Lime and Matcha Cheesecake

You may recall that last week I posted a recipe for homemade ricotta from buttermilk and sour cream, well this is what the ricotta became and it was delicious! It was a cake I made for our dear friends Rae and Mon when they invited us for dinner one night in June. Check out the notes, I give some very good tips on how to bake a cheesecake without it cracking!

Lime and Matcha Cheesecake

A KitchenInspirations Original Recipe

Makes one 23 cm cheesecake

For the Crust:

• 175 g graham cracker crumbs
• 50 g butter, melted
• 35 g coconut sugar
• pinch of cinnamon
• 10 g unsweetened coconut
• 1.5 g lime zest (about 1 lime)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
2. Line the bottom of a 23 cm springform pan with parchment grease it well including the sides.
3. Line the outside bottom of the pan with foil tightly. Cover the outside of another, slightly larger pan with foil so that it is water resistant.
4. Combine all of the above crust ingredients and mix until well coated with the butter. This step may be done in a food processor.

Press into the prepared smaller pan and bake for 20 minutes. Cool completely.Decorate with lime zest, matcha powder, coconut and thinly sliced limes.

For the Cheesecake:

• 150 g granulated sugar, divided
• 4 eggs, separated
• 300 g buttermilk, sour cream ricotta (recipe)
• 120 g sour cream
• 3 g lime zest (about 2 limes)
• 50 mL lime juice (~2 limes)
• 15 g AP flour (check weight)
• 5 g matcha powder
• pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325° F.
2. Beat the egg whites with 50 g of sugar until stiff shiny peaks form.
3. Beat the egg yolks with 100 g of sugar until they are thick and pale.
4. Add the ricotta and greek yogurt to the egg yolk mixture and then add the lime juice and zest and beat until well blended.
5. Sift the flour and matcha powder into ricotta mixture.
6. Finally, fold the beaten egg whites into the ricotta mixture until well blended. Spoon into the chilled prepared crust.
7. Set the pan into the slightly larger pan with the bottom covered in foil, and set both into a tall-sided roasting pan and pour just hot water into the roasting pan so it goes about half-way up the sides.
8. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the centre doesn’t jiggle when gently shaken. Turn the oven off, allow to cool in the oven undisturbed. Once cool, refrigerate until ready to serve.
9. Decorate with lime zest and matcha. Serve with lime infused whipping cream or with blueberries.

A deliciously flavoured, baked cheesecake.

Notes:

• I always beat my egg whites first so that I don’t need to wash my mixer whisk attachment.
• To prevent cracking while baking and cooling:
• • Set the 23 cm springform pan into a slightly larger, springform pan with the bottom covered tightly with foil to double ensure water-tightness and insulate the sides so that the outside bakes at the same rate as the inside.
• • Set both pans into a high-sided roasting pan.
• • Fill the roasting pan (not the larger springform pan) with hot water to about the middle height of the springform pans.
• Step 3 and 4 may be done in a large food processor, which will result in a smooth cheesecake, otherwise, the ricotta curds will add some texture to the cake.