I came across the inspiration for this concept on Instagram, where I saw a chef make a double decker cake doughnut that was pressed into a mousse then glazed in a mirror glaze. I believe it was called a tiger doughnut, because of the pattern on it. For my own version of it, I decided to use matcha and black sesame flavors, because it would be fun to do something that sort of resembled a chia pet in coloration.

For the recipe, you have two different cake batters, baked into a silicone doughnut baking mold, a matcha rare cheesecake made with mascarpone, cream cheese, and set with gelatin powder, a matcha mirror glaze, and a matcha snow, which is made using residual mirror glaze and tapioca maltodextrin powder.

For the cake batters:
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg white
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons matcha powder or 1 tablespoon black sesame jam – I used a jam that my parents gave me from Hokkaido! – and 2 tablespoons black sesame powder (obviously depends on which batter you’re making)

Combine ingredients. You will need to double up on the recipe, since you will be making two batters. Pipe and bake the black sesame batter at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Then pipe on the matcha batter, and cover the mold with a silicone baking sheet, just to flatten the bottoms of the doughnuts, and bake again at 350 degrees F for another 20 minutes. Cool completely before removing.

For the cheesecake:
5 oz cream cheese
8 oz mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons gelatin powder + 1 tablespoon water
a pinch of salt
2 tablespoons matcha powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Bloom gelatin in 1 tablespoon of water. Cream the cream cheese. In a separate bowl, whip the mascarpone. Combine the matcha powder, salt, bloomed gelatin, water, and sugar and bring to a simmer. Pour into the cream cheese and continue to whip until it is all incorporated. Fold in the whipped mascarpone. Pour into the silicone baking molds. Press the doughnuts into those. Freeze for 2-3 hours, or until completely solid.

For the mirror glaze
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
2 teaspoons gelatin powder + 1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons matcha powder
a pinch of salt

Combine gelatin with 1 tablespoon of water. Bring to a simmer with the 1/4 cup water and matcha. Melt down the white chocolate. Combine everything together and pass through a strainer to remove lumps. Keep lukewarm and liquid before it is time to assemble.

For the matcha snow:
1/4 cup white chocolate
1/4 cup tapioca maltodextrin
1 tablespoon matcha powder
a pinch of salt

Melt down the chocolate with matcha and salt. Fold in the maltodextrin and form into a powder.

For assembly:
On a cooling rack, pour the glaze over the doughnuts. Shake off the excess, transfer to a plate, and garnish with the matcha snow.