Matcha Tart Recipe
THE perfect dessert for matcha lovers: an elegant matcha tart with a cookie-like pie crust, filled with baked almond matcha cream, topped with the most indulgent matcha cream
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What’s matcha tart
Matcha tart is a popular sweet in many Japanese cake shops that make confectionery inspired by the Western way (“ke:kiyasan” in Japanese).
It combines matcha tea powder (an iconic ingredient in Japan) with some elements of French patisserie: tart pie and almond cream filling (a.k.a. crème d’amandes).
The result is a layered dessert with a cookie-like pie crust, baked almond cream filling and a generous layer of matcha cream at the top.
Sometimes there is a layer of anko (sweet adzuki beans paste) over the almond filling.
About this recipe
In the city I live, there’s this one café that sells Japanese pastry.
And every time we go, we (my sons and I) always end choosing matcha tart because the it’s the most delicious thing in the shop (and they do have lots of good stuff!).
That’s why this year I decided to replicate it for my birthday, so we could have a bigger one for less money (and using low-carb sweeteners, because we try to avoid refined sugar at home).
I searched for recipes on how to make pie crust the “Japanese way”, how to make almond cream filling… and as I put everything together, I was DELIGHTED about how satisfying this matcha tart got!
This matcha pie isn’t overly sweet and it has a very pleasant nutty taste with a fragrant, indulgent cream that’s a dream for every matcha lover.
My pictures don’t look as great as store-bought versions, but it’s still super delicious!
And actually, the look isn’t “perfect” because I’m very inexperienced in baking (98% of the time I make sweets, they are extremely easy recipes that don’t even involve real baking).
But don’t worry, the ratio of ingredients works great; so if you have a better hand for baking and decorating, your matcha cream pie will look amazing.
Because it’s so luxurious and has such a vivid green, this matcha tart goes very well in Spring (specially when decorated with some flowers) or for Christmas (the color reminds of a Christmas tree).
Tricks to make this matcha tart
Tart crust
I recommend blind baking the tart crust before adding the next layers.
Blind baking means that you bake the crust empty, so it gets crunchier.
The disadvantage of blind baking is that the crust tends to shrink as you bake it.
You may avoid it by using pie weighs.
Cooling down the tart crust once it’s in the pie pan may also help.
As I said before, I don’t feel experienced enough to give the best baking advice, this post about making tart crust may help (I found it very helpful!).
Almond filling
Some matcha tarts has anko (sweet azuki beans) over the baked almond-matcha filling.
I decided to skip anko altogether because it’s very sweet and I prefer my sweets in the less sweet side, but feel free to spread a layer of anko over the baked crème d’amandes.
Matcha cream
Mascarpone gives the matcha cream a firmer texture (and it brings the cream to a new level of creaminess).
However, you may switch it for more whipping cream altogether.
To make keto matcha tart
It’s quite easy to make this matcha tart keto.
The only ingredients that aren’t keto-friendly are the flour in the tart crust and the sugar.
So, if you want a keto version, you just need to:
- make a keto tart crust
- switch the sugar for a low-carb sweetener – I use a stevia-erythritol blend for the pie crust and xylitol for the almond filling and matcha cream.
In the recipe I’m writing the amount in sugar, so you can adapt it to the sweetener you use (xylitol can be switched 1:1, but blends with stevia may need other substitutions).
Other things to consider
- I like my sweets in the less sweet side, so feel free to add a little bit more of sugar.
- This cream tart last about 48 hours in the fridge, but it tastes best the day you whip the cream (the second day the cream gets a little bit dry on the surface).
Fortunately, you can freeze matcha tart: just slice it before freezing, so you can thaw the amount you want.
Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.
Matcha tart recipe
Equipment
- Ø 11 inch (28 cm) Pie plate Non-stick, with removable bottom
- Matcha tea sifter Optional for decoration
Ingredients
Tart crust
- 150 gr. All-purpose flour
- 100 gr. Unsalted butter
- 40 gr. Sugar
- 1 Egg (M) around 50 gr./1.75 oz.
Almond (matcha) filling
- 80 gr. Unsalted butter
- 80 gr. Sugar
- 80 gr. Almond meat
- 2 Eggs
- 2 tsp. Matcha (culinary grade) (4 gr.)
- 40 gr. Walnuts
Matcha cream
- 200 ml. Whipping cream
- 2 Tbsp. Sugar
- 4 tsp. Matcha powder (4 gr.)
- 200 gr. Mascarpone
Decoration
- ⅓ tsp. Matcha powder
Instructions
Make tart crust
- Place the butter* and the sugar in a bowl and mix until it becomes a paste.*Make sure the butter is soft (I cut it into cubes and let them at room temperature for half an hour before using it).
- Add the egg, flour and mix until the dough easily forms a ball.
- Wrap the dough (I use saran wrap). Cool in the refrigerator for at least an hour (or 30 minutes in the freezer). You may also let it sit in the fridge overnight.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, so it softens just enough to make rolling a little bit easier. Meanwhile, grease the pie form and preheat oven to 356°F (180°C).
- Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out until it’s big enough to cover your pie plate. (I personally find it more convenient to roll the dough on baking paper or plastic wrap)
- Place the dough in the greased pie form. Trim the edges and seal any cracks with the excess dough.
- Prick the dought with a fork several times.Back the tart crust for 15-20, or until golden (make sure not to overdo it).You may want to use pie weights to avoid the crust from shrinking (as you may see from my pictures, I didn’t use weights).
Make matcha almond filling
- (You can make the filling while you bake the pie crust)Combine the butter, sugar, eggs, almond meal and matcha powder.
- Fill the baked pie crust with this almond cream. (It’s best if the crust is at room temperature, but I don’t wait and do it while still hot)Top with roughly cut walnuts and then push them down lightly.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 347°F (175°C)Allow to cool at room temperature before topping with the matcha cream.
Make matcha mascarpone cream
- (It’s best to whip the matcha cream when the pie crust and almond filling are already at room temperature and ready to decorate).Combine whipping cream, sugar and matcha and whisk until peaks form.Then add the mascarpone and combine until homogeneous.
- Mound onto the cooled pie and almond filling. If desired, sift some matcha on top to decorate.
Nutrition
I hope you enjoyed this matcha tart.
If you are so matcha obsessed as I am, you may want to check this other recipes with matcha (by the way, they are all much easier than this tart!)
This cake looks perfect and what I love the most is you always give great alternatives to make your recipes sugar free.
I like your cooking style because everything seems healthy and at the same time delicious.
I’m very honoured by your compliment. Thank you so much!