Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake is creamy and custardy with caramel notes and an earthy sweetness. Its iconic deep-brown top contrasts beautifully with the vibrant green tea color inside. This Japanese-style cheesecake is lighter than the standard version and is surprisingly easy to make.

A Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake on top of the parchment paper.

As promised in my Basque Burnt Cheesecake recipe, I’m here to share a Japanese-style Basque cheesecake with matcha flavor! This Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake (抹茶バスクチーズケーキ) is actually our family’s favorite, and for good reason. Read on to find out why, but I can assure you that both of these cheesecakes are equally outstanding and heavenly. I hope you try both versions!

What is Basque Cheesecake?

For those who are not familiar, Basque cheesecake has an iconic “burnt” caramelized top and it is very creamy on the inside. It tastes like a caramelized cheesecake in one bite. Some liken it to creme brûlée cheesecake!

A slice of Basque Burnt Cheesecake on parchment paper.

Basque cheesecake is relatively new. It was created in 1990 by a chef named Santiago Rivera of a restaurant called La Viña in San Sebastian, Spain. If you’re interested, read this article or this article that explains how this cake was invented and became popular.

If you like to make my classic Basque burnt cheesecake, click here.

A Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake on top of the parchment paper.

Japanese-Style Basque Cheesecake: Less Cream Cheese

So, what makes this Matcha Basque Cheesecake recipe uniquely Japanese? Besides the matcha flavor, it contains less cream cheese per cake compared to typical Basque cheesecake—half the amount, to be precise.

The matcha Basque cheesecake I made today is based on a recipe posted on a Japanese home cook and baker’s Instagram account. She mentioned in her post that her recipe was adapted from Rumi Kojima’s Basque cheesecake recipe (she’s a very renowned patissier in Tokyo). After researching Basque cheesecake recipes a bit more online, I can conclude that the majority of Japanese-written recipes have half the amount of cream cheese.

As a result, “Japanese-style” Basque cheesecake has a lighter, fluffier texture. With the higher egg ratio, the inside is even more custardy and creamy. You can say it’s similar to flan, and the matcha imparts a hint of sweet earthy vanilla note to it without adding vanilla extract.

The Easiest Cheesecake I’ve Ever Made

If you want to make classic Japanese-style Basque cheesecake without green tea flavor, you can simply replace matcha with lemon juice in this recipe.

Just like regular burnt Basque cheesecake, this is absolutely the easiest cheesecake I’ve ever made. All you need to do is to mix ingredients, bake for 30 minutes, and chill. Let me show you how!

A Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake on top of the parchment paper.

How to Make Matcha Basque Cheesecake

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • cream cheese – Philadelphia, NOT whipped or reduced-fat cream cheese
  • sugar – standard granulated sugar; I used organic cane sugar
  • eggs – large eggs, 50 g each without shell
  • heavy (whipping) cream – 36–38% fat
  • flour – I used cake flour + cornstarch
  • matcha – use high-quality, vivid green matcha powder
  • salt – just a pinch of salt helps intensify the flavor

Overview: Cooking Steps

This is an excellent recipe for any beginner to try! See the recipe card below for the full printable instructions with step-by-step photos.

  1. Preheat the oven for at least 30 minutes. Bring the cream cheese, eggs, and heavy cream to room temperature.
  2. Gradually mix all the ingredients, one at a time, in a large bowl.
  3. Pour the batter into a cake pan and bake for 30 minutes.
  4. Cool completely to room temperature, about 2–3 hours.
  5. Chill in the fridge, and enjoy!
A Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake on top of the parchment paper.

As most Japanese-style Basque cheesecake recipes require a 6-inch (15-cm) pan, I happened to have a 3-inch deep, 6-inch round cake pan with a removable bottom to use for this recipe. It’s a perfect cake size for 6 people (or 4 if you want to eat a bigger portion).

You can definitely go with a 2-inch, maybe 2.5-inch deep, 6-inch cake tin (by folding the parchment paper up to sustain the rising batter), but if you plan to use a larger round pan, this recipe will create a short and shallow cheesecake. It will not produce the same rich and luscious texture.

