Matcha Basque Cheesecake
A lighter, Japanese-style Basque cheesecake infused with rich matcha green tea. Features a deeply caramelized top and an ultra-custardy, flan-like center. Crustless, 1-bowl prep, and beginner-friendly!
Equipment
Ingredients
Servings: (8 slices per 6-inch cake)
- 8 oz cream cheese (1 block; full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese; room temperature)
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) (room temperature)
- 1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
- 1 Tbsp matcha (ceremonial or culinary grade) (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 (36–38% fat, 1 cup minus 4 tsp; room temperature)
- ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
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.
To Preheat the Oven
- Preheat a convection oven to 450ºF (230ºC) on the middle rack, or a conventional oven to 475ºF (245ºC) on the upper-third rack. Nami's Tip: If your oven runs cool, preheat at its max setting up to 550ºF / 290ºC for 30–60 minutes, then lower it when baking.
To Prepare the Cake Pan
- For a 6-inch (15-cm) round pan, cut two sheets of parchment paper with a 2-inch (5 cm) overhang. Crisscross the sheets over the pan to maximize coverage (use 1 sheet if extra wide). Fold twice into quarters like a napkin to mark the center.
- Unfold and place the sheets crisscrossed over the pan. Find where the center creases intersect, then align that center point with the cake pan ring and removable bottom.
- Press the removable bottom and paper firmly into the pan, creasing the paper along the bottom and inner sides to fit snugly. Crease the overhanging edges down around the outside of the pan.
- Lift out both the pan bottom and molded paper. Return the bottom to the pan, place the molded parchment back over it, and press down to fit snugly.
To Blend the Cream Cheese Mixture
- Place 8 oz cream cheese in a large bowl. Ensure it is at room temperature (or microwave cold cream cheese at 50% power in 15-second bursts until softened).
- Press down on the cream cheese with the flat side of a spatula to soften it until smooth. Add ½ cup sugar.
- Rub the cream cheese and sugar against the sides of the bowl with the spatula until smooth. Scrape the bowl and spatula frequently so no lumps remain as the sugar dissolves.
- In a separate bowl, whisk 2 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) and 1 large egg yolk well.
- Gradually add one-third of the beaten eggs to the cream cheese mixture. Blend thoroughly until smooth and lump-free before adding the next portion.
- Add another one-third of the eggs and mix until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Add the remaining egg mixture and blend until smooth and fully combined.Classic Variation: To make a classic plain cheesecake instead of matcha, add 1 Tbsp lemon juice now, mix well, and skip to To Finish the Batter.
To Incorporate the Matcha
- Ladle about two scoops of batter into a clean, medium bowl.
- Sift 1 Tbsp matcha (ceremonial or culinary grade) through a fine-mesh sieve into the two scoops of batter, a little at a time. Mix with the spatula fully incorporated.Nami's Tip: Making a concentrated matcha paste in a small amount of batter first prevents stubborn lumps from forming in the main bowl.
- Mix thoroughly until completely smooth, lump-free, and combined into a thick, uniform green paste.
- Add one more scoop of the main batter to the matcha paste and blend well to loosen its texture.
- Pour the matcha mixture back into the main batter bowl, scraping the sides clean with your spatula.
- Gently fold the two batters together until completely smooth and a uniform green color with no white streaks remaining.
To Finish the Batter
- Add 4 tsp cake flour and 2 tsp cornstarch to a fine-mesh sieve. Sift the flour mixture into the batter in small increments, stirring with a spatula after each addition until smooth and lump-free.
- Gradually stir in 220 ml heavy (whipping) cream (1 cup minus 4 tsp) until combined. Blend in ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan in a single, continuous stream to prevent air pockets from forming.
- Tap the cake pan firmly on the counter a few times to release trapped air. Pop any remaining surface bubbles with a skewer, then gently swirl it through the batter to remove hidden air pockets.
To Bake
- Place the cake pan on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake at 450ºF (230ºC) in a convection oven (with fan) or 475ºF (245ºC) in a conventional oven (no fan) for about 30 minutes, until the top is deeply caramelized and the center wobbles.Nami's Tip: Do not overbake! Extending bake time will cause the custard center to curdle. If the top isn't dark enough by 30–35 minutes, adjust your oven rack or temperature next time rather than baking longer.
To Cool
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven once the top is dark and burnished and the center wobbles when gently shaken. Cool in the pan on a wire rack at room temperature for 2–3 hours.Nami's Tip: Always cool on a wire rack (or an unlit stove grate) so air can circulate underneath the pan. Avoid placing the hot pan directly on a flat countertop..
To Chill
- Serve at room temperature, or chill in the pan for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator for a firmer texture.Nami's Tip: Cover the pan with a clean tea towel rather than plastic wrap while chilling to prevent trapped condensation from dripping onto the crust.
To Serve
- Unmold the cheesecake from the pan and gently peel away the parchment paper edges.Nami's Tip: If the cake was chilled, let it sit at room temperature for 30–60 minutes before slicing to restore its silky, creamy texture in the center.
To Store
- Store leftover cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze individual slices wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
Notes
Recipe reference: This Japanese-style Matcha Basque Cheesecake is based on my classic Basque Cheesecake, inspired by a variation on Instagram, and originally adapted from pastry chef Rumi Kojima's Basque Cheesecake recipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 277kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 138mg, Sodium: 138mg, Potassium: 81mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 977IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 56mg, Iron: 1mg
