Use room-temperature ingredients
Cream cheese, sour cream and eggs combine smoothly without lengthy mixing when they are at the same moderate temperature.
Japanese-inspired Recipe
Hojicha Cheesecake
This baked hojicha cheesecake is made in a 20 cm springform tin. A smooth hojicha and milk paste flavours the cream cheese filling, while cornflour and controlled baking give neat slices.
Total time
7 hr 10 min
Calories
410 kcal
Servings
10 servings
Difficulty
Intermediate
Why this recipe works
Baked hojicha cheesecake with a biscuit base
The warm, lightly caramelised character of hojicha contrasts with the gentle tang of cream cheese. All filling ingredients should be at room temperature so they combine without prolonged beating. Too much trapped air makes a cheesecake rise sharply and crack as it cools. It is ready when the edge is set but a palm-sized area in the centre still wobbles slightly. The final creamy texture develops only after gradual cooling and several hours in the refrigerator.
Japanese Recipes
Cheese
Recipe
Hojicha Cheesecake
Hojicha cheesecake combines a crisp biscuit base with a creamy filling and the nutty, toasted flavour of Japanese green tea. Gentle mixing and slow cooling help keep the top smooth.
Ingredients
10 servings
Method
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1
Prepare the tin and oven
Preheat the oven to 175 °C conventional heat. Line the base of a 20 cm springform tin with baking parchment and lightly grease the sides.
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2
Prebake the biscuit base
Mix the biscuit crumbs and butter, spread them evenly in the tin and press firmly with the base of a glass. Bake for 10 minutes, cool briefly on a rack and reduce the oven temperature to 160 °C.
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3
Mix the hojicha paste
Stir the sifted hojicha into the warm milk, first making a thick paste and then loosening it until smooth. Mix in the cornflour without lumps and set aside.
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4
Make the cream cheese filling
Mix the cream cheese and sugar on low speed only until smooth. Briefly incorporate the sour cream, vanilla, salt and hojicha paste, then scrape down the bowl with a spatula.
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5
Add the eggs one at a time
Mix in each egg separately with a hand whisk or on the lowest mixer speed. Stop as soon as each egg is incorporated and do not whip the filling.
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6
Bake gently
Pour the filling over the biscuit base and tap the tin gently on the worktop twice. Bake at 160 °C for 60 to 70 minutes, until the edge is set and the centre still wobbles slightly when moved.
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7
Cool slowly
Turn off the oven, open the door slightly and leave the cake inside for 30 minutes. Cool completely to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Kitchen know-how
Tips for Hojicha Cheesecake
Mix on low speed
Trapped air expands in the oven and can cause the cake to rise and crack. Mix only until each ingredient has disappeared into the filling.
Allow enough chilling time
The centre remains delicate after baking. Several hours in the refrigerator set the filling and make clean slices possible.
Variations
How to adapt this recipe
Replace 30 g biscuit crumbs with 30 g finely ground black sesame. Keep the butter quantity unchanged for a darker base with a deeper roasted flavour.
Mix in 100 g melted white chocolate cooled until lukewarm after adding the sour cream, and reduce the sugar to 100 g. Continue as written.
Divide the mixture among twelve lined muffin cups. Bake at 160 °C for about 22 to 26 minutes, then cool and chill completely as for the full cake.
Nutrition per serving
410kcal
29.0 gCarbohydrates
7.0 gProtein
30.0 gFat
Values are estimates and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Hojicha Cheesecake
The outer edge should be set while a palm-sized area in the centre still trembles slightly when the tin is moved. It firms up as the cake cools and chills.
Common causes are too much incorporated air, overbaking or cooling too quickly. Low-speed mixing, a slightly wobbly centre and gradual cooling in the open oven all help.
Whole leaves would disturb the smooth texture. As an alternative, steep 15 g loose hojicha in the warm milk for ten minutes, strain very finely and cool completely; the flavour will be milder.
The filling is still soft after baking. Slow cooling followed by at least four hours in the refrigerator stabilises it enough for neat slices.
Once completely cool, cover it well and refrigerate for up to about three days. Let each serving stand for 15 to 20 minutes so the roasted notes become more noticeable.
Yes. Wrap fully chilled slices individually and freeze them airtight for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator; refreezing will damage the creamy texture.
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