After finding out Pablo had packed up shop and exited the Australian market in April, we stopped by Hokkaidō Baked Cheese Tart.
2019
I’ve always been happy with the cheese tarts from Pablo so I’ve never tried one of theirs until …
This Yuzu Cheese Tart ($4.20). I have a big weakness for yuzu so it’s no surprise that this is my first. The tarts were about 6 cm in diameter and 3 cm in height.
The tart consisted of a shortcrust pastry with yuzu curd at the base and topped with bruleed cheese filling. Overall, the flavour of the tart tastes more like a lemon curd with the only indication suggesting it’s yuzu rather than lemon being the restrained sourness that recalled the more uplifting qualities of yuzu. Flavour aside, the pastry is buttery with a small crumb, which we enjoy, while the curd is smooth and creamy and gave a pleasant contrast to the runnier cheese topping.
2020
We picked up our first cheese tarts since trying the yuzu at Hokkaidō Baked Cheese Tart in early 2019 after our favourite Pablo Cheesecake exited Australia.
This is the strawberry cheese tart ($4.20), which is around 6 cm in diameter and topped with chopped strawberries.
The cheese tart has the natural tartness of the strawberry, which pairs well with the tang of the cream cheese, while the pastry is a crisp short crust.
This is the apple cheese tart ($4.20), the latest addition to their lineup, also around 6 cm in diameter and topped with three slices of apple.
Unlike the strawberry, which has apple throughout the cream cheese filling, the apple tart has stewed apple at the base of the tart beneath the cream cheese. The softer apples contrast the chewiness of the apple slices on top, but we’re not sure we enjoy the mix of the sweet acidity of the apple with the cream cheese as it’s a little off-putting much like apple cider vinegar.
2022
Hokkaidō Baked Cheese Tart opened in late 2022 in Top Ryde Shopping Centre and lured me with their matcha and azuki soft serve sundae. Sadly, it was unavailable despite being advertised and my attempts to order a matcha soft serve were misunderstood and left me in their original Say Chizu Soft Serve ($4.20).
Despite the miscommunication and with plain cream cheese not being a flavour I’d order ordinarily, it was surprisingly enjoyable. The cream cheese flavour was evident as a tangy dairy hit with every bite but it was suitably mellow with a balanced sweetness that allowed me to enjoy the light and creamy quality of the soft serve itself. While I wouldn’t order it again, the texture was sufficiently enjoyable for me to return to try the matcha flavour when it becomes available.
Hokkaidō Baked Cheese Tart is located at various locations in Sydney, Australia.