Green Tea Cheesecake

Green tea is full of powerful antioxidants and cancer preventing properties. This sweet treat lets you have your green tea and eat cake too! Featured at our Pearlridge "Green with Envy" class on 1/16/12.

Ingredients

Crust:
• 1 (5.4-ounce) package shortbread cookies
• 1 cup whole hazelnuts
• ¼ cup softened butter
  
  Filling:
• 1 (3.8-ounce) package instant vanilla pudding
• 2 teaspoons matcha powder + more for garnish
• 2 cups almond milk
• 8-ounces cream cheese, softened
  
  
• Whipped cream (optional)
• Fresh berries of choice (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare Crust: Combine shortbread cookies and hazelnuts in a food processor or blender. Process until crumbly. Add butter and pulse a few times to mix. Mixture should be sticky.
2. Press crust mixture into bottom and sides of pie pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
3. Combine pudding powder and matcha powder in a small saucepan. Set heat to medium and slowly whisk in almond milk. Once mixture begins to bubble, let sit for 1 minute then remove from heat. Mixture will thicken as it cools.
4. As mixture cools, place cream cheese in a food processor. Pulse to combine - you may need to scrape the sides a few times.
5. Once pudding mixture has cooled, add to cream cheese. Process until combined well, scraping the sides a few times.
6. Remove pie crust from refrigerator. Pour Filling into pie crust. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3-4 hours, up to overnight. When ready to serve, sprinkle with matcha powder. Top with whipped cream and berries. Enjoy!

Yields 8-10 Servings

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