Coconut-sugar pastry Tarts with Honey-Matcha Labne and raspberries.

I have a special treat for you today - my wholefood chef neighbour Jean, has a sweet dreamy tart to share. It's got all good stuff in it, and it looks as amazing as it tastes. I'm ready for a cup of tea and a pretty little tart right about now!

What a delicious way to taste early Summer's delights, and remind us that we eat first with our eyes. The Matcha green tea gives the labne the most stunning colour; add more to amp it up or keep it subtle and pretty like we did. The sweet vivid raspberries were a perfect mix for the smooth creamy labne, which is a healthier alternative than custard or cream. And don't the colours just make you think of dreamy Summer evenings, lingering over a dinner party. These are great tarts because the prep is done beforehand, and the assembly is quick and easy. 

We used Matcha-Sol Organic Matcha Green Tea, which is the highest form of antioxidants for a green tea, as you're drinking / eating the whole (powdered) leaf. You can read about the health benefits on their site; or you can just enjoy these tarts with a cup of vibrant Matcha tea knowing they taste good and are good for you. 

Jean Martinez, of Artisan Wholefoods, works with foods to heal the body, using ferments and real, wholefoods. She runs classes on how to make ferments, wholegrain breads & pastries and much much more. Her hands-on workshops show off her passion for healing the body through a real and natural way, but more importantly enjoying the food you work with and eat. Jean's food isn't health food for the sake of it, it's about a whole lifestyle change that's enjoyable and bubbling with local colour and taste. Please do go and have a look at her workshop schedule, or follow her on Instagram and drool every day over her delicious yet real food - Jean is my neighbour, and often I'm at my home looking at the yum she's having for afternoon tea (on IG) ….and sometimes we invite ourselves up!

Coconut sugar pastry tarts with Honey-Matcha Labne filling

These delicious tarts have the subtle taste of matcha green tea with smooth raw local honey. The matcha gives the labne the prettiest green hue, which combines perfectly with the pop of fresh raspberries. The refined-sugar free pastry is crunchy and nutty, perfectly crumbly and could be used to make biscuits or cookies. 

Honey-Matcha Labne filling

About 4 cups plain full-fat unadulterated yoghurt will make about 2 cups of labne.

Labne is carefully strained yoghurt that mysteriously takes on a bit of an ice-creamy texture (well, I think so anyway). Simply place cold yoghurt in a clean cloth – I use muslin folded a couple of times, in a sieve to line it, and sit this over a bowl. Scoop your yoghurt into this, and place back into the fridge for hours or overnight – depending on your level of organisation and how soon you would like your labne. A minimum of 3 hours is good.

Place strained labne in a clean bowl and scoop in a couple of tablespoons of wild raw honey, some vanilla paste and matcha tea to taste. I used about 4 scoops from the beautiful bamboo scoop that came with the tea (approx 1 teaspoon) - this created a subtle taste and soft green colour. 

Whisk to combine and place back in the fridge while you make the pastry.

Coconut sugar pastry

•   500g unbleached plain spelt flour

•  100g arrowroot flour

•  150g coconut sugar

•  300g unsalted butter, cold but has sat out of the fridge for about 10 minutes.

•  ½ tsp salt

•  1 free range egg

•  2 free range yolks

Place flours, coconut sugar, butter and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.  Turn on to a low-medium speed and allow the butter to work into the flour until it resembles crumbs.

Turn mixer off and scrape the bowl with a spatula, and loosen any bits of butter that may not have mixed in. Pour in egg and yolks, and turn back on to low and continue to mix until it becomes a cohesive ball.

Turn onto a lightly floured bench, and squish together, before dividing in to 4 equal pieces and flattening them into disks. Wrap separately and label.

Chill for at least 30 minutes before using.

Use 1 disk (1/4 of the pastry recipe) to roll out for the tarts - This will make 3-4 10cm (4inch) tart shells.

Pre-heat your oven to 180°C

Roll pastry between baking paper to desired thickness – about 4 mm

Grease 3 or 4 tart shells with a little butter, and carefully place pastry in each shell, being sure to push it into the corners, and trimming the tops. (The scraps can be re-rolled to make coconut sugar cookies).

Blind bake for about 15 minutes, then finish baking for about another 10 – or until pastry is lovely and golden.

Set aside to cool.

Scoop honey-matcha labne into cooled shells, top with some gorgeous fresh raspberries and then add a dusting of matcha over the top. Serve immediately. 

Recipe devised by Jean Martinez of Artisan Wholefoods. Styling by Ellie Beck, photography by Jean.

* The Matcha green tea was gifted to me from Matcha-Sol. I love enjoying it as a cup of tea, but am also excited to try it as cookies using this pastry dough recipe.