Matcha cheese cake

My daughters love matcha. Both of them. I have been experimenting and baking these amazing matcha buns at home, and it made them fall in love with matcha even more. But this cake is one daughter’s favorite. She asked me to make this one for her name day (yes, we celebrate that too) and I did. With a little help from her, we made this cake. She ate two pieces, and it was funny to see how the other kids reacted. They just loved the color and could not wait to dig in, but the first bite said it all ;)

Ingredients

base:
200 g digestive cookies
60 g almonds, skin on
90-100 g melted butter

filling:
1 kg cream cheese, room temperature
230 g white or golden caster sugar
3 tbsp corn starch
2-3 tbsp matcha powder (the amount depends on the intensity pf the powder)
zest of 1 organic orange, finely grated
seeds of 1 vanilla pod
pinch of sea salt
2 medium eggs
3 medium egg yolks
150 ml whipping cream

top layer:
200 ml whipping cream
2 tbsp golden caster sugar
seeds of 1/3 vanilla pod
pinch of sea salt
berries, in season
dried rose petals and pistachios are also an option

Prepare

Heat the oven to 200° from the top and bottom. Place the rack one level below centre. Line the bottom of a 23-25 cm diameter cake pan with parchment paper.

Prepare the base. Butter the sides of the pan. Process almonds to a coarse texture. Add cookies and process until the crumbs are like fine breadcrumbs. Add the butter and mix. Press the mixture unto the bottom and sides of the pan, making it about 5mm thick. Make sure the corner is not too thick. Put in the oven for 15 minutes and then remove.

Lower the oven temperature to 140°.

Prepare the filling. In a mixing bowl, place 1/3 of the cream cheese, about 50 g sugar, and the cornstarch. Beat on medium speed with the paddle attachment, but if you don’t have one, then whisk for about 2 minutes, occasionally scraping down the sides until the mixture is creamy. Continuing beating, gradually add another 1/3 of the cream cheese, incorporating well. Repeat with the last 1/3. When all the cream cheese has been added, add the remaining sugar in two parts, alternating with matcha powder. Then, while the mixer is running, add the vanilla, orange zest, and salt. Slowly mix everything in, scraping down the sides. Increase the speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, beating each one in well and scraping down the sides. While the mixer is on low speed, add cream, mix everything well on low speed, just until fully incorporated and no longer.

Pour into the pan, place in the oven, and bake for 1 h and 5-15 minutes. Don't open before the 45th minute, and then only try to shake the pan just a bit. If the mixture is set on the sides and jiggles just a tiny bit in the centre, it is ready. If it moves a lot, then bake for 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature (completely), cover with cling film, and refrigerate for 12 hours. Take the cake out of the fridge.

For the top layer, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Add salt, vanilla and sugar and mix until it holds a peak – they have to be firm, but smooth. I like to whisk with a hand balloon whisk, as I can control the stage of readiness. Spread over the cake, put berries, nuts or rose petals on top.

Recipe and pictures: Signe Meirane
Camera: Sony Alpha 7s