest portion is made up of cream cheese and you can intensify the cheese taste by adding some parmesan cheese. I have also added some mascarpone cheese to the filling. You can make these Hokkaido baked cheese tarts with just the cream cheese if you like.
• Vanilla flavoring in the pastry and filling can be omitted. Alternatively, it can be replaced with other flavoring like lemon. Just add some grated lemon zest (about 1 teaspoon) into the pastry along with the powdered sugar and/or add about 1 teaspoon of lemon juice into the cheese custard in place of the vanilla extract.
• I have used individual metal fluted tart molds to make these Hokkaido cheese tarts. Here are other types of tart pans and molds you can use if you do not have the ones like I do:
  • Smooth edged mini tart molds made of metal
  • Mini silicone tart molds
  • Mini muffin pan
  • Mini disposable individual tart tin or molds (usually made of aluminum foil or paper).

Mixing the dough

1. Start by measuring the flour into a large bowl.
2. Cut cold butter into small pieces and add to the flour.
3. Mix both with your finger tips or a hand mixer or food processor until the butter and flour mixture resembles bread crumbs. Make sure there are no solid bits of butter left unmixed.
4. Next, add the powdered sugar and salt and combine well. At this stage, the mixture would still look like breadcrumbs.
5. Next, add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix the ingredients until a dough is formed. Do not overmix it, suffice if all the ingredients come together into a smooth ball.
6. Set it aside for about 10 minutes to rest. Once rested, knead lightly and divide the dough into 15 to 16 portions depending on the size of your molds. My molds measured 7cm in diameter at the top and 5cm at the bottom, with a height of 2cm.

Shaping the pastry

There are a few ways in which you can shape the dough into the tart molds. Here are all the methods you can use:

First Method

1. Form the dough into round balls. Place each ball into a well greased mold and press it with your fingers to cover the insides of the mold.
2. In doing this, take note to make sure the thickness of the pastry dough is consistent.
3. Trim off any excess dough on the sides with a small sharp knife.
4. Or you can simply press the excess down with your fingers for a flat edge.

Second Method

1. Form the dough into round balls. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a small disc.
2. Lift the dough and carefully place it into the pastry mold and press it down gently to follow the shape of the mold.
3. Trim of any excess with a sharp knife or simply press it down with your fingers to form flat edges.
4. For this method, when rolling the dough, do not roll it too big or too thin, or you will end up with shells that are too thin and a lot of excess dough being cut out.

Third Method

1. Form the dough into round balls.
2. Flatten it with your fingers to form a small round disc.
3. Place the disc into the tart mold and press it down gently to follow the shape of the mold. In doing this, pay attention to the thickness of the pastry as you would want to ensure it is consistent for a uniform baking.
4. Similar to the above 2 steps, you can trim off the excess at the edges or simply press it down with your fingers to flatten it.

Baking the tart pastry

Before assembling the Hokkaido cheese tarts, the tart crust need to be blind baked first. This will ensure they bake into a lovely crisp and crumbly texture before the creamy cheese mixture is added.

1. To blind bake the shells, use a fork to poke them in the center. This will avoid the centers from puffing up as they bake. Puffed pastry shells will leave lesser room for the cheese hence you need to do this step to ensure the shells do not puff up during baking.
2. Place the shells in a preheated oven and bake until they turn golden brown. Do take note to not over bake these as you would be returning these Hokkaido cheese tart shells back into the oven after assembling the cream.

Once baked, remove the baked pastry shell from oven, let them cool slightly before removing the casings and cooling them completely to room temperature on wire rack. Let the shells cool completely before using. You can even bake these shells a few days in advance. Store them in an airtight container until ready to use.

Making the cheese custard

An important point to note when making the cheese custard for these Hokkaido cheese tarts is its consistency. If you like soft and flowy cheese filling, you should not cook it for too long. But if you prefer a more firm and solid filling, you will have to increase the cooking time.

1. Start by measuring the milk and cream.
2. Next, measure the sugar into a separate small bowl. Add the cornstarch and mix well to combine.
3. Add 1 tablespoon of the milk-cream mixture into the sugar. Mix to form a paste.
4. Add the egg yolk to the mixture and mix well. Set aside.

1. Separately, place cream cheese, parmesan cheese and mascarpone cheese into a small saucepan. Also add the butter and the remaining milk and cream mixture.
2. Place the saucepan on medium low heat and cook until the cheeses melt completely and the mixture is smooth. Stir constantly to avoid the mixture from burning and adjust the heat to low if necessary. Turn off the heat and add the vanilla extract.
3. Also add the sugar and egg mixture. Stir quickly to avoid the egg from curdling.
4. Turn on the heat again to a low flame. Continue cooking until it thickens. The filling does not thicken much after cooling so you can assess the thickness at this point. Once you achieve the desired level of thickness for your filling, remove it from heat.
5. Strain the custard to remove any fine lumps. If it is thick, use a spoon to push it through the sieve gently.
6. Transfer the filling into a separate container and cover the top with a plastic wrap. Make sure the plastic wrap is touching the surface of the filling to avoid skin from forming on the surface. Let the filling cool completely before using.

Assembling the cheese tarts

Assembling these Hokkaido cheese tarts is easy.

1. For easy handling, transfer the cooked cheese mixture into a piping bag. Snip the tip.
2. Pipe it into the baked tart shell until it is of the same level as the sides of the shells. Do this for all the tarts.
3. If your filling is thick, you might want to lightly tap the tray of the tarts on your kitchen counter to level the custard for an even layer.
4. Place the Hokkaido cheese tarts into the freezer for about 5 minutes. This step is to firm up the filling so that it is easier to apply the egg wash on top. In the meantime, preheat the oven. Remove from the Hokkaido cheese tarts from the freezer. Brush the top of the tarts with egg yolk using a pastry brush.

Bake the cheese tarts in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes until the egg wash is cooked. To achieve the slightly charred tops, place the tarts in the top section of your oven and adjust the setting to a grill mode. Pay close attention to the tarts at this stage as there is a tendency for the tart shells to burn. An easier option would be to use a blow torch to char the egg yolk.

Remove the Hokkaido tarts from the oven and let them cool before serving.