8-year-old: Mom, now I know why J.K. Rowling named her character Lupin in Harry Potter.

Me: ???

8-year-old: He’s a werewolf, and the scientific name of wolf is Canis Lupus. You see? 

(Me – spinning inside my head: Who’s Lupin? What’s Canis Lupus? How fast can I google?)

Me (authoritative voice outside): Good job, son. Keep reading. 

Pablo lava cheese tart

(Adapted from Savoury Days)

For 12 tarts

Tart dough:
180 g cake flour (or 160 g all purpose flour + 20 g corn starch)
40 g confectioner’s sugar
1/2 tsp salt
100 g butter (cold, cubed)
1 egg (beaten, and take 35-37 g)

Cheese filling:
130 g cream cheese (at room temperature)
105 g mascarpone cheese (at room temperature)
25 g milk
67 g heavy cream
45 g confectioner’s sugar
10 g corn starch
1 egg yolk (beaten, and take 10 g, save the remaining for topping)

Topping:
Remaining egg yolk + 1 tbs melted butter
or lemon curd, chocolate powder, or green tea powder

1. To prepare tart dough:
   • In a medium bowl, sift flour + confectioner’s sugar + salt.
   • Add cold cubed butter.
   • Use your fingers to incorporate butter into the flour.
   • Add egg and still use your fingers to mix until all combined. 
   • Cover with plastic wrap.
   • Put in the freezer for 20 minutes. 
2. To prepare cheese filling:
   • Fill a large skillet with boiling water (do not heat). 
   • Put a bowl in the middle of the skillet.
   • Add cream cheese and mascarpone cheese. 
   • Use a whisk to mix until smooth. 
   • Add milk + heavy cream. Mix well.
   • Sift confectioners’ sugar + corn starch. Mix well. 
   • Finally, add 10 g egg yolk. Whisk together. 
   • Store the cheese in a piping bag and refrigerate until ready to use.
3. To prepare the dough:
   • Prepare a cupcake pan. 
   • Divide the dough into 12 balls (each piece is about 29-30 g)
   • Roll each ball in a thin circle. 
   • Line the thin dough on the bottom of the cupcake pan. 
   • Use a fork to make a couple of holes onto the bottom. 
   • Put the whole pan in the freezer for 15 minutes.
4. To bake:
   • First bake – tart shells:
     • Preheat oven to 355 F.
     • Layer a cupcake liner on top and fill with pie weights. 
     • Bake for 7 minutes.
     • Remove the cupcake liners and pie weights.
     • Continue to bake for another 5 minutes.
     • Remove the tart shells and let them cool on rack.
   • Second bake – cheese tart:
     • Preheat oven to 420 F.
     • Pipe cheese into each tart shell.
     • Brush egg yolk + butter on top (optional)
     • Bake for 8-10 minutes. 
5. Serve when hot. 
   • Note: if not using egg wash on top, you can sprinkle chocolate or green tea powder, or spread some lemon curd on top.