You can multiply the recipe by 2 to accommodate for a 3-inch deep, 7-inch round pan. Or, you can multiply the recipe by 2.5 to accommodate for a 3-inch, deep 8-inch round pan.

A Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake on top of the parchment paper.

10 Important Tips and Techniques

Tip #1: Preheat the oven for at least 30 minutes.

To achieve a nice brown top in a short time, the oven has to be very HOT. Here’s something you can do besides preheating for 30 minutes:

  • Use the convection bake (oven with fan). This worked like a miracle. I had tested using a regular conventional oven (no fan), but I couldn’t achieve the ‘burnished’ top. Once I switched over to the oven with fan, bam, the perfect burnt top right away! Circulating air with a fan definitely helps to distribute hot air evenly inside the oven.
  • Preheat the conventional oven at a higher temperature. I preheated the oven to 550ºF (290ºC) for 30-45 minutes! If you don’t have a fan to circulate the air, you can position the rack at a higher location as the heat rises and the top of the oven will be hotter. Be careful the parchment paper is not touching your heating element.

Tip #2: Use parchment paper.

Basque Burnt Cheesecake-step by step-53

Don’t skip or substitute it. And double line it to ensure there aren’t any unlined parts. If your cake pan is not 3 inches deep, you may need to fold the parchment paper up to support the rising cake batter (but make sure the paper is not touching the heating element in the oven)

Tip #3: Bring the cream cheese, eggs, and heavy cream to room temperature.

Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake-step by step-5

Room temperature ingredients blend together very easily, creating a smooth batter. A smooth batter will yield a uniform textured baked good. Cold ingredients do not incorporate together as easily. You can microwave the cream cheese to warm up, and I share the instructions in the recipe.

Tip #4: Avoid lumps!

Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake-step by step-10

Lumps are so hard to get rid of. It’s easier to prevent creating lumps than get rid of them. There are two ways to avoid them:

  • Mix the batter completely and thoroughly before adding the next ingredient.
  • Frequently scrape off the chunks and clumps of cream cheese mixture from the spatula and mixing bowl. As you go further along each step, the batter gets more liquid, which means it’s harder to get rid of lumps. So if you see any lumps, get rid of them as soon as possible.

You can press the spatula down in a rubbing motion to remove the cream cheese lumps. You may still end up with clumping. Don’t worry too much as it will dissolve while baking. But in general, you don’t want to create lumps.

Tip #5: Mix the matcha with a small amount of batter first.

Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake-step by step-33

No one wants spotty green cheesecake. Matcha tends to clump together when the dry fine powder hits the liquid. Whenever you want to add matcha to liquid or batter, remember to take out a portion and create a “matcha paste” first. It’s easier to blend the paste into the liquid/batter.

Tip #6: Release the air bubbles before baking.

Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake-step by step-56

After making these cakes with different tools for fun (stand mixer, electric hand mixer, blender, whisk, and spatula), I learned that mixing the cheesecake batter with a silicone spatula creates fewer air bubbles and makes pretty consistent cheesecake. If you use a mixer and your batter has a lot of air bubbles, make sure to tap the cake pan on the countertop to release the air pockets. You can also run a skewer through the batter and pop the air bubbles. This will help create a smooth, glistening surface on the cake so you don’t have a bubbly top or a major collapse because the cake rose too high.

Tip #7: Open/close the oven door fast and don’t lose the hot air!

Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake-step by step-59

I know this may sound like common sense, but I was once a beginner baker who took my time to put the cake pan in the preheated oven, leaving the oven door open for a long time. Since you worked extra hard to preheat the oven for 30–45 minutes, don’t lose the heat by leaving open the oven door!

Tip #8: Use my bake time as a guide only.

Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake-step by step-60

Every oven is different when it comes to size and how it works. My relatively new oven is not perfect. It has hot spots, and the internal temperature doesn’t seem to be the same as what the display says. It can be a headache, but you and your oven will get to know each other through baking.

