Strawberry Matcha Cream Cheese Tart

It's certainly taken its own sweet time, but I think spring is *finally* here, just in time for the #strawberriesarethejam collaboration!  I mean, it might've snowed last week, and it's snowed on Mother's Day before, so I'm not ruling winter completely gone either, but I'm just happy to be finally seeing the trees outside starting to bloom!

This tart was inspired by the sakura matcha Kit Kats I saw in the Narita airport on my way home from Taiwan this month.  While I don't have access to sakura (cherry blossoms) as an ingredient, I thought these sliced strawberries would add a nice, springtime sweetness.

As a bonus, they can also be arranged into pretty flowers that remind me of sakura blossoms.  For this tart I used Dorie Greenspan's sweet tart dough with nuts, but her regular sweet tart dough would work as well.

Strawberry Matcha Cream Cheese Tart

makes 1 tart

Your favorite sweet tart crust, fully baked and cooled

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ceremonial grade matcha powder

Sliced strawberries

Chopped nuts (optional)

Use the paddle attachment in a stand up mixer or a hand mixer to combine the cream cheese, sugar, and matcha powder until smooth and creamy.  Spread into the tart shell and chill while you slice the strawberries.

Arrange the sliced strawberries on top of the cream cheese in the shape of a flower.  Add a little sprinkle of chopped nuts in the center if you like.

Previously:  My Mom's Taiwanese Zongzi

Last Year:  Rhubarb Strawberry Coconut Cream Tart

Two Years Ago:  Sesame Soba Noodles with Avocado Rose

Three Years Ago:  Gordon Ramsay's Sublime Scrambled Eggs - Two Ways

Four Years Ago:  Nutella Mini Crepe Cakes

Eight Years Ago:  Lilikoi Malasadas

Nine Years Ago:  Moffles

Check out the rest of the bloggers that participated in the #strawberriesarethejam collaboration:

Square Meal Round Table’s Roasted Balsamic Strawberry Pavlova

The Cooking of Joy’s Strawberry Matcha Cream Cheese Tart

This Healthy Table’s Strawberry Tahini Shortcake

Flours in Your Hair’s Strawberry Milk Donuts

The Wood and Spoon’s Strawberry Icebox Pie

Smart in the Kitchen’s Rustic Strawberry Galette

The Herb and Spoon’s Strawberry-Jam Filled Brioche Donuts

Better with Biscuit’s Strawberry Cobbler

My Kitchen Love’s Strawberry Rhubarb Tart

Sift and Simmer’s Rose Strawberry Hibiscus Mille Crepe Cake

What Great Grandma Ate’s No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars (Paleo, Vegan)

A Modest Feast’s Greek Yogurt With Crispy Quinoa and Roasted Strawberries

Hola Jalapeno’s Strawberry Pink Peppercorn Margarita

Worthy Pause’s Strawberry-Basil Shrub Cocktail

Hot Dishing It Out’s Panna Cotta with Strawberry Jelly

Figs & Flour’s Shrimp Tacos with Strawberry Apricot Salsa

Pie Girl Bakes’ Strawberry Ginger Pie

Crumb Top Baking’s Strawberry Chia Jam Oat Bars

The Gourmandise School’s Strawberry Pistachio Salad

Tiny Kitchen Caper’s Strawberries and Cream Pound Cake

Cook Til Delicious’ Mini Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Ganache

Something New For Dinner’s Watermelon, Tomato and Strawberry Salad with Burrata

A Spicy Perspective’s Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cake

Easy and Delish’s Strawberry Brigadeiros

Plays Well with Butter’s Strawberry Salad with Goat Cheese, Grilled Chicken, & Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

Katherine in Brooklyn’s Roasted Strawberry Balsamic Ice Cream

Sugar Salt Magic’s Strawberry Mousse Tart

The Healthy Sins’ Coconut Flour Crepes Topped with Fresh Strawberries and Coconut Yogurt

