Strawberries and Matcha are a very popular combination these days. Drinks, desserts, and cakes featuring this pairing have become increasingly widespread in Germany over the last few years. This delicious Strawberry Matcha San Sebastian Cheesecake brings together Asia and Spain because the base – the San Sebastian cheesecake – originates on the Iberian Peninsula. We love this style of cheesecake and we love Matcha, so it was only natural to eventually create a matcha version of the cake…
Matcha has gradually found its way into our daily lives over the past few years. Now and then, we opt for a Matcha latte instead of coffee. If you exclude the strawberries, the preparation is actually quite simple. Easier, in fact, than firing up the espresso machine to make a latte macchiato or something like that. I’m not talking about the traditional preparation of ceremonial Matcha with a bamboo whisk and stuff like that. A simple Matcha latte doesn’t require quite that much effort tbh…
Preparing a Matcha San Sebastian cheesecake is just as easy. I think San Sebastian cheesecakes are among the simplest cakes you can bake at home. You don’t need a food processor to whip anything up, and you don’t have to be overly precise, since the finished result is meant to look a bit rustic… What more could you ask for?!
Normally, I put a little extra effort into lining the pan for this type of cheesecake, using a large piece for the base and a separate strip for the sides. This creates a nice, clean edge. But there’s another way: simply use an extra-large sheet of parchment paper and press it into the pan. That’s it. The edges of the cake will look a bit crinkled, but that’s actually a characteristic look for San Sebastian cheesecakes.
Using Matcha results in a cake with a slight green hue – which probably was quite obvious since the Matcha powder is green. How green the cheesecake turns out depends on the amount of Matcha you use. In this case, more is definitely more. But, of course, more Matcha means a stronger Matcha flavor, which might not be to everyone’s taste.
I quite like Matcha, but even I have my limits. If there’s too much, it eventually starts tasting grassy and bitter. For this San Sebastian cheesecake, I used one tablespoon of Matcha. This keeps the Matcha flavor fairly mild. If you like it a bit more intense, you can simply double the amount. No problem.
However, for the average Matcha consumer I wouldn’t recommend using much more than that. If you’re using only a small amount of Matcha, you can add a few drops of Pandan paste* to help the green color pop a bit more. That’s what I did for the cake in the photos here. But… you definitely shouldn’t overdo it with the Pandan paste either, or that subtle green can quickly turn into neon »toxic« green. If you want to see just how intense the coloring from Pandan paste can be, you might want to check out our Spinach Pandan Loaf Cake. ;P
By the way, if you enjoy the strawberry-matcha combination, you should also take a look at our Strawberry & Matcha Tiramisu. It’s a delicious dessert where sweet meets slightly bitter flavors. Italians might consider it a crime to tweak their classic recipe like this, but we really love this version of tiramisu!
If you prefer something a bit more »clean and pure«, you might want to check out our Matcha Ice Cream. Here, the Matcha is combined only with a little bit of vanilla. Truly delicious and refreshing! Of course, you could always throw a few strawberries on top of the ice cream when serving. Plus a dollop of whipped cream. Go big or go home, right?!
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
For the cheesecake:
26.5 oz. (750g) cream cheese, at room temperature
9 oz. (250g) confectioners’ sugar*
1 pinch of salt
5 medium eggs, at room temperature
14 oz. (400g) heavy cream, at room temperature
1 tbsp. Matcha powder (organic)*
1 oz. (30g) all-purpose flour*
2 tsp. vanilla extract*
some Pandan paste* (optional)
For the strawberries:
16.7 oz. (500g) fresh strawberries, halved or quartered
2-3 tbsp. strawberry jam
Für den Cheesecake:
750g Frischkäse (Doppelrahmstufe), Zimmertemperatur
250g Puderzucker*
1 Prise Salz
5 Eier (M), Zimmertemperatur
400g Schlagsahne, Zimmertemperatur
1 EL (Bio) Matcha Pulver*
30g Mehl (Type 405)*
2 TL Vanille Extrakt*
ggf. etwas Pandan Paste* (optional)
Für die Erdbeeren:
500g Erdbeeren, halbiert oder geviertelt
2-3 EL Erdbeermarmelade
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Preheat the oven to 210°C (410°F) fan-forced. Line a 20cm springform tin* with baking parchment. Use one or two large pieces – the baking parchment should overlap the sides several centimeters. The cake rises during baking and needs space to expand – more than a regular baking tin can normally hold. Set aside.
2. Add the cream cheese, confectioners‘ sugar, and salt to a large bowl and mix to combine. Work with a simple whisk or rubber spatula. You want everything well blended, but no air trapped in the mixture. If you mix the cream cheese briefly with the confectioners’ sugar and let it sit for a few minutes, the mixture will naturally soften and become much easier to work with. Add the eggs one at a time and stir until well combined.
3. In a second bowl, mix the heavy cream with Matcha powder, flour, and vanilla extract until well combined without any lumps visible. If the color isn’t green enough for you, add a few drops of Pandan paste (optional). Pour the cream mixture into the large bowl with the cream cheese and mix until well combined.
