This black sesame and yuzu tart is the perfect combination of toasty, nutty and citrusy brightness. It combines two of my favorite flavors into a stunning, brightly colored dessert. I find that this time of year, meals and desserts can get quite heavy, with richer flavors. This yuzu curd tart is the perfect end to a heavy winter meal, adding a refreshingly zippy flavor.
Where I live in New York, it is not so easy to find fresh yuzu. If you can, then by all means go for it and use primarily yuzu for this recipe! If you don’t have access to fresh yuzu, most Asian grocery stores, especially Japanese grocery stores (and Amazon in a pinch) carry bottled yuzu juice. Just make sure its 100% yuzu with no other ingredients. So that you don’t have to use an entire bottle, I used a mix of bottled yuzu juice and freshly squeezed lemon juice for the curd.
Lemon tarts remain a favorite of mine, and this citrusy yuzu tart is no exception. It uses few ingredients and is very tart, with the black sesame offering a nuttiness and warmth to balance the sour flavor. And don’t miss the toasted sesame seeds scattered on top–these turned out to be my favorite bites of the dessert, lending a nice crunch and a stronger punch of sesame flavor.
Black sesame and yuzu tart
Course: Pies and tartsDifficulty: Baking session1
8-inch tart60
minutes30
minutesThis black sesame and yuzu tart has a toasty and nutty black sesame base and is topped with a bright, citrusy yuzu curd. Toasted sesame seeds on top add an extra crunch and hint of toasty sesame flavor. If you love a classic lemon tart but are looking to change it up a bit, this is the perfect recipe for you.
Ingredients
- For the tart dough
1 1/4 cups (156g) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (66g) granulated sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 Tbsp black sesame seeds, toasted and cooled
1 egg yolk
2 Tbsp ice water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup (8 Tbsp) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- For the black sesame paste (see note)
1/2 cup black sesame seeds
1 1/2 Tbsp confectioners’ sugar
1 Tbsp neutral oil (canola, coconut oil)
- For the yuzu curd
zest from 2 lemons or fresh yuzu
1/2 cup yuzu juice (bottled or freshly squeezed)
3 Tbsp lemon juice
3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
3 whole eggs plus 3 egg yolks
11 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp toasted white and black sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Make the tart dough
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, black sesame seeds, and salt. In a separate small bowl, use a fork to beat together the egg yolk, cold water, and vanilla. Place the small bowl in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Add the cubed butter to the flour mixture and use your hands to toss and coat the butter pieces in flour. Using a pastry cutter or two knives, cut the butter pieces into the flour until the butter pieces are no larger than the size of a pea.
- Pour the cold egg yolk mixture into the dough and stir together with a fork to mix. Finish mixing the dough with your hands, pressing the dough together into a ball. Place a piece of parchment paper on your work surface and place the dough on top. Push down into a disk, sprinkle flour on top, and roll out, using your tart pan as a guide to determine the size you need. You want the dough to be about 2-3″ larger in diameter than the tart pan. If the dough is too sticky too roll out, refrigerate it for a few minutes to chill. Cover the rolled dough loosely with plastic wrap and transfer with the parchment into the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour and up to overnight.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit 3-5 minutes until it becomes slightly more malleable. Flip it over the top of the tart pan and slowly peel away the parchment (reserve the parchment for later. Use your hands to gently press it down into the bottom of the tart pan and up the sides. Be sure that it’s pressed down well along the sides and at the point where the bottom and the sides meet. Roll your rolling pin over the top to remove excess dough. If needed, you can use some of the dough to patch it up in places where it’s thin or you don’t have enough dough. Cover with plastic and place back in the fridge for at least one hour and up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Press parchment paper or aluminum foil tightly against the tart dough. Fill with pie weights or dried beans or uncooked rice and bake for about 20 minutes. Remove the pie weights and parchment and bake for another 7-8 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Make the black sesame paste
- Toast the black sesame seeds in a pan, stirring frequently until fragrant–they may make a few popping noises. Remove from the pan and add to a small food processor or spice grinder (you can do a couple of small batches if needed in the spice grinder) along with the confectioners’ sugar. Blend until the black sesame is very fine and starts becoming slightly shiny, with parts of it turning into a paste.
- Add in the oil and continue blending on and off for several minutes until you have a smooth paste. Feel free to taste and add slightly more sugar if needed or a bit more oil if the consistency is too thick. If your food processor is not powerful enough and it has a thicker consistency, that will still work fine–you will just need to work a bit harder to spread it onto the crust. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside until ready to use.
- Prepare the yuzu curd
- To a medium, non-reactive saucepan (avoid aluminum), add all of the ingredients for the yuzu curd. Place over medium low heat, stirring constantly with a rubber or wooden spoon or spatula until the butter has fully melted and the mixture has begun to thicken (7-8 minutes). It will coat the back of the spatula and if you run your finger through the back of the spatula, it will leave a clear trail. Immediately remove from the heat and run the mixture through a sieve placed over a bowl.
- Assemble the tart by spreading the black sesame paste over the bottom of the crust in an even layer. Pour the yuzu curd on top, spreading it evenly. Refrigerate until the curd has set, at least two to three hours. Before serving, toast a couple of tablespoons of sesame seeds. Sprinkle over the top of the tart.
Notes
- For the black sesame paste, if you only have a larger food processor, you may need to double the recipe so that the quantity is large enough for the blades in your food processor. You can also buy black sesame paste at most Asian grocery stores or online if you prefer.
- Make ahead instructions: The black sesame paste can be made several days in advance. The tart dough can be made the day
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