I’ve been a lazy food blogger lately and I blame it in equal measures on the beautiful weather and on Trader’s Joe frozen tamales which are so delicious that I thought I could get away with spending less time in the kitchen and more time in the park. Now that a wave of rainy weather is upon us I’m going back to my food blogger responsibility which is to feed my hungry readers who, I’m afraid, may be already all dead of starvation by now. Let’s hope this green tea tart will help revive them.

This is an improved version of a recipe I posted a little bit over two years ago. I think there’s a great affinity between green tea, lychees, raspberries and mint and I’m having a slice of this tart “as we speak” to further “research” my theory and to try to describe how these ingredients play so well together but I can’t even explain it. Maybe I just need another slice.

It’s rich and exotic with the thin crisp cookie crust and the creamy green tea filling but it’s the garnish of lychees, raspberries and mint that makes it really pop. Refreshing is the word that comes to mind. Yes, refreshing just like the bubbles in a glass of chilled Lambrusco at the end of a hot summer afternoon. That’s what this tart is like.

• Green Tea, Lychee & Raspberry Tart

• Serves 8

• • For the crust:

  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 large egg

  • For the green tea filling:

  • 1 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 5 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 ounces cream cheese
  • 2 tablespoons matcha green tea powder (or to taste)
  • 1 cup creme fraiche
  • 1 teaspoon powdered gelatin

  • For the topping:

  • 8 ounces lychee (canned or fresh)
  • 1 pint raspberries
  • fresh mint leaves

  • For the tart crust:

  • Sift together the confectioners’ sugar, flour and salt into a bowl.
  • Place the butter into a food processor and process until smooth.
  • Scatter the flour mixture over the butter, add the egg and process just until the dough forms a mass; do not overmix.
  • Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least for an hour.
  • When ready, line a greased 9 inch tart ring with half the dough and chill for 30 minutes. It’s important to keep the tart crust very thin. Keep the rest for another use.
  • Preheat oven to 375’F. Line the dough with aluminum foil and fill with pie weights, dry rice or beans.
  • Bake for 15 minutes then remove the aluminum + weights and return the tart to the oven for 15 minutes more.
  • Let the tart shell cool on a rack.

  • For the green tea filling:

  • In a small bowl, place 1/2 cup heavy cream and sprinkle the gelatin over it to soften.
  • In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, bring 1/2 cup heavy cream, the cream cheese, sugar and green tea powder to a simmer. Whisk until smooth.
  • Combine the warm green tea mixture with the gelatin mixture and whisk until smooth. Let it cool. Blend if the green tea hasn’t totally dissolved into the cream.
  • In a medium bowl, whip the creme fraiche and the remaining 1/2 cup heavy cream to soft peaks.
  • Fold the whipped cream mixture into the cooled green tea cream.
  • Pour filling into the tart shell and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

  • For the lychee, raspberry and mint topping:

  • When ready to serve, arrange the lychees, raspberries and mint over the top of the tart.

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