Baked matcha swirl cheesecake
Hey guys , how's your holiday so far ? Hope it is as relaxing as mine ......
I made this matcha cheesecake on Christmas Day but actually took photos of it after a day of procrastinating tsk tsk !
Anyway , not my best looking cheesecake to date but certainly the most delicious ! Cracks at all sides , obviously cramming more than 700 grams of cheesecake batter in a 6-inch square pan is a no-no . Or maybe I should have lowered the temperature a bit *sigh*
I used homemade creme fraiche in this cheesecake instead of the usual sour cream . Creme fraiche is a bit expensive here and I found this recipe a long time ago from one Dorie Greenspan book . It was pretty easy to make but you need to prepare it , about 2 days , beforehand . You can always use Greek yogurt or plain yogurt but you need to drain it to get rid of some of the whey .
If you don't want any more fuzz , you can forego the topping and eat the cheesecake as is but any homemade cherry or strawberry ( festive color ! ) sauce is really delicious paired with this cake . In my part , I need to get rid of some of my white chocolate and decided to make a ganache . I was supposed to pipe it but it's winter in this side of the world , not cold but more of a chilly weather , the ganache sets very fast and I had a hard time piping them . Instead of a pretty Hershey's Kisses-like shaped that I envisioned , they look more like a poop-shaped lol The shape looks so ridiculous so I just rolled them into small balls .
This cheesecake is as always pretty easy to make as all of the my cheesecake posted on this site . I wrote the instructions as detailed as it can be , okay , more step by step photos would be nicer ha !
If you're looking for an easy yet scrumptious cheesecake for this coming New Year's celebration , look no further !
For the crust :
150 grams Biscoff biscuits ( or any biscuits you like ) , crushed into fine crumbs
40 grams butter , melted and slightly cooled
* Mix both ingredients and press into a ( lightly grease and line the bottom with baking/parchment paper ) 6-inch loose-bottom square or round pan , ideal pan size should be 7-inch and 8-inch is nice but the filling is not so thick .
* Freeze until needed .
For the filling :
300 grams cream cheese , at room temperature
100 grams granulated sugar
250 grams *homemade creme fraiche or store-bought
2 large eggs , at room temperature
12 grams Uji matcha powder or any green tea powder you have on hand
* Preheat oven to 160ºC , if using a 6-inch pan , lower to 145ºC ( I know , I know ! ) . Place a roasting tin at the lowest rack of your oven
* Prepare a pot of hot water for the water bath .
* Combine cream cheese and sugar , beat at medium speed using an electric hand mixer for 3 minutes or until light and fluffy . Add in the creme fraiche and beat for 1 minute.
* Add in the eggs , one at a time and beat on low speed for 30 seconds each . Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed . Take out 1 1/2 cups of the cheesecake batter and transfer into another bowl then sift in the matcha powder and mix on low speed until well combined .
* Drop the plain and matcha cheesecake batter , alternately , into the prepared pan and use a skewer to make a swirl on the batter . Tap the pan on the surface several times to get rid of the bubbles on the batter .
* Pour hot water in a roasting pan and place the pan ( with cheesecake in it ^_^ ) one rack above it . This way you don't have to use a foil to cover the bottom of the pan and no water will seep inside the cheesecake while baking .
* Bake cheesecake for 30-35 minutes , at 160ºC , if using an 8-inch pan , 150º if using a 7-inch pan , for 40 minutes and 145ºC for a 6-inch pan and bake for about 50 minutes or until cheesecake is set at the side but still jiggly at the center .
* Open oven door slightly ajar and leave cheesecake inside for an hour or 2 . Take out from the oven and gently ran a knife at the sides of the pan . Let cheesecake cool in a pan on a wire rack completely before putting in the fridge to chill overnight ( at least 8 hours ) , uncovered .
* Unmould cheesecake and transfer it to a serving plate or cake stand or just cut it straight from the pan . Serve with any toppings you prefer .
For the homemade creme fraiche :
Recipe adapted from Baking : From my home to yours / Dorie Greenspan
250 ml cream
1 tablespoon butter or plain yogurt
* Place cream and buttermilk or yogurt in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake for 1 minute or so .
* Leave the mixture at room temperature to thicken , 12 to 24 hours , depending on the warmth of your kitchen/place . Chill in the fridge for 1 day before using . If you see some whey or the mixture separates , just stir it and it'll be fine .
For the matcha-white chocolate ganache topping :
200 grams Guittard white chocolate chips
50 grams whipping cream
3 grams Uji matcha
* Combine chocolate and cream and place bowl on a pan of barely simmering water . Stir mixture from time to time until melted then sift in the matcha , stir until well combined . Let cool slightly before using . During winter it takes less than 10 minutes for the mixture to set especially if the amount is not that much but during summer when it's hot , say 30ºC , it'll take longer .
Wow! Love all your cheesecakes! This one looks really good! Can exchange some for my pineapple tarts? hehe! Here's wishing you Happy Holidays too!
ReplyDeleteI must finally try out this matcha!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and so very delicious, Anne.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
Angie
Your cheesecakes are always AMAZING! And this one is no exception---I see no cracks at all, just lovely swirls :) Wishing you a very happy new year, my friend!!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteA late Christmas greeting & ALSO wishing you & family a HAPPY NEW YEAR. May many more good things coming your way dear. Love your green tea cheese cake. Wish I can have a slice too.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Kristy
Hi Anne,
ReplyDeleteAmazing looking cheesecake, looks so delicious!
Happy New Year and wish you a fantastic year ahead!
so good love Matcha
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous cheesecake! Love the matcha swirl, the green color is so pretty. bet it's delicious too! :)
ReplyDelete