happy new year, guys! as you can see, i made this during christmas so its an overdue post. i wasn't planning on making something christmassy like a buche but i thought this looked like a tree so it was quite apt too! i also had these slanted-side tart tins for sometime now which i wanted to use for hidemi sugino's fig tart but i couldn't find any figs but i'm glad these had been put into good use.


this recipe is from cuoca and also the first one i've attempted from their website! its a pate sucree crust at the bottom, matcha creme d'amandes which is a baked almond cream aka. frangipane filling, creme chantilly and topped with matcha chestnut paste. i made a few tweaks here and there. the recipe uses 鹿の子豆 which is like a combination of many types of cooked beans. i didn't have them so i used kuromame (japanese black beans). didn't have sabaton chestnut paste on hand so i substituted with sweet potato puree + a good measure of bonne maman's chestnut spread. tasted pretty good and i absolutely adore the crust + matcha creme d'amandes. it tasted a little like matcha financier!


recently i've been trying out different brands of matcha powder. i used to be pretty contented with the one in the little green can which you can find virtually anywhere but not anymore. somehow i find it coarser (?) now so i've been trying other brands. the one i've used for this recipe is pretty expensive which i got it from takashimaya food hall ($18 for 50g i think). its uji matcha and the flavor is nice and intense and has a floral note to it. color for these 3 types of matcha powders had been very disappointing though. they're all an oxidized yellowish green. no idea if its due to our climate but i'd be thrilled to be able to find one in jade green color someday, maybe on the shelves in japan. the kuromame is from isetan supermarket. its not sweetened so it can be used in sweet and savory dishes but you can also make your own.


this is definitely a keeper, very light and tasty and i absolutely adore the crust especially. recipe is from cuoca and can be found here.