Matcha Cheesecake w/ Strawberry Whipped Cream

one of the best desserts I've ever made...

Before I got into cooking, I LOVED baking. There was something so satisfying about measuring all the ingredients and watching & waiting for the magic to happen in the oven. Over time, I drifted more towards cooking as I found experimenting and playing with flavors and techniques easier without worrying as much about flops and failures. But lately, as I’ve had multiple birthdays and other occasions that have needed sweets I’ve been drawn more to baking. And THIS cake I recently made has solidified that I am in my ~ baking era ~ which means there are lots of goodies in store for you….also I am taking requests so…

This beauty of a cake was inspired by my best friend Ashely, who requested her birthday cake to be based on two things:

1. a NY style cheesecake

2. incorporate the flavor of matcha (green tea)

Combining the two was a no-brainer, so I decided to make a matcha-flavored classic NY-style cheesecake for the base. Because I know she’s a chocolate girl, I went for an Oreo cookie base, which added a great sweet and chocolate contrast.

Now, for the topping, I wanted to add a unique element. And because I know she loves fresh strawberries, I wanted to make a strawberry-infused whipped cream. I made a concentrated fresh strawberry puree to get a real intense flavor, and let me tell you even if you don’t make the cheesecake MAKE THE WHIPPED CREAM. It came out SO incredible and required few ingredients.

Perhaps the only challenging part of this recipe is the patience to allow the cheesecake to fully cool and set, ultimately improving the final product.

Below is the full recipe and all the *important* tips and tricks to make it perfect.

Matcha Cheesecake w/ Strawberry Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

Crust ingredients:

• 25 oreo cookies (about 250g), crushed

• 6 tbsp salted butter, melted

Cheesecake Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp Matcha powder

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 tbsp Cornstarch

• 3 8-oz blocks Cream Cheese, room temp

• 1 1/3 cup Heavy Cream

• 2 eggs

• 2 egg yolks

• a pot of hot water

Strawberry Whipped Cream Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup chopped strawberries

• 2 cups heavy cream, cold

• 1 cup powdered sugar **(do not cut the amount as this works to stabilize the strawberries in the whipped cream)

• natural red food dye, optional

Steps:

Making the Crust

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2. Add the Oreos to a food processor and pulse until you reach a fine crumb. You can also add them into a zip lock bag and crush them with a rolling pin or large bottle.
   (A few slightly larger chunks are okay, but you don’t want a super fine powder here.)

3. Combine the Oreo crumbs and melted butter. It should be thick and still wet & crumbly.

4. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray, then begin adding the crumbs, making sure to push and flatten and even the bottom using a flat surface such as a measuring cup or glass.

5. Place the cake pan in the oven for 8-10 minutes. Remove it and allow it to cool. Once cooled, wrap the entire exterior in aluminum foil to prevent the water from the water bath from getting in.

Make the Filling

6. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, matcha, and cornstarch until smooth.

7. In the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and lump-free. Begin adding the matcha mix in batches until it is completely incorporated.
   (Keep it at a low speed to avoid matcha being scattered.)

8. Add the heavy cream in three batches, mixing each time until smooth before adding more. Add in the eggs and egg yolks and mix well. Use a spatula to give a final mix to ensure the sides and bottom are all evenly mixed.

Bake the Cheesecake

9. Lower the oven to 325 F.

10. Place a kitchen towel* at the bottom of a roasting pan or high-edge tray big enough to fit the cake pan. Place the foil-wrapped cake pan on top of the towel-lined roasting pan, then carefully pour the cheesecake filling.

*The kitchen towel will help the heat from the water disburse evenly across the pan, cooking the cheesecake evenly.

11. Transfer the pan to the oven, and THEN carefully pour in the hot water to the sides so that it comes about 1/4 - 1/3 the way up the pan.

12. Bake for about 70 minutes or until it wobbles and bounces when gently shaking. Then, turn the oven off and place a wooden spoon by the door so the oven is open about 1 inch. Allow to sit in the oven for 30 minutes, then remove.

13. Let the cheesecake come to room temperature, then chill it in the fridge for at least 3-5 hours, ideally overnight.

Make the Whipped Cream

14. Add the chopped strawberries to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth, then strain through a fine mesh sieve to discard the seeds.

15. Add the purée to a medium-sized saucepan and cook over medium heat. Bring it to a light boil and continuously stir with a spatula to keep it from burning. Allow it to thicken and reduce to about 1/4 cup (it takes about 15 minutes).

16. Once the puree has thickened and reduced, pour it into a small bowl and refrigerate until it is completely cooled.

17. To make the whipped cream, combine the strawberry mixture, heavy cream, and powdered sugar in a large bowl or stand mixer and whip on high speed until stiff peaks form.
    Use the full amount of powdered sugar to stabilize the whipped cream.

Decorate and Serve

18. Remove the outer band from the cake pan and smooth the edges with an offset that has been run under hot water. Carefully spread the strawberry whipped cream all over the top and edges of the cheesecake.

19. Using a small sifter, garnish the top with some additional matcha powder and top with fresh-cut strawberries.

20. Store in the fridge until serving. 

    ENJOY!!

Here is a PDF printout version for you:

Matcha Cheesecake W Strawberry Whipped Cream

72.7KB ∙ PDF file

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As always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask! And if you recreate this beauty, please take pictures and share them with me!!! I LOVE to see your recreations ❤️