4. Pour the mixture through a sieve into the prepared baking tin to catch any remaining lumps of flour or Matcha. Jiggle the tin a bit to allow bubbles to rise to the top, then bake the cake on the middle rack of the oven for about 35-37 minutes. The edges of the cheesecake should be firm and can be well-browned, while the center should still wobble a bit when you tap the baking tin. Remove the finished cheesecake from the oven and let it cool completely inside the tin. When cooled completely, place in the fridge overnight to set completely.
5. Wash and drain the strawberries. Remove the green leaves and half or quarter the strawberries if larger. Mix the strawberries with some jam and pile them on top of the cheesecake before serving. A little whipped cream goes well with the cheesecake, too.
1. Den Ofen auf 210°C (410°F) Umluft vorheizen. Eine 20cm Springform* mit Backpapier auslegen. Nimm ein oder zwei große Stücke – das Backpapier sollte am Rand einige Zentimeter überstehen, da der Kuchen beim Backen etwas aufgeht. Zur Seite stellen.
2. Frischkäse, Puderzucker und Salz in einer großen Schüssel verrühren. Arbeitet mit einem einfachen Schneebesen oder Gummispatel – es soll alles gut vermengt sein, aber keine Luft in der Masse eingeschlossen werden. Verrührt man den Frischkäse nur kurz mit dem Puderzucker und lässt dann alles ein paar Minuten stehen, wird die Mischung automatisch einiges weicher und leichter zu verarbeiten. Die Eier einzeln dazugeben und unterrühren.
3. Die Schlagsahne in einer zweiten Schüssel mit Matcha Pulver, Mehl und Vanille Extrakt glatt rühren. Achte darauf, dass kleine Klümpchen vom Mehl oder Matcha mehr zu sehen sind. Sollte die Farbe nicht grün genug sein, kann man mit einigen wenigen Tropfen Pandanpaste nachhelfen (optional). Die Sahnemischung in die große Schüssel schütten und alles gut vermengen.
4. Die Masse durch ein Sieb in die vorbereitete Form füllen, um letzte Mehl- oder Matchaklümpchen aufzufangen. Etwas an der Form rütteln, damit Bläschen aufsteigen können, und den Kuchen dann für etwa 35-37 Minuten in der Mitte des Ofens backen. Die Ränder des Käsekuchens sollten fest geworden sein und dürfen auch ordentlich Farbe bekommen haben – in der Mitte sollte die Käsekuchenmasse noch leicht wackeln, wenn man an der Form rüttelt. Den fertigen Käsekuchen aus dem Ofen holen und in der Form komplett abkühlen lassen. Danach noch einmal über Nacht in den Kühlschrank stellen.
5. Die Erdbeeren waschen und abtropfen lassen. Grüne Blätter etc. entfernen und die Erdbeeren dann halbieren bzw. vierteln, sollten sie recht groß sein. Die Erdbeeren mit etwas Marmelade vermengen und vor dem Servieren auf dem Käsekuchen auftürmen. Dazu passt auch noch etwas Schlagsahne.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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Stawberry Matcha San Sebastian Cheesecake
- Prep Time: 00:15
- Cook Time: 00:35
- Total Time: 12:00
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Cheesecakes
- Method: -
- Cuisine: International
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Strawberry Matcha San Sebastian Cheesecake is an absolute showstopper and so easy to make! We love this variation of the classic Burnt Cheesecake!
Ingredients
For the cheesecake:
26.5 oz. (750g) cream cheese, at room temperature
9 oz. (250g) confectioners’ sugar*
1 pinch of salt
5 medium eggs, at room temperature
14 oz. (400g) heavy cream, at room temperature
1 tbsp. Matcha powder (organic)*
1 oz. (30g) all-purpose flour*
2 tsp. vanilla extract*
some Pandan paste* (optional)
For the strawberries:
16.7 oz. (500g) fresh strawberries, halved or quartered
2-3 tbsp. strawberry jam
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 210°C (410°F) fan-forced. Line a 20cm springform tin* with baking parchment. Use one or two large pieces – the baking parchment should overlap the sides several centimeters. The cake rises during baking and needs space to expand – more than a regular baking tin can normally hold. Set aside.
2. Add the cream cheese, confectioners‘ sugar, and salt to a large bowl and mix to combine. Work with a simple whisk or rubber spatula. You want everything well blended, but no air trapped in the mixture. If you mix the cream cheese briefly with the confectioners’ sugar and let it sit for a few minutes, the mixture will naturally soften and become much easier to work with. Add the eggs one at a time and stir until well combined.
3. In a second bowl, mix the heavy cream with Matcha powder, flour, and vanilla extract until well combined without any lumps visible. If the color isn’t green enough for you, add a few drops of Pandan paste (optional). Pour the cream mixture into the large bowl with the cream cheese and mix until well combined.
4. Pour the mixture through a sieve into the prepared baking tin to catch any remaining lumps of flour or Matcha. Jiggle the tin a bit to allow bubbles to rise to the top, then bake the cake on the middle rack of the oven for about 35-37 minutes. The edges of the cheesecake should be firm and can be well-browned, while the center should still wobble a bit when you tap the baking tin. Remove the finished cheesecake from the oven and let it cool completely inside the tin. When cooled completely, place in the fridge overnight to set completely.
5. Wash and drain the strawberries. Remove the green leaves and half or quarter the strawberries if larger. Mix the strawberries with some jam and pile them on top of the cheesecake before serving. A little whipped cream goes well with the cheesecake, too.
Notes
Get your bake on!
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