Lemon Thyme and Ginger’s Strawberry Basil No Churn Ice Cream

Jessie Sheehan Bakes’ Strawberry Basil Turnovers

Bavette Meat & Provisions’ Pickled Green Strawberries

Rezel Kealoha’s Apple Cider Rose Poached Strawberries with Thyme Flowers

Made from Scratch’s Roasted Strawberry and Basil Ice Cream

Eat Cho Food’s Strawberry Basil Glazed Donuts

What’s Karen Cooking’s Strawberry Eton Mess

More Icing Than Cake’s Strawberry, Balsamic & Black Pepper Babka

Well Seasoned Studio’s Classic Vanilla Layer Cake with Mascarpone Buttercream and Fresh Strawberries

Farm & Coast Cookery’s Strawberry & Thyme Shortcake

Marianne Cooks’ Strawberry Madeleines

Clean Plate Club’s Mini Strawberry Bundt Cakes with Lemon Glaze

My Berkeley Kitchen’s Strawberry Kale Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

The Cinnaman’s Rose Hibiscus Strawberry Icebox Pie

Prickly Fresh’s Strawberry Burrata Kale Salad with Pistachio & Lemon Vinaigrette

Maren Ellingboe’s Angel Food Cake with Whipped Cream & Strawberries

Baking the Goods’ Mini Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes

Fufu’s Kitchen’s Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches

What Annie’s Eating’s Vegan Strawberry + Basil Ice Cream

Katie Bird Bakes’ Strawberry Crumble Bars

Cosette’s Kitchen’s Strawberry Shortcake

Blossom to Stem’s Strawberry Pavlova with Mezcal and Lime

Babby Girl Yum’s Strawberry Spinach Almond Salad

It’s a Veg World After All’s Butter Lettuce Strawberry Salad with Poppyseed Dressing

Le Petite Eats’ Strawberry Orange Blossom Tartlets

Cooking with Cocktail Ring’s Basil Balsamic Strawberry Shortcake

Ful-Filled’s Lilac Sugar Strawberry Shortcakes with Greek Yogurt Whipped Cream

The College Housewife: Mixed Berry Whiskey Crisp

Frosting and Fettuccine’s Strawberry Basil Layer Cake with Strawberry Simple Syrup

Zestful Kitchen’s Strawberry & Pine Nut Brittle Salad

Candied Carrot Rose Tart

When I first found out that the ingredient for this season's collaboration was carrots, my heart sank.  Because, you guys, I hate carrots.  Always have, always will.  I'll eat them if I have to, but I would never go out of my way to make a recipe spotlighting them.  But the more I thought about it, the more I decided:  challenge accepted!

At first I thought about doing some sort of carrot cake, because that's the only way I like carrots--when I can't taste them.  But then I decided I could push the envelope a little farther and came up with this tart, which is basically a deconstructed carrot cake, cream cheese frosting and all!

I used Dorie Greenspan's spiced tart dough from her book Baking:  From My Home to Yours, the cookbook the Food52 Baking Club is going through this month.  It works well for this tart because it has the nuts, cinnamon, and cloves traditionally found in carrot cake.  The filling is just a simple mix of cream cheese, sour cream, and sugar.

But the candied carrot roses is probably what you want to know about.  I got that idea from Stella Park's Bravetart cookbook when the Food52 Baking Club went through that book a couple of months ago.  She covers the technique on Serious Eats and her own blog, so I didn't bother taking pictures myself (plus, sticky hands + taking pictures = not good).

In order to make sure that I made enough roses to cover the top of the tart, I found a plate that was about the same size as the tart and kept making the roses until the plate was covered.  It took me a little less than 6 large carrots to get there, including a bunch of ribbons that were too short.  And I had to candy all the carrot strips in 3 batches since they wouldn't all fit into the syrup at once.  If you want some extra shine/sweetness, you could brush some of the leftover poaching syrup onto the roses just before serving.

Candied Carrot Rose Tart
makes 1 tart

Your favorite tart shell, fully baked and cooled
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cup sugar, divided
Juice from half a lemon
1 cup water
1/2 a cinnamon stick
6 long, thick carrots

Use the paddle attachment in a stand up mixer or hand mixer to combine the cream cheese, sour cream, and 1/2 cup of sugar.  Spread into the tart shell and chill while you make the carrot roses.

Combine the remaining 1 cup of sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, and water in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer.

Cut off the carrot tops and peel.  Then, using the vegetable peeler, peel the carrots into long, thick strips.

Once all the sugar has dissolved in the syrup, add a third of the carrot strips.  Cook for about a minute, then turn off the heat and allow the strips to cool in the syrup.

Pick up one of the strips and squeegee the excess syrup off with your fingers.  Hold the thinner end with one hand and start twirling the rest of the carrot strip around it to form a rose.  Tuck the end underneath and set it down on a plate about the size of your tart pan.  Repeat with remaining strips until you have enough to cover the plate, and thus, the top of your tart.

Carefully transfer the carrot roses to the tart and return to the fridge until ready to serve.

Check out the rest of the bloggers who participated in the #24carrotgoals collaboration below:

Square Meal Round Table’s Rainbow Carrot and Ricotta Tart

Better with Biscuits’ Carrot Souffle

This Healthy Table’s Beet and Carrot Galette

Always Eat Dessert’s Carrot Cake Squares with Orange Glaze

Figs & Flour’s Thai Peanut Pizza

Fufu’s Kitchen’s Oven Baked Carrot Fries Drizzled with a Tahini Sauce

Flours in Your Hair’s Carrot Pecan Cookies

Hola Jalapeño’s Roasted Carrots with Chipotle-Honey Butter

Worthy Pause’s Paleo Thai Curry Carrot Soup

Something New for Dinner’s Minted Sous Vide Carrots with Balsamic Vinegar and Goat Cheese

What Great Grandma Ate’s Paleo Carrot Mug Cake

More Icing Than Cake’s Spiced Quinoa & Roasted Carrot Salad

Hot Dishing It Out’s Vegan Carrot Whoopie Pies

Katie Bird Bakes’ Carrot Cake Scones

Confetti Kitchen’s Harissa-Roasted Carrots with Lentils and Yogurt

Easy and Delish’s Carrot Spaghetti

Pie Girl Bakes’ Five Spice Carrot Bundt Cakes with Bourbon Cream Cheese Glaze

Smoothies and Sundaes’ Carrot Cake Sourdough

Zestful Kitchen’s Moroccan-Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Food by Mars’ Paleo Carrot Walnut Loaf Cake

Cosette’s Kitchen’s Sumac Carrot and Feta Salad

Measuring Cups Optional's Carrot Curry Soup

Rezel Kealoha’s Turkish Yogurt Carrot Dip

Pies and Prejudice’s Carrot Pie with Maple & Cardamom

Amanda Skrip’s Rainbow Roasted Carrots with Citrus Fennel + Arugula

Baking The Goods’ Roasted Carrot & Herby Feta Galette

Marianne Cooks’ Carrot and Zucchini Mini Muffins with a Cinnamon Frosting

Rumbly in My Tumbly’s Chai Carrot Pie

Cook Til Delicious’ Mini Carrot Cake

What Annie’s Eating’s Roasted Carrots with Herby Carrot Top Salsa Verde

It’s a Veg World After All’s Zesty Sunflower Carrot Spirals

Butter Loves Company’s Iced Carrot Cake Cookies

Le Petit Eats’ Carrot Cake Breakfast Bars w/ Maple Coconut Icing

Smart in the Kitchen’s Curried Carrot Ginger Soup (Whole30)

Cocoa and Salt’s Classic Carrot Cake

Dirty Whisk’s Carrot and Herbed Ricotta Tart

A Modest Feast’s Pomegranate-Molasses-Glazed Carrots With Crispy Chickpeas and Feta

Next:  My Mom's Taiwanese Zongzi
Previously:  Pork, Cabbage, and Tofu Dumplings
Last Year:  Salted Egg Yolk Mochi Ice Cream
Three Years Ago:  Burmese Coconut Noodles with Tofu
Four Years Ago:  Grilled Cheese Egg in a Hole
Five Years Ago:  Passion Fruit Marshmallows
Eight Years Ago:  Kalua Pork
Nine Years Ago:  Tomato and Eggs over Rice

Crane Rangoons

I've been toying with the idea to make these ever since I saw an article on Food52 about someone who folded wonton skins into origami cranes and deep fried them.  Naturally the only logical progression would be to stuff them with cream cheese and make crane rangoons, right?

My mom taught me how to fold paper cranes when I was a kid, and it's basically muscle memory for me, but if you're not familiar with how to fold a crane you'll definitely want to practice with paper first.  One thing I realized as I was doing research for this post is that the way my mom taught me how to fold a paper crane is different than the most popular way on the internet.  In fact, I can't seem to find a single tutorial showing the method my mom taught me!  It's a very disorienting feeling to realize that something that you thought everyone else knew is actually just something only your family knows.

Anyways, for science, I tried both ways with a wonton skin, and there doesn't seem to be too much of a difference.  I think the hollow space in the crane's body may be a tad larger using my mom's method, and the tail and head are a bit fatter so it's a little easier to have a defined head.  Both honestly, I'm not sure those differences are a big enough of a deal to learn a new way to fold a crane, especially since it's hard enough folding one with a wonton skin.

You will want to get the freshest, most pliable wonton skins you can find, and the thinner the better.  The ones I used weren't a perfect square, but you can still get a pretty decent looking crane.  Also, instead of making perfect creases like you'd usually do with paper, you want to try not to press down too hard on any folds so that the wonton skin doesn't break.

After I finished folding the cranes, I microwaved them for 8-10 seconds, just enough to make them a little stiffer, but not totally cooked.  Basically I watched them as they microwaved and pulled them out as soon as they started to distort.  At that point, I was still able to manipulate them back into the desired shape.

Then I whipped up some softened cream cheese with some chopped scallions and a pinch or two of salt.  To fill the cranes, I used a piping bag with a no. 12 round tip.  A slightly smaller tip would probably have been a little better, but you don't want to use a tiny one or else the scallions might get stuck in the tip.

I deep fried the crane rangoons in 375°F oil until they were golden brown.  After some trial and error, it seemed like frying them upside down was the best way to get them to cook as evenly as possible.  When they were done, I let them drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Next:  Deep Fried Apple Dumplings with Miso Caramel Dipping Sauce
Previously:  Blueberry Salted Caramel Ice Cream with Chocolate Freckles
Last Year:  Soy Garlic Glazed Korean Fried Cauliflower
Two Years Ago:  Mini Homemade Pretzel Dogs
Three Years Ago:  Elote-Style Cornbread Waffles
Four Years Ago:  Apple Cider Donuts
Five Years Ago:  Magical Cold Brew Coffee

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

I don't like carrots but ended up with a whole pound of them from Boston Organics in my latest delivery. This wouldn't have been a problem back when I was a kid because my brother liked them, so anytime I had carrots I would just give them to him. But now that my brother lives on the opposite side of the country, I am forced to do things like make carrot cake cupcakes. Alas, the tragedy of it all. By the way, my brother's birthday is this Sunday so happy birthday, Timmy, and pretend I made and mailed these to you!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting (based on the recipe from Tartelette's site)
makes 30 cupcakes

For the cake:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 ½ tablespoons ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
4 large eggs
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pound carrots, grated medium fine

For the frosting:
12 oz. cream cheese softened
2 1/ 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
Zest of 1 orange
2 sticks butter, softened
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs at high speed until light and frothy, about one minute. Decrease the speed to medium and add the oil, vanilla, sugar, and salt and mix just until combines. Decrease the speed to low and add the flour mixture until just combined. Using a spatula, fold in the carrots.

Fill each cupcake liner halfway with batter. Bake for 18 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

Combine the cream cheese, sugar, and zest with an electric mixer. Start on low speed and then increase to medium high speed and beat until smooth. Add the butter and mix on medium speed until just fluffy and smotth, about 45 seconds. Add the vanilla and mix until just combined. Do not overbeat.

The original recipe was for a layer cake, but I thought it translated well to cupcake form. The only issue I had was for the first batch I filled the liners about 2/3 - 3/4 full and the batter ended up overflowing onto the tin when it baked. Adding orange rind to the cream cheese frosting is ingenious and adds a vibrant aromatic and a very subtle whiff of tartness to the otherwise very sweet topping. If I had wanted to go the extra mile, I would've added a sprinkle of additional orange zest on top or maybe finely chopped crystallized ginger. I thought about a carrot curl, but then I'd be defeating the purpose of making these cupcakes because I don't like the taste of carrots.

Off to Mount Tremblant and Montreal!