So you have to determine when to take the cheesecake out of the oven by looking at 2 things: 1) the color of the cheesecake surface and 2) the baking time. DO NOT keep baking just because you don’t get enough of a caramelized top. You do not want to eat overcooked cheesecake. The cake is done while it is still wobbly in the middle. So take it out even if the top doesn’t turn deep brown.

Tip #9: Control the doneness of the cheesecake to your liking.

Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake-step by step-61

You may not be able to achieve the perfect texture on your first try as you need to learn what you like (texture-wise) and how your oven works. However, as you figure out the details, it’s totally possible to customize the doneness of the cheesecake.

For a creamy texture:

  • Bake the normal length of time in the oven.
  • The cheesecake filling will firm up as it cools to create a creamy yet firm texture. You can serve once it’s at room temperature.
  • If you chill it, take it out 30 minutes prior to serving.

For a firmer texture:

  • Bake a bit longer time in the oven.
  • Chill in the fridge for a longer time.
  • Take out 10 minutes before serving or serve it cold.

For an oozy texture in the middle:

  • Bake the cheesecake for a lesser amount of time.
  • Chill overnight. To slice the cake nicely, refrigeration is necessary.

Tip #10: Be patient and let it cool completely.

Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake-step by step-62

Let the cheesecake rest and set as it sinks down. It will continue to slowly bake and solidify with the residual heat. Refrigerate only after the cake is at room temperature so that the hot/warm cake will not spoil other foods in the fridge.

Serve it at room temperature for a softer, custardy filling, or take out the cheesecake from the fridge for 30 minutes before serving, or serve it cold for a firm filling. When you cut, warm your knife with hot water. I fill a tall mug cup with boiling water and dunk the knife in it before each slice. Bring a towel or paper towel to quickly wipe the knife. Cut in one slicing motion and pull out the knife so each slice of the cake has a clean cut.

If your cake is chilled/cold, may I suggest warming it up a little in the microwave? We thought it brings out the flavor of the cream cheese and it’s actually very delicious!

A white ceramic plate containing Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake.

FAQs

I can’t get the top to burn nicely. What can I do?

I can relate, and I really struggled with my oven, too. Here’s what helped me:

  • Use the convection oven.
  • Preheat at a higher temperature. I’ve tried preheating my oven to the hottest 550ºF (290ºC) for a long time, and it seemed to help.
  • Bake at a higher temperature.
  • Bake at a higher rack as heat rises so the upper oven is supposed to be hotter. However, if your oven is top heating, make sure the parchment paper is not touching the heating element/ceiling.

Can I use a bigger cake pan size?

I mentioned earlier that you can multiply the recipe by 2 to accommodate a 3-inch deep, 7-inch round pan. Or, you can multiply the recipe by 2.5 to accommodate a 3-inch deep, 8-inch round pan. You will need to increase the baking time, but since I’ve never tried it, I am not sure how long it will take. As I mentioned in the post, I still recommend making two 6-inch cakes if you want to increase the serving size. It will take slightly longer to bake as you have multiple pans in the oven.

My cake has cracks on top. What can I do?

When I made my cake batter with a stand mixer or a handheld whisk, the cake batter rose higher and sometimes unevenly, but then collapsed and cracked. It seemed inevitable as more air bubbles were trapped inside. I’ve tried tapping the cake pan, popping the air bubbles, and resting the batter before baking, which helps a little. But don’t worry too much about the cracks from when the cheesecake settles, as cracks on the burnt top are not so visible like other cheesecakes.

Since I switched to using only the spatula, I had no issue with cracking at all. When I am mixing/blending the ingredients, I don’t see many air bubbles either, so you may want to try using a spatula if these cracks bother you.

How can I achieve a smooth, shiny surface? Mine looks bubbly.

I baked a few cheesecakes with tiny bubbles on the surface before. I’m sure the batter in your cake pan had tiny bubbles before baking it too, or they rose while baking. Follow the same method I shared in the previous Q&A.

Why does my cheesecake have a gooey, raw texture in the middle?

