Matcha cheesecake

She once asked for this cake on her birthday and enjoyed every bite of it while the other kids looked at it with suspicion, tempted by the green color but rejecting the taste. It was like watching a play where one plays two roles - the bad and the good. Since that day, I do not bake this for kids' parties, even if the kids ask for it, but we like to indulge in matcha cake from time to time on weekends or when guests come, particularly the ones who love matcha. It is very smooth, so cut it right from the fridge and with a warm knife (place in hot water, dry and cut, repeating after each piece). 

base:
150 g oat or digestive cookies
10 g nigella seeds (or sesame, if you do not like nigella)
50 g butter, melted
pinch of sea salt

filling:
600 g cream cheese, room temperature 
pinch of sea salt 
1/2 vanilla pod seeds
40 g wheat flour
15 g matcha powder
180 g golden caster sugar
3 medium eggs, room temperature 
200 g crème fraîche or thick sour cream (35%)
1,5 tbsp lemon juice

topping:
50 g nigella seeds or sesame seeds
50 g macadamia nuts, salted, chopped
30 g honey


Heat the oven to 200° on top and bottom. Place the rack one level below centre. Line the bottom of a 23 cm diameter cake pan with parchment paper. Prepare the base. Butter the sides of the pan. 

Process the cookies, so they are quite fine. Add seeds, salt, and place in a bowl. Add the butter and mix. Press the mixture to the bottom of the pan, making it about 5 mm thick. Put in the oven for 15 minutes and then remove.

In a mixing bowl, place cream cheese and vanilla and beat for 1-2 minutes. Add flour, matcha, sugar, and beat for another 1-2 minutes until blended. Beating on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating each one in well and scraping down the sides. While the mixer is on low speed, add crème fraiche and lemon juice. Mix everything at low speed, just until fully incorporated, not longer. 

Pour the filling into the pan. Place the pan into the oven and lower heat immediately to 90°. Bake for 1 h. The middle has to jiggle slightly. Open the door 10 cm and keep it like that until the cake is warm (an hour). Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Only then, not earlier, cover with cling film and refrigerate for 12 hours for the flavors to meld.

In the meantime, put seeds, nuts, and honey and heat in a pan on medium-high heat, mixing until caramelised. You can do this in the oven while the base of the cake is baking (around 7-9 minutes). 

When the cake is ready to be served, top with the nut crumble.