Vegan Matcha Tart with Coconut Cream

This matcha tart is cut into eight slices after a long chill. Beneath the coconut and tea cream is an oil-based crust baked blind. About 5 tsp (10 g) of matcha goes into the cream; allow 3 hours 38 minutes overall, including two hours of chilling.

Cornstarch thickens the cream without eggs, while coconut keeps its own flavor. To skip this tart's two-hour chill, choose a cake baked in one piece from matcha cakes to share.

• Prep time 25 minutes
• Bake and cook time 28 minutes
• Cooling time 45 minutes
• Chill time 2 hours
• Total time 3 hours 38 minutes
• Yield 8 slices
• Equipment 9-inch (22 cm) tart pan, bowl, fork, parchment paper and pie weights, saucepan, sieve, whisk, and spatula

Ingredients for the matcha tart

• 6.3 oz (180 g) wheat flour for the crust
• 1.1 oz (30 g) sugar for the crust
• about 2.4 fl oz (70 ml) sunflower oil for the crust
• about 1.7 fl oz (50 ml) cold water for the crust
• about 13.5 fl oz (400 ml) full-fat coconut milk for the cream
• 2.1 oz (60 g) sugar for the cream
• 1.2 oz (35 g) cornstarch for the cream
• about 5 tsp (10 g) matcha for the cream

How to bake the crust and make the matcha cream

1. Preheat a conventional oven to 355°F (180°C).
2. Mix the 6.3 oz (180 g) of wheat flour and 1.1 oz (30 g) of sugar in a bowl.
3. Work in about 2.4 fl oz (70 ml) of sunflower oil and about 1.7 fl oz (50 ml) of cold water until you have a pliable dough.
4. Press the dough with your fingers into a 9-inch (22 cm) tart pan, up the sides.
5. Prick the bottom with a fork.
6. Place parchment paper over the dough.
7. Spread pie weights over the paper.
8. Bake the crust for 15 minutes at 355°F (180°C).
9. Remove the paper and weights.
10. Bake the crust for another 5 minutes at 355°F (180°C).
11. Let the crust cool for 25 minutes.
12. Sift 1.2 oz (35 g) of cornstarch and about 5 tsp (10 g) of matcha into a saucepan.
13. Mix the dry ingredients with the 2.1 oz (60 g) of sugar for the cream.
14. Gradually whisk in about 13.5 fl oz (400 ml) of full-fat coconut milk.
15. Thicken the cream over medium heat for 8 minutes, whisking until the first bubbles appear.
16. Pour the hot cream into the cooled crust.
17. Smooth the surface with a spatula.
18. Let the filled tart cool for 20 minutes.
19. Refrigerate the tart for 2 hours before cutting it.

The dough should be pliable before it goes into the pan. If it crumbles, press it again against the bottom and sides. Pie weights help prevent bumps during the first bake; without them, prick any areas that puff up.

Strawberries or apples: how should you top the tart?

For strawberry and coconut, place 5.3 oz (150 g) of washed and dried strawberries on the cold cream. For apple, replace them with 5.3 oz (150 g) of thin slices. Add the fruit just before serving to keep the crust neat.

A single topping leaves the matcha cream visible. If you'd rather slice a batter that needs no thickened cream, a plant-based matcha loaf cake is shared in slices after baking.

Which matcha should you use in the cream?

For this sweet coconut cream, we choose Essence matcha for baking: coconut and sugar would cover some of the nuances of matcha meant for drinking on its own. Sift the tea with the cornstarch to avoid green specks in each slice.

Our tip. Wait for the first bubbles before taking the saucepan off the heat. The cornstarch needs to thicken all the cream, not just its edges.

Allergens. Wheat (gluten).