I assume your cake has a gooey texture even after you chill the cake. If so, then you have to bake the cake a little longer next time. My oven doesn’t work the same way as yours, and I can only provide suggested baking time or baking temperature using my own oven.

Oh, one last tip: have fun! This is important when comes to baking. My Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake recipe is going to win your heart on its way to your tummy.

A Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake on top of the parchment paper.

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A Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake on top of the parchment paper.

Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake

4.71 from 184 votes
My heavenly Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake is creamy and custardy with caramel notes and an earthy sweetness. Its iconic deep-brown top contrasts beautifully with the vibrant green tea color inside. This dreamy Japanese-style cheesecake is lighter than the classic version and is surprisingly easy to make.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Cool/Chill Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 8 (8 slices per 6-inch cake)

Ingredients
 
 

  • ½ lb cream cheese (1 block; I used Philadelphia brand; at room temperature)
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) (at room temperature)
  • 1 large egg yolk (at room temperature)
  • 1 Tbsp matcha (to make a classic version without matcha, substitute with 1 Tbsp lemon juice instead)
  • 4 tsp cake flour (or use all-purpose flour; use rice flour for gluten-free)
  • 2 tsp cornstarch (or use all-purpose flour)
  • 220 ml heavy (whipping) cream (1 cup minus 4 tsp; at room temperature)
  • tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

Instructions
 

Before You Start…

  • Please note that this cake requires 2–3 hours of cooling time. You can serve it either at room temperature or chilled in the refrigerator for an additional 4 hours.
  • Gather all the ingredients.
    Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake Ingredients

To Preheat the Oven

  • Preheat a convection oven (with fan) to 450ºF (230ºC). If you don’t have an oven with a fan, preheat a conventional oven to 475ºF (245ºC). If your oven doesn’t heat up very well, you can preheat it for 30–60 minutes to the hottest oven temperature—mine is 550ºF (290ºC)—then turn it down to the target temperature. As for the oven rack, I used the middle position in my convection oven (the fan circulates the air, so the middle rack is ideal). If you use a conventional oven, move the rack slightly higher as heat rises and the temperature toward the top of the oven is higher. However, keep in mind that a 3-inch deep cake pan needs extra space for rising.

To Prepare the Cake Pan

  • For 1 6-inch (15-cm) round cake pan, prepare 2 rectangular sheets of parchment paper long enough to hang over the sides by 2 inches (5 cm). Place them crisscross to maximize the coverage on all sides. (You can use just one sheet instead of two if your parchment paper is extra wide.) Fold them twice into quarters, like a paper napkin.
    Basque Burnt Cheesecake 13
  • Open the folded sheets and place them crisscross as before. Find the center point of the crisscrossed sheets. Where the creases intersect will also indicate the center of the cake pan. Center the parchment sheets over the cake pan ring, then center the removable bottom on top of the sheets.
    Basque Burnt Cheesecake 14
  • Press down the removable bottom and the parchment sheets into the cake pan, creasing the paper against the bottom and inside of the pan to fit snugly. Press and crease the paper edges down around the outside of the cake pan, too.
    Basque Burnt Cheesecake 15
  • Gently take out both the removable bottom and the parchment sheets, which are now molded into the shape of the pan. Place the removable bottom back into the cake pan (as it should be). Then, fit the molded parchment paper back into the cake pan on top of the removable bottom. Press the paper down to fit snugly.
    Basque Burnt Cheesecake 16

To Blend the Cream Cheese Mixture

  • Place ½ lb cream cheese in a large bowl. Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature. If not, microwave the cold cream cheese at half power (50%) for 45 seconds, or microwave it in 15-second increments until it's at room temperature.
    Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake 1
  • Press down on the cream cheese with a spatula to soften it. Then, add ½ cup sugar.
    Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake 2
  • Combine the cream cheese with the sugar by rubbing the mixture against the sides of the bowl with the spatula. The cream cheese will become fluffy and smooth as the sugar granules dissolve. Scrape both the bowl and spatula often to ensure that the ingredients are well incorporated and there are no lumps.
    Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake 3
  • In a separate bowl, whisk 2 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) and 1 large egg yolk well.
    Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake 4
  • Slowly and gradually add one-third of the beaten eggs to the cream cheese mixture. Blend completely and thoroughly, making sure the batter is smooth and without lumps before adding more egg.
    Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake 5
  • Add another one-third of the eggs to the cream cheese mixture, blending completely.
    Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake 6
  • Add the remaining egg and blend well. Option: To make this cheesecake with a classic flavor instead of a matcha flavor, add the lemon juice now and blend well. Then, skip to the To Finish the Batter section.
    Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake 7

