Happy fall, tea friends! I know–it’s been awhile since my last blog post. As hard as blogging can be, I’ve really missed it over the last 2 months. Sharing about tea, exchanging ideas with the most creative people and experimenting in the kitchen…it feels good to be back!I was recently invited to a virtual black sesame-themed Halloween Party and decided that this was the perfect opportunity to jump back into blogging life. Black sesame is especially cool for using around Halloween, and this recipe combines the earthy taste of green tea with lightly spiced pumpkin and those rich, savory seeds.
Asian markets sell black sesame seeds in 2 forms, powdered or whole. I prefer purchasing the whole form for this recipe, which means that I can use it for both the crust and as a garnish. I simply use a spice grinder to get the seeds into a more flour-like consistency. If you don’t have a grinder, you can also use a mortar and pestle set.It’s a nice touch to garnish the tops of the cheesecakes with whole seeds so that guests don’t assume that the crust is made from Oreos, like this mouth-watering Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake created by my pal Lok from The Missing Lokness. If you want the seeds to stick well to the tops of the cakes, sprinkle them on just before baking.If you really love the taste of matcha, a light dusting of the green tea after baking is easy and elegant. And for more ideas on how to bake with black sesame, check out these gorgeous creations:
Welcome to the Halloween Black Sesame Party!
Black Sesame Cupcakes with PB Frosting @ Contemplating Sweets
Charcoal & Black Sesame Sourdough @ Scratch Eats
Black Sesame Cake Roll @ The Pink Wings
Hong Kong Black Sesame Rolls @ The Missing Lokness
Black Sesame Crème Brûlée @ Pups with Chopsticks
Totoro Black Sesame Chiffon Cake @ What to Cook Today
Black Sesame Mushi Pan @ Chopstick Chronicles
A big thanks to Alisa of Contemplating Sweets for celebrating this unique ingredient! Her blog is filled with a beautiful collection of Japanese-inspired recipes. I especially love her take on Bedtime Tea for Kids, where she infuses chamomile tea with bananas…how cool is that!??
Mini Matcha Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Black Sesame Crust
Makes 12 mini cakes.
Ingredients:
{Black Sesame Crust}
1/2 cup of black sesame, ground
2 Tbsp sugar
pinch salt
2 Tbsp butter, melted
{Cheesecake}
2-8 oz. packages of cream cheese, at room temp
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, at room temp
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch nutmeg
pinch cloves
1 1/2 Tbsp matcha, sifted
extra whole black sesame seeds, for garnishing
Equipment:
mini cheesecake pan, sprayed with non-stick spray
cooling rack
mixing bowls
hand mixer
Tbsp measure
Directions:
- 1. Make the Crust. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the pan with non-stick spray. In a bowl, mix together the black sesame, sugar, salt and melted butter. Spoon 1 Tbsp of this mixture into each cavity of the pan. Flatten into the bottom of each cavity with the back of a spoon. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove and cool on a cooling rack.
2. Make the Batter. Cream the cream cheese with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, making sure to scrape down the sides.
3. Flavor the 2 Batters. Into another mixing bowl, spoon out 1 1/4 cups of the cheesecake batter. Mix in 1/2 cup of pumpkin to this batter, and the cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Into the original cheesecake batter, add 1 Tbsp of sifted matcha. Mix well.
4. Add the Pumpkin Cheesecake Layer. Spoon 2 Tbsp of the pumpkin mixture into each cavity. Try not to get the mixture onto the sides of each cavity. After adding the pumpkin layer, shake the pan on the counter in a circular motion to even out the mixture in each cavity. Bake for 7-8 minutes until just set. Remove from the oven and let sit for a few minutes.
5. Top with the Matcha Cheesecake Layer. Spoon 2 Tbsp of the matcha mixture into each cavity. Shake the pan to even out the mixture in each cavity. Bake for 8 minutes until just set. Remove from the oven and place on the cooling rack.
6. Cool & Serve! Make sure the cakes are completely cooled before unmolding them. Happy Halloween!