Matcha magic: An elegant no‑bake cheesecake for any occasion
The holidays in memory of the deceased are behind us. A green cheesecake perfectly fits this dark aesthetic, complementing decorations and outfits inspired by Tim Burton's movies. It's the true star of the evening and doesn't require baking. Matteo Brunetti, a recognized chef, developed the recipe for matcha cheesecake.
14 November 2024 09:01
The green cheesecake is distinguished by its creamy consistency and wonderful pistachio flavour. An excellent balance is achieved by adding white chocolate, lime juice, and zest. Thanks to these ingredients, the dessert is not too sweet and has the necessary hint of acidity along with a slight, intriguing bitterness. It also provides many valuable nutrients, thanks to the pistachios and cashews.
What gives the cheesecake its green colour?
The intensely green colour of the cheesecake is due to powdered green tea, called matcha, which has been popular in Japan for centuries. The powder with a light green hue gives both hot and cold drinks an intensely green colour when it comes into contact with water.
Matcha has versatile uses. It tastes great with steamed milk, in ice cube-based cocktails, and in desserts. Moreover, it contains a large amount of catechins, which are polyphenolic compounds responsible for fighting free radicals.
Regular consumption of matcha improves mood, and drinking it before bed helps you sleep. Matteo Brunetti's cheesecake contains two tablespoons of this powdered specialty.
Green Matcha Cheesecake
The cake consists of a classic base made from cookies mixed with melted butter and a cream cheese filling rich in valuable ingredients. For the base, you need 160 grams of cookies and 60 grams of butter.
Ingredients for the cheese filling:
- 130 grams of cashews,
- 70 grams of peeled, unsalted pistachios,
- 350 grams of Philadelphia cheese,
- 150 grams of Greek yogurt,
- 160 grams of maple syrup,
- 60 grams of white chocolate,
- 2 tablespoons of matcha,
- 2 tablespoons of vanilla extract,
- grated lime zest,
- a few pistachios for decoration.
How to prepare the cheesecake base without baking?
Crumble the cookies and blend them into a fine powder. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and mix it with the crumbled cookies. Transfer the cookie mixture to a springform pan lined with baking paper. Place another sheet of paper on top, press down with something flat, like a plate or board, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Recipe for the cheese filling
In a blender, mix pistachios, cashews, white chocolate, matcha, maple syrup, Greek yogurt, vanilla extract, and Philadelphia cheese. Also add the juice and grated zest of a lime. You can use a stand blender or a hand blender with a large bowl for blending ingredients.
Place the prepared cheese filling on the cookie base. Cover everything with foil and refrigerate for 3-4 hours. Before serving, sprinkle the cheesecake with matcha and crushed pistachios.