To Incorporate the Matcha

  • With a ladle, transfer about two scoops of the batter to a clean, medium-sized bowl.
    Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake 8
  • Now, blend in the matcha. Use a small, fine-mesh sieve to sift 1 Tbsp matcha into the two scoops of batter, a little bit at a time. Stir as you go to blend the powder into the batter completely before adding more. Continue until you‘ve sifted and blended in all the matcha. Tip: Matcha is a fine powder that becomes lumpy if you add it to a large volume of liquid. Therefore, we have to make a paste with the matcha before adding it to the rest of the batter.
    Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake 9
  • Mix it all together, making sure there are no lumps and that the matcha is well incorporated into the liquid. Now, it is a thick batter.
    Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake 10
  • Continue to blend until the matcha batter is completely smooth and without lumps. Then, add one more scoop of the main batter and blend well to loosen up the matcha batter further.
    Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake 11
  • Now transfer the matcha batter back into the main batter.
    Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake 12
  • Blend the two batters very well until you have a smooth consistency.
    Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake 13

To Finish the Batter

  • Next, add 4 tsp cake flour and 2 tsp cornstarch to a fine-mesh sieve. Holding the sieve in one hand, sift a little bit of the flour and cornstarch into the cream cheese mixture while you stir with a spatula. Incorporate the ingredients well before adding more. Keep sifting and blending until you‘ve added all the flour mixture. Take your time doing this. You don’t want any lumps.
    Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake 14
  • Make sure at this stage that there are no lumps. Then, gradually add 220 ml heavy (whipping) cream (1 cup minus 4 tsp) while you stir. Mix until it’s all combined. Add ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and blend it all together.
    Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake 15
  • Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan in one go (avoid stop-and-go) so you don't create any air pockets.
    Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake 16
  • Tap the cake pan on the countertop a few times to eliminate air pockets. With a bamboo skewer or toothpick, pop the air bubbles if there are any. Then, run the skewer through the batter to remove any bubbles.
    Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake 17

To Bake

  • Since the cheesecake may overflow during baking, place the cake pan on a baking sheet, just in case. Mine never did, but I still use a baking sheet as it helps to transfer the cake pan to and from the oven. Next, transfer the baking sheet with the cake pan to the oven. Bake at 450ºF (230ºC) for a convection oven or 475ºF (245ºC) for a conventional oven. Bake until the top is dark amber/brown and the center is still very jiggly, about 30 minutes; please keep an eye on your cheesecake because every oven is different. The top of my cheesecake starts becoming dark at the 30-minute mark, then gets dark brown within 5 minutes. If you love a “gooey“ or “oozy“ texture, then you may bake for less time than I suggested, but you must chill your cake well to firm it up before serving. NEVER extend the bake time and thus overcook the cake, even if the top hasn‘t turned dark. The filling will curdle and you can‘t fix it. If the top doesn‘t darken within 30–35 minutes, you will probably need to adjust the oven temperature (or oven rack or preheating time) the next time you make it.
    Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake 18

To Cool

  • Take out the cake when the surface is dark, burnt color. The cake should wobble when you gently shake the pan. Let the cheesecake cool in the pan on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature, about 2–3 hours. Tip: Don’t put it on the countertop directly and make sure the air can circulate under the cake pan. For example, you can place it on top of a burner grate of a gas range, if it‘s is not in use.
    Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake 19

To Chill

  • You can serve the cake either chilled or at room temperature (which we like, too). For a chilled or firmer cheesecake, cover the cake in the pan with a tea towel (don‘t use plastic, as condensation may drip onto the cake), and place in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

To Serve

  • Remove the cheesecake from the cake pan and carefully peel back the parchment paper. If you have chilled the cake, let it stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours before serving.
    A Matcha Basque Burnt Cheesecake on top of the parchment paper.

