15centimeters (renamed 15cenchi in 2023) began during 2020’s COVID lockdown period as an effort from two roommates to deliver happiness and comfort to Sydneysiders in the form of Japanese style burnt basque cheesecakes, which are baked in the standard 15-centimetre cake tin size (and the origin of their name).
2022
Two years on, with no permanent locationa and with Sydney fast emerging out of its dormant state, 15centimeters opened a pop-up in Darling Square until August 18.
Ordering in store gave us the opportunity to try slices of their various flavours of burnt basque cheesecake.
Hōjicha Milk Tea Basque Cheescake ($7.00).
The cheesecake had a toasted caramelised smell with a smooth and gooey texture, while the roasted notes of the hōjicha were bold yet refined with just a touch of bitterness, and held their own against the punchiness of the cream cheese. All the flavoured cheesecakes we tried had a balanced sweetness but the cream cheese flavour was most prominent in the hōjicha. This was D’s favourite of the three.
Tahitian Lime Basque Cheesecake ($7.00).
The citrus flavour captured the brightness of the juice of a Tahitian lime but without pronounced acidity and limited zestiness. Those looking for a salivating lime flavour much like the curd in a lemon meringue would be disappointed. That said, however, the cheesecake as it was, showed a remarkably balanced acidity and sweetness with the evident presence of the lime despite my preference for a more punchy lime flavour.
Single Origin “Yame” Matcha Basque Cheesecake ($7.00). It used matcha from Yame, located in the west of Fukuoka Prefecture, which delivered balanced umami with sweetness, bitterness, and a vivid matcha colour when baked in comparison to matcha from regions like Uji and Kagoshima.
The matcha gave the cheesecake a beautiful green colour that delivered the green tea flavour with flare, highlighting its gentle vegetal notes while the cheese base balances rounded out its usual bitterness with an enjoyable sweetness much like a creamy matcha latte made from quality tea leaves.
French Earl Grey Basque Cheesecake ($7.00).
The appearance of this slice of cheesecake suggested it was a touch overcooked, and while it did have a more crumbly texture than the gooeyness of the previous, on tasting, the heat of the palate softened the slice immediately for a rich and creamy mouthfeel. The bergamot notes from the tea were bright, with the black tea base coming through in the background, and going a long way to mask the ‘cheesiness’ of the cream cheese. I thoroughly enjoyed the French Earl Grey twist.
Mixed Berry Chocolate Basque Cheesecake ($7.00).
The chocolate flavour came through bold richness that masked the underlying acidity of the cream cheese remarkably while delivering a delectable creaminess that gave an overall sensation of a chocolate mousse that was dense (in a good way). The mixed berries added pops of acidity as well as texture where the seeds were present.
Chestnut Marron Basque Cheesecake ($7.50), an autumn special.
Chestnut is a quintessential flavour for desserts in Japan, and here the warm nuttiness of the chestnut was unmistakable and generous with every bite and emerged here in both the chestnut cream blended into the basque paste as well as the chestnut chunks baked into the base. The chestnut chunks provided textural contrast to the smoothness of the cream and crumbled down to add prominent hits of sweet nuttiness. For those who enjoy chestnut, there was truly little to fault in this cheesecake.
Pistachio and Raspberry ($8.00).
The pistachio came through with a rich and nutty creaminess that complemented the cream cheese well. The bites with the raspberries brought bold acidity that cut through the richness of the pistachio base and kept us going back for more.
In addition to the basque cheesecakes, 15centimetre also have pudding cheesecakes.
Hōjicha Custard Purin Cheesecake with Burnt Caramel Sauce ($8.00).
Our enjoyment of this pudding cheesecake took us by surprise. The pudding was delectably smooth with a thicker mouthfeel than regular creme caramel, while the hōjicha flavour came through with its aromatic toastiness and a hint of bitterness to offset the sweetness. We would’ve preferred a darker caramel as it did not taste remotely burnt to us, but its restrained bitterness did allow the natural fragrance of the hōjicha to shine.
Matcha Custard Purin Cheesecake with Burnt Caramel Sauce ($8.00).
The caramel sauce in this pudding was taken to a more suitable ‘burnt’ degree and delivered a richly caramelised, slightly burnt flavour that paired beautifully with the creamy smoothness of the matcha pudding itself, allowing the gentle vegetal quality of the matcha to shine through.
Chocolate Custard Purin Cheesecake with Salted Caramel Sauce ($8.00)
The textures of the previous puddings were smooth and creamy, but this one was incredibly so. The dark chocolate flavour was rich with a smooth sweetness in the body and elegant with gentle bitter notes at the end of each bite. Paired with the subtle savoury touch of the salted caramel, the pudding was a delicious experience.
15centimeters extended its trading in Darling Square following the success of its pop-up store that was due to close on August 18. So this is a roundup of their seasonal flavours since August.
For