The key ingredients:
For 8 people, here is what you need. Choose quality ingredients, it makes all the difference.
- Digestive biscuits or speculoos: 200 g
- Melted butter: 90 g
- Philadelphia type fresh cheese: 600 g
- Thick crème fraîche: 200 g
- Powdered sugar: 120 g
- Eggs: 3
- Tea matcha powder: 15 g
- Vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon
- Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon
The choice of matcha is not a detail: a good matcha gives an intense color and a well-balanced flavor, while a matcha low-end may make the dessert bitter.
The preparation of matcha cheesecake
1/ The basis
The base is the base which must hold all the filling: crunchy, but compact enough not to collapse. First reduce the biscuits to a fine powder, in a food processor or simply with a rolling pin, then add the melted butter and mix until you obtain a sandy and homogeneous texture. Then pour this preparation into a springform mold of approximately 20 to 22 cm, packing it down well with the back of a spoon or the bottom of a glass, before placing everything in the refrigerator for around thirty minutes, until the base firms up and is ready to accommodate the cream. matcha.
2/ Cream matcha
While the base is chilling, we take care of the cheesecake maker. Whisk the cream cheese in a large salad bowl to loosen it, add the sugar little by little until you obtain a very smooth texture, then delicately incorporate the crème fraîche, vanilla and lemon juice. Sift it matcha before adding it - a step not to be skipped, it avoids lumps and guarantees a uniform color - and once well incorporated, add the eggs one by one, without whisking too much: there is no point in incorporating air, this could cause the egg to crack. matcha baking cheesecake.
3/ Cooking
Preheat the oven to 150°C for 10 minutes, pour the mixture onto the cold biscuit base and smooth the surface with a spatula. For an even creamier texture, opt for cooking in a bain-marie: softer, it clearly limits the risk of cracking.
- Cooking: 150°C, 50 to 60 min
- Half-open oven rest: oven off, 1 hour
- Refrigeration: 4°C, minimum 6 hours
When it comes out of the oven, the center should still jiggle slightly. This is normal, it will firm up as it cools.
A few details make the difference
Take your ingredients out of the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before you start: at room temperature, they mix much better. Always sift the matcha, without exception, to avoid small pockets of bitter powder and obtain a homogeneous result.
And don't neglect the refrigeration time; a full night in the fridge often gives better texture.
What to accompany it with?
The red fruits such as raspberries, strawberries or redcurrants provide an acidity which contrasts nicely with the richness of the fresh cheese. The citrus work just as well: a few lime or yuzu zests are enough to enhance the freshness of the dessert.
As for drinks, tea lovers often like to accompany it with a Japanese green tea or a matcha light: the vegetal notes respond to each other without ever masking the flavors of the matcha cheesecake.