To Store

  • You can store the cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Notes

This Matcha Basque Cheesecake is based on this recipe, originally adapted from Rumi Kojima’s Basque Cheesecake recipe. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe in your own words and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 slice · Calories: 277 kcal · Carbohydrates: 16 g · Protein: 5 g · Fat: 22 g · Saturated Fat: 12 g · Trans Fat: 1 g · Cholesterol: 138 mg · Sodium: 138 mg · Potassium: 81 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 13 g · Vitamin A: 977 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 56 mg · Iron: 1 mg
Author: Namiko Hirasawa Chen
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: cheesecake, matcha
©JustOneCookbook.com Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any website or social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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4.71 from 184 votes (145 ratings without comment)
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hi, if I use a 22cm springform pan, does the 1x measurements of the ingredients work? and also just wondering but isn’t 1 tbsp of matcha powder not enough? is it ok if I choose to add a bit more?

Hi janeal, Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe!
If you are using a 22cm pan (about 8.5″), you can multiply the recipe by 2 (double). Otherwise, the cake will be very flat when it cooled.
As for the matcha powder, if you like, you can add more, but it will be a more bitter taste, so please feel free to adjust to your liking.
We hope this helps!

i see, but if I’ve already bought the ingredients necessary for the 1x quantity, can I still go ahead with it?

Hi janeal, Sure, you can! Since it will be more thinner cake, please feel free to adjust the baking time.🙂

hi,what kind/brand of matcha did you use?

Hi Maria! Nami used Maeda-en. High-grade Matcha tends to have a bright, vibrant green color.
You can read more about Matcha in this post:https://www.justonecookbook.com/green-tea-powder-matcha/
We hope this is helpful.🙂

I just noticed that this only uses 1/2 lbs of cream cheese, but your other basque cheesecake recipe calls for 1 full lb of cream cheese… and the same 6” pan. Does this just turn out flatter?

Hi Charlene, Thank you for checking Nami’s posts!
This Matcha Basque Cheesecake’s heigh will be similar to regular basque cheesecake but has a lighter and fluffier texture than regular basque cheesecake. We hope this helps!

Hi! Can I ask if it’s possible to do this in an Airfryer.. for how long and what temp?

Hi Karen, Thank you for checking Nami’s recipe!
We hear reducing the temperature by 25F and cutting the cooking time in half would work to convert the recipe from oven to an Airfryer, but we have not tried this recipe in an Airfryer before. Let us know how it goes!😀

Hi Nami,

How do you determine whether the cheesecake is done?
Thanks

Hi Sophie, Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe!
The cheesecake is done when the top of the cheesecake has risen high, and the top is a deep golden brown, and the center is slightly jiggly.
We hope this helps!

Do you think sprinkling kinako on top before serving would compliment it well?5 stars

Hi Lyra, We have never tried the Kinako on top and unsure how the outcome will be. 🤔
Please let us know how it goes!

Tried one piece without, and one with, and both were great. I think if I made this again and used Hojicha instead of Uji Macha, the Kinako would go even better! Great recipe, thanks!5 stars

Hi Lyra! You are amazing! Thank you for sharing your cooking experience with us!

I’m not a skilled baker and this cheesecake was amazingly delicious and super duper easy to make! I wouldn’t even change anything about the recipe. It came out perfect and I cannot wait to make it again!5 stars

Hi Angela! We are so glad to hear it came out perfect!
Thank you very much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback.

Recette testée et approuvée! Mes amis ont beaucoup apprécié 🙂
Je la referai, d’autant que c’est simple et rapide à faire. Au passage, mon four ne dépassant pas les 200°C, j’ai compensé par 10 minutes de gril, et le résultat était impeccable.
Domo arigatou!5 stars

Hello Solveig, Merci beaucoup d’avoir essayé la recette de Nami et de vos aimables commentaires!
Nous sommes heureux que vous ayez apprécié cette recette.
Merci!

