No-Bake Matcha Cheesecake

Crush the digestive biscuits in a food processor to a fine, even sand — no large chunks or sandy dust, a uniform medium crumb. Alternatively, seal them in a zip-lock bag and roll with a rolling pin. Stir in the melted butter until every crumb is evenly coated — the mixture should look like damp sand that just clumps when pressed. Tip into the base of a 20 cm (8 inch) springform tin lined with baking parchment. Use the flat base of a glass to press the crumbs into a compact, even, level layer. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to set the butter.

Submerge the gelatin sheets in cold water for 5–8 minutes until completely floppy and translucent. Lift them out and squeeze out the excess water — the gelatin should weigh almost nothing in your palm. Set aside. For powdered gelatin, sprinkle it over 2 tablespoons of cold water and leave it to absorb into a firm sponge before heating. Gelatin enables the no-bake filling to hold its shape while maintaining a creamy, barely-set texture rather than a rubbery one.

Sift the matcha powder into a small bowl — sifting is non-negotiable, as matcha clumps badly and will leave green specks in the filling if not dispersed. Add the hot water (about 70–80°C, just off the boil — not boiling, which degrades the vivid green and the delicate flavor). Using a small whisk or matcha chasen, whisk in tight 'M' or 'W' motions until the powder is fully dissolved into a smooth, vivid green paste with no lumps. Melt the squeezed gelatin in 2 tablespoons of warm cream in a small saucepan over very low heat, swirling until dissolved. Stir the gelatin into the matcha paste.

Beat the room-temperature cream cheese with the icing sugar and lemon juice until completely smooth and lump-free — 2 minutes with a hand mixer. Fold in the matcha-gelatin paste until evenly colored. In a cold bowl, whip the cold heavy cream to firm peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the matcha cream cheese mixture in three additions, from the bottom up, cutting and folding gently to retain the volume. The final filling should be airy, vivid green, and hold a soft peak.

Pour the filling over the chilled biscuit base and smooth the top with an offset spatula, spreading to the edges. Tap the tin gently on the counter twice to settle any air bubbles. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight — the gelatin needs time to set fully and the flavors to develop. Before serving, dust the surface lightly with sifted matcha powder through a fine-mesh sieve. Release the springform and cut with a hot, wiped knife for clean slices.