Pistachio Matcha Burnt Cheesecake
Love this Pistachio Matcha Burnt Cheesecake. Creamy, bitter sweet and vibrantly matcha .. in color and in flavor. And decorated with pistachio cream, pistachios & fresh raspberries ... simply divine.
Servings: 6 inch round cheesecake
Ingredients
Cream cheese mixture
- 350 g light cream cheese
- 110 g sugar
- 10 g cornstarch
- 3 eggs
- 2 egg yolks (my eggs are ~ 50g each)
Matcha cream
- 20 g matcha powder
- 75 ml warm water @ 80C
- 175 ml heavy cream
Decor
- 1 tbsp pistachio cream
- fresh raspberries
- 2 tbsp crushed pistachios
Instructions
- Whisk the cream cheese until soft. Mix in the corn flour with the sugar and combine well. Add into the cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Scrape down the sides a couple of times to make sure all the cream cheese is whisked in.
- Beat the eggs lightly then add to the cream cheese gradually in 2-3 parts, mixing well with each addition *do not over-mix* Switch to mixing by hand to remove the air bubbles. Set aside and start on the matcha cream.
- Add 20g matcha powder to 75ml hot water ~80C. Mix till the matcha is fully incorporated. Add in the heavy cream to the matcha and mix well. The matcha cream will be rather thick and clumpy at this stage.
- Once well mixed, microwave the matcha cream for 40 sec and stir well. This is to make the matcha cream smoother, more fluid, and also to bring out the flavor of the matcha. Stir to cool the matcha cream till it is only slightly warm to the touch, then add it to the cream cheese.
- Gently mix the two with a whisk till combined. To remove any lumps, sieve the cream cheese batter into a lined 6-inch springform baking tin.
- Bake at 220C for 30 min. Remove from the oven. The top will be brown and charred but the cheesecake should still be wobbly. Cool completely, then chill in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight to set.
- Just before serving, remove from the fridge and un-mould the matcha cheese cake. Gently remove the parchment from the sides. Spread a generous tablespoon of pistachio cream on top and decorate with fresh raspberries and crushed pistachios all around. Serve chilled and enjoy.
Notes
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#1 Cream cheese - I chose a healthier light cream cheese (which is 25% less fats) for our octogenarian birthday boy. It turned out just as delicious and creamy vis a vis using full fat cream cheese. By all means, substitute for full cream cheese if preferred, it will be just as delicious. For myself, now that I have tried light cream cheese, I would say I prefer its lighter taste as a slice of this Pistachio Matcha Burnt Cheesecake is less heavy and still tastes velvety smooth and luxuriously creamy. Perhaps it's also less guilt too!
#2 Eggs - one might ask .. do I really need two more egg yolks? Can I just substitute the two yolks with one more whole egg? Yes, you could. However, this substitution may change the final texture. Egg whites generally provide structure and moisture, whilst yolks add fat and richness. Using two extra yolks instead of one more egg serve to make this cheesecake creamier, richer, and more velvety smooth.
#3 Baking time - Basque cheesecake is typically baked at high heat for 28-30min. The cheesecake should still be slightly wobbly when done. This slight ‘un-doneness’ will then set perfectly in the fridge and become nice and creamy. If the cheesecake is fully baked, then it is overdone and will be hard and dense when chilled. Therefore watch your baking time, adjust according to your oven if required and do not over-bake.
#4 Heating the matcha cream - I like to warm the matcha cream before adding it to the cream cheese as the heat helps to release the natural aroma of the matcha and prevents clumping. Matcha oxidizes and changes color when it comes into contact with air. Therefore once the matcha cream cheese batter is done, bake immediately.
#5 Decor - Do I need to decorate my Basque cheesecake? Honestly, you don't need to. Basque cheesecakes have a rustic charred look which can be quite endearing and frankly the soul of the Basque is in the slightly charred yet creamy silky texture that tastes simply yumz when served chilled and just at the right temperature.
That said, I always decorate my burnt cheesecake whenever I bake it for a celebration. In this case, with pistachio cream, fresh raspberries and crushed pistachios which made it so celebratory and all ready for the grand entre! Why pistachio and matcha? Because they just happen to be one of my favorite pairing for dessert ☺️☺️ Try it and you may fall in love with this dynamic duo like we have. Check out my other fave combination Orange Chocolate Peanut Butter Burnt Cheesecake another Basque dessert, also decorated of course!
#6 Make ahead - I like to make this cheese cake a couple of days ahead to let it set nicely in the fridge. I find the matcha flavor tastes best on the 2nd day as the slight bitterness of the matcha is released as it sets. On the day of the party, un-mould the cheesecake, spoon on the pistachio cream, top off with crushed pistachios, fresh raspberries and this Pistachio Matcha Burnt Cheesecake is all ready for service!
#7 Storage - this Pistachio Matcha Burnt Cheesecake keeps well for 3-4 days stored airtight and chilled.