Can I freeze the cheesecake if I can’t consume it within 3 days5 stars

Hi Ka, Thank you very much for trying this recipe!
Yes, you can store in a freeze for 3~4 weeks. Please place it in the air-tight container. Enjoy!

Can a 6″ springform pan be used instead of the cake pan and parchment paper? Or is there something about the parchment paper that helps with getting the burnt top?

Hi Steve, You may use a 6″ springform pan for this recipe. However, we recommend using parchment paper for few reasons.
1) The cake will get taller when it is in the oven/baking, and parchment paper will support the extra height.
2) The center can be wobbly creamy/raw if you plan to enjoy the cake when it warm, and parchment paper is easier to transfer and helps prevent them from cracking or breaking when lifting.
As for burning the top, we don’t think parchment paper will do anything about it.
We hope this helps. Thank you for trying this recipe!

This recipe is delicious! I made it in a countertop convection oven and it worked great. My parchment paper was slightly burnt though hahaha. It did take me over an hour to mix because I keep having clumps of flour! I have to use a knife to squish it down individually because pushing it against the bowl doesnt work for some 🙁
Also, what makes the bulk of the calorie count? Seems so high for a small cake (T^T)5 stars

Hi Cakie! Thank you very much for taking your time to try Nami’s recipe and for your kind feedback! We are glad to hear it turned out delicious!
The bulk of the calorie count for the 6″ whole cheesecake is from the cream cheese, heavy (whipping 36~38% fat) cream, and sugar. We hope this helps!🙂

Could this recipe work in a rice cooker? I just bought a Zojirushi 5.5 cup cooker and already tried out their cheesecake recipe from the instructions.5 stars

Hi Ryan! We have never baked this in the rice cooker before. We think the cake surface would not be dark and burnt like baking in the oven, and the texture will differ as well. Let us know how it goes!

I made this and it turned out so yummy!!! Thank you!

Question: I wanna try this with earl grey instead of matcha. Do I boil the earl grey tea? Currently I have a bubble tea packet (early grey tea), can I just use that without boiling?

Hi Tuly, Thank you very much for trying this recipe! We are so happy to hear it turned out so yummy!
To make an Earl Grey flavor, you may try the tea packet. However, if the package contains sugar, we recommend adjusting the sugar amount for your liking.
You can also use a strong Earl Grey tea if you prefer a more robust flavor. We hope this helps!

Thank you!
Do I boil the tea or do I use the powder directly ( that’s a lot of water!) should I boil and then add a lil bit of the tea? Im not sure.5 stars

Hi Tuly, As Nami mentioned in the recipe, we recommend using 1Tbsp of any liquid or powder for replacing Matcha powder.
If you are using tea leaves, make sure to ground tea leaves.🙂 We hope this helps!

Thank you for another great recipe, Nami-san!
I made this yesterday and whilst delicious, the cheesecake rose a little (maybe around 2-3cm) when in the oven, and then went very flat in the fridge overnight 🙁 It’s now about the thickness of a tart (mind you, I did use a larger pan – but it was thick when in the oven!). I used the exact measurements you provided but with slightly less cream as the batter seemed very runny, like a thick soup. Do you have any thoughts on where I could have gone wrong?

Hi Ania, Thank you very much for trying this recipe. This type of cake will rise in the oven, but it will deflate when it cools. As Nami mentioned in this post, if you are using a larger pan, you can multiply the recipe by 2 to accommodate a 3-inch deep 7-inch round pan so that you will have a good size Cheesecake even when it cools. We hope this is helpful and your next try will be successful!

this recipe is awesome!! I wonder how should I change the ingredients if I want to replace the matcha powder to expresso. As expresso is kinda watery, will this works for the basque cheesecake?5 stars

Hi Janice! Expresso Basque Cheesecake sounds great!😋 You can use liquid or powder (grounded expresso bean) to replace the Matcha powder. Of course, if you use the powder form, it will be a robust flavor. Please let us know how it goes!