Green Tea Japanese Cheesecake

I’ll let you in on a secret. Japanese cheesecake is my “go-to” cake to make whenever I’m going through a rough patch in my life. Once I dig into a slice of what I call heaven, my heart feels a bit lighter, my day a bit brighter. Those of you who are not dessert fans, might think I’m exaggerating, but I kid you not. Desserts are my comfort food, and Japanese Cheesecake ranks top in this category.

Excuse me for raving about this cheesecake, but the comfort I get from it is not just eating it, although that is a big factor; I also enjoy making it.  I enjoying turning the egg whites into a fluffy white cloud. Once I sprinkle in the raw sugar, it transforms into a winter wonderland, glistening before my very eyes. Making this cake is such a beautiful and delicate process, which is why I get some much comfort from it.

Now let me get to the taste, if I have not already raved about it enough. What really gets me every time, is the slight cream cheese flavor. It’s not overpowering like what you would get from an American style cheesecake. It’s not super thick or creamy either, instead it’s light and fluffy. Because of this, I feel like I can eat a lot of it and not feel sick to my stomach afterwards.  A bit of sugar goes a long way with this cake since it’s so airy, making this cake better for your waistline as well.

Reasons why it’s not healthy:

• Similar to most cakes, it contains white flour, butter, and sugar

Reasons why green tea cheesecake is a healthier option vs other cakes:

• Lower percentage of flour, butter, and sugar in proportion to its total volume
• Volume mostly consists of whipped egg whites, which is high in protein
• Uses only one 8 oz box of cream cheese which is more than 4x less than a standard American cheesecake recipe
• Contains matcha, aka green tea powder. Matcha is high in EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), which is believed to have cancer-fighting effects on the body. Green tea has been linked to a variety of health benefits, including prevention of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, and weight loss. Many people believe one of the reasons why the Japanese have such a high life expectancy is their affinity for green tea. That’s some food for thought for you!

Now let the fun begin and don’t be shy with the matcha!

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Green Tea Japanese Cheesecake

September 3, 2020 healthysuelutions

• Prep time: 25 minutes
• Cook time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Total time: 1 hour 45 minutes

• Serves: 12

Classic Japanese dessert. It's light, it's airy, it's fluffy, it's a slice of heaven.

Ingredients

• 7 tbsp butter
• 8 oz cream cheese, 1 packet
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 8 egg yolks
• 13 egg whites
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/3 cup cake flour
• 2 tbsp green tea powder, culinary grade

Topping

• 2 tbsp green tea powder, culinary grade

Method

• 1)

  Preheat oven to 320 degrees F

• 2)

  In a small pot, melt together cream cheese, butter, and milk. Remove from heat and let cool.

• 3)

  Transfer the mixture into a large bowl and add in the egg yolks. Whisk until fully incorporated.

• 4)

  Sift flour, cornstarch, and green tea powder into the mixture, and mix well.

• 5)

  In another large bowl, beat the egg whites with a hand mixer until soft peaks form. Slowly add in the sugar until stiff peaks form.

• 6)

  Using a spatula, slowly add in the egg whites, a quarter at a time. Mix until just combined.

• 7)

  Grease the bottom of a 9″ x 3″ round cake pan. Line the sides and bottom with parchment paper. Have the parchment paper about 2″ wider on the sides to prevent the batter from overflowing. If using a springform pan, ensure that you cover the bottom of the pan with aluminum foil to prevent leakage.

• 8)

  Pour the batter into the pan

• 9)

  Place the pan into a larger pan, and fill it with about 1″ of hot water

• 10)

  Bake for 25 minutes, then reduce the heat to 285F and bake for another 55 minutes until the cake has risen and the top has turned golden brown. After 55 minutes, turn off the oven and leave the cake in there with the oven door slightly ajar for another hour.

• 11)

  Remove from oven, and invert the cake to peel off all the parchment paper. Let cool on a baking rack for atleast 30 minutes.

• 12)

  Dust the top of the cake with matcha powder

• 13)

  Serve and enjoy

Notes

Store cake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition