Matcha Rare Cheesecake: A slice of Japanese taste from your kitchen!

For me Japanese green tea powder (or Matcha 抹茶 ) is the love affair ^^, it began a long time ago. From the moment that I read about it in the manga, I really want to know how it taste like. I always search for it everywhere I go, but at that time it's really hard to find.

Now it's easier to find and many of good quality can be purchased (with a lot of money >*<) and my love for the green tea still grow. 
You can see sweets from green tea almost everywhere, it is very common, but for making it by yourself the first thing is find the one that you like. As other kinds of the ingredient, I suggest you choose the one that you love the taste of it, you can dip your finger into the powder and taste it, if you love it in its powder form, your sweet will taste great for you too.


For me after I got green tea powder from my friend I always want to use it (if you can get the one that you like you will be the same ^^, the fragrance is great, the bitterness is balance and it's delicious). So when I see the book:  ..................... I just had to buy it.
There are a lot to choose from, cakes, ice cream, macaron etc. anyway I had to choose only one to make (actually I really want to make all of them but I can't eat them all at the same time).
I choose the Matcha Rare cheesecake for 2 reasons, 1.I love cheesecake  and 2. I think green tea will make cheesecake taste less rich which mean I can eat it more, haha. You can make it in 1 15cm square pan or use a mini cheesecake pan like me. 
For the sweeten kidney bean, if you can buy it it will be easier but you can do it by yourself too just follow this recipe. Even you skip it ^^, the cake still delicious. So, if you have some of the green tea powder at home (or you may want to go out and get one box of it, haha), follow me into the kitchen and we can have a slice of delicious cheesecake together. 

Matcha Rare Cheesecake

(Japanese Green tea powder cheesecake)

Makes 15x15cm cake or 9 mini cheesecake 

50g .................................. Butter (soft)
80g .................................. Graham crackers
.......................................... A pinch of salt
70g .................................. Sugar
5g .................................... Gelatin
2tsp ................................ Matcha (Japanese Green tea powder)
150ml ............................ Whipping cream
200g .............................. Cream cheese
100g ............................... Sour cream
20-27 ............................. Sweeten boiled kidney bean (plus more for decorating)
......................................... Dark chocolate for decorating

Crush the cracker with the rolling pin.
 In a medium bowl, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, salt and butter until blended. 
Divide the mixture among the mini cheesecake tin and, using your fingers, pat it into an even layer in the bottom of each cup. (If using 15x15cm pan with removable bottom just pat the entire cracker into the bottom of the pan).
Refrigerate for 30 minutes, until firm.

Bloom the gelatin in cold water for 3-5 minutes.
Put the gelatin in the microwavable small bowl with 1tbsp of water, heat in the microwave for 20seconds, stir to melt the gelatin, set aside.

Beat the cream cheese with sugar until smooth (you can warm the cream cheese by place the bowl over the hot water to warm it, so the cheese will be smooth). Add the sour cream and whipping cream, stir to combine.

Spoon about ½ cup of the batter into a small bowl, sift the green tea over it, and stir until fully combined.

Pour the green tea mixture back into the cheese mixture, stir then add the gelatin, and stir until fully combined. Pour the batter  into a jug (or you can pour the batter directly into the prepared pan).

Pour the batter half way, then place the sweeten kidney bean over the batter, then cover with the rest of the batter, smooth the surface.
Chill for 2 hours, until firm.

Matcha Rare Cheesecake: 

A slice of Japanese taste from your kitchen!