Popular Japanese pastry maker Qu’il Fait Bon has a special winter treat for sweets lovers — this gorgeous white strawberry tart!
We may not be used to strawberries of any color other than red, but we have to say, this tart made with white strawberries looks absolutely stunning!
The particular variety of strawberry used in this tart is called Hatsukoi no Kaori, which literally means “The Scent of First Love“. It was apparently the first white strawberry ever developed, and took 20 years of joint research and development by Yamanashi Prefecture-based seed and plant supplier Miyoshi Agri Tech and fruit breeders in Fukushima Prefecture.
Hatsukoi No Kaori contains very little anthocyanin, the substance responsible for the fruit’s usual red color, which is the reason for its white appearance. The strawberry turns a light pink when ripe, a little like someone young blushing from a first love, and is also strongly fragrant, hence its name.
As you can see, Qu’il Fait Bon’s tart uses plenty of these white strawberries, along with a buttery pie crust and Bavarian cream — yum!
Because the white strawberries are quite delicate and require considerable care and expertise to grow and harvest at the right time, they don’t exactly come cheap, and neither do the tarts made with the berries. They are now available at Qu’il Fait Bon shops across Japan for 1,630 yen (US$13.87) per piece and 12,420 yen ($105.67) for a whole tart until the end of February.
If you’re in Japan and thinking of purchasing one of these tarts, you may want to check with the shop beforehand, as the tarts may not be available every day due to the limited amount of white strawberries being produced. As far as we can tell, this beautiful white creation should truly be a feast for the eyes and taste buds!
Source: Qu’il Fait Bon website, Miyoshi Agri Tech website
Photos: Qu’il Fait Bon website