Matcha cheesecake

Active: 20 minutes; Total: 2 hour + 5 refrigeration time; Yield: 8 servings

Butter, melted	100g
Graham crackers, crushed	180g
Sugar, granulated	25g + 200g
Matcha powder	24g
Cream cheese, room temperature	675g
Cream, heavy	320g
Cornstarch	16g
Eggs, divided; lightly beaten	2 whole + 2 yolks

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
2. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter. 
3. Prepare boiling water for water bath. 
4. In a medium bowl, combine the crackers and 25g sugar, then the butter; dump into the prepared springform pan. 
5. Using a flat glass (I prefer my heavy-bottomed whiskey glass), press the crumbs into an even layer. 
6. Bake for 8 minutes; cool to room temperature. 
7. Reduce oven to 325°F. 
8. Gently whisk together 200g sugar and matcha powder to remove any lumps. 
9. In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth, about 2 minutes. 
10. Add the matcha-sugar mixture, starting slowly, whisk until smooth. 
11. Add one-third of the cream, whisking until smooth, then whisk in the remaining cream until well combined. 
12. Add the cornstarch, whisking until the mixture looks smooth. 
13. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until incorporated. 
14. Using a rubber spatula, scrap the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure the mixture is evenly incorporated. 
15. Pour over the prepared crust; tapping gently on the counter to level and dislodge any hidden air bubbles. 
16. Using an oven bag to protect the cheesecake, place the springform pan into a large waterbath pan, then place in the over. 
17. Carefully add the boiling water to the waterbath pan, about one-third to one-half the way up the side of the springform pan. 
18. Bake 70 minutes, until it wobbles and bounces when gently tapped on the side; turn off the oven, open the door about 1 inch, and let the cheesecake rest in the oven for about 30 minutes. 
19. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 5 hours before serving. 

Recipe by Aya Caliva on Pastry Living.

Banana puddings with miso caramel

Active: 45 minutes; Total: 5 hours 30 minutes; Refrigerate: 4 hours to overnight; Serves: 8

Cream, heavy	1 cup + 1 cup
Miso, white	2 teaspoons
Sugar, granulated	¾ cup + ½ cup + ½ cup
Water	2 tablespoons
Corn syrup, light	1 teaspoon
Milk, whole	½ cup + 3 cups
Cornstarch	2/3 cup
Egg yolks	8 large
Butter, unsalted	6 tablespoons + 4 tablespoons
Vanilla extract, pure	1 tablespoon
Salt	1 teaspoon + ½ teaspoon
Bananas, ripe, chopped	4 medium
Sugar, dark brown	2 tablespoons
Graham crackers, finely ground	5 crackers
Flour, all-purpose	3 ½ tablespoons
Sugar, light brown	1 ½ teaspoons

1. Combine 1-cup cream with miso in a small saucepan. 
2. Bring just to a simmer over medium heat; remove immediately, and set aside. 
3. Combine ¾-cup sugar, water, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. 
4. Cook over medium-high heat, without stirring, until a deep-amber caramel forms, about 5 to 6 minutes. 
5. Remove from heat, and gradually whisk in the warm cream mixture, ensuring you get the sugar in the sides of the pan; let cool 10 minutes. 
6. Pour through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a heatproof container; discard the solids. 
7. Whisk together ½-cup milk, ½-cup sugar, cornstarch, and egg yolks in a medium bowl. 
8. Combine the remaining milk and remaining ½-cup granulated sugar in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat. 
9. Remove from heat, and very gradually whisk the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture to temper it. 
10. Return the mixture to the saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. 
11. Remove from heat, and whisk in 6 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until incorporated. 
12. Whisk in the vanilla and salt. 
13. Transfer the pudding to a medium bowl, and press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface; let cool completely, and then refrigerate until well chilled, about 4 hours. 
14. Fold in the bananas, and refrigerate 30 minutes more. 
15. Preheat your oven to 325°F; line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 
16. Melt remaining 4-tablespoons butter with the dark brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until the sugar id dissolved, about 2 minutes. 
17. Whisk together the graham cracker crumbs, flour, light brown sugar, and ½-teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. 
18. Stir in the butter mixture until the crumbs are evenly moistened. 
19. Spread the mixture in a ¼-inch-thick layer on the prepared baking sheet. 
20. Bake until dry and crisp, about 16 minutes, breaking up and stirring the crumbs halfway through; cool completely, and then crush into fine crumbs. 
21. Beat the remaining cream until stiff peaks form; set aside. 
22. Spoon the banana pudding into eight 8-ounce glasses; top evenly with the caramel, whipped cream, and crumb topping. 

Recipe by Kemuri Tatsu-ya in Austin, TX, and published in Food & Wine. 

Slow-roasted strawberry sandwiches

1. Preheat the oven to 250°F (Roast setting, if you’ve got it). 
2. Gently toss the strawberries with sugar. 
3. In a small glass dish, closely arrange the strawberries in a single layer. 
4. Roast for 3 hours, shaking the dish gently occasionally. 
5. Spread cream cheese on a graham cracker square, layer with roasted strawberries, top with another cracker square, then devour!

Honeyed yogurt & blueberry tart with ginger crust

Graham cracker crumbs	1 ½ cups + 3 tablespoons
Ginger, crystallized, finely chopped	¼ cup
Sugar	1 tablespoon
Salt	Pinch
Butter, unsalted, melted	3 tablespoons
Egg white	1 large
Yogurt, nonfat Greek, drained overnight	2 cups
Honey	2 tablespoons
Blueberries	1 ½ cups

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
2. Grease a 14-by-4 ½-inch rectangular fluted tart pan with a removable bottom with cooking spray. 
3. In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers with the crystallized ginger, sugar, and salt until finely ground. 
4. Add the butter and egg white, and pulse until the crumbs are evenly coated. 
5. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and up the sides of the tart pan. 
6. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned; let cool completely. 
7. In a medium bowl, mix the drained yogurt with the honey. 
8. Spread the yogurt in the crust, and arrange the blueberries over the surface. 
9. Cut the tart into slices and serve. 

Recipe from Food&Wine online.

Apricot parfaits with mascarpone whipped cream

Cognac	2 tablespoons
Lemon juice, fresh	2 tablespoons
Sugar, superfine	2 tablespoons + 1 ½ tablespoons
Salt, kosher
Apricots, halved, pitted, cut into ½-inch wedges	12
Graham cracker crumbs	½ cup
Butter, unsalted, softened	3 tablespoons
Mascarpone	½ cup
Cream, heavy	½ cup
Sugar, confectioners’	2 tablespoons
Vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped	1
Mint, fresh, chopped	2 tablespoons

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the Cognac with the lemon juice, 2-tablespoons superfine sugar, and a pinch of salt until the sugar dissolves. 
2. Add the apricots, and mix well; let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. 
3. In a medium bowl, using a fork, mix the graham cracker crumbs with the butter, ¼-teaspoon salt, and 1 ½-tablespoons superfine sugar until evenly moistened. 
4. Press the mixture into clumps, and refrigerate until just firm, about 10 minutes. 
5. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the mascarpone with the cream, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla seeds until stiff peaks form. 
6. Stir the mint into the apricots. 
7. Spoon the apricots and their juices into four 4- to 6-ounce glasses. 
8. Top with the mascarpone whipped cream and the crumble; serve immediately. 

Recipe from Food&Wine Magazine, August 2016.