Source: dreamersloft.blogspot.sg

There is a little food store that has “popped up” on one of the main streets in Hirafu. They specialise in local dairy products. One of these is the very tasty cheese tart, or cheesu tarturo as my Japanese friends call it.

What is a Japanese cheese tart like?
When you think of Japanese cuisine, you don’t generally think of cheese cakes. Hokkaido is known for its dairy products and these little delights are one of the tasty sweets produced. These cheese tarts are sweet but not overly.

Cheese tarts are not the same consistency as cheese cakes. They are more like custard tarts, with a molten creamy filling when served warm.

Some use the descriptor of “souffle” cheesecake to describe this sweet. They are baked but not like a western style baked cheese cake. Apparently it incorporates a meringue egg batter to the cream cheese mixture. It is cooked but in a bain-marie and the result is a soft, chiffon-like consistency.

These cheese tarts were creamy on the palate against crisp pastry. The cheesiness is well balanced with the moderate sweetness.  If you come this way, I’d recommend them. These were a delightful surprise and one that pleased Monsieur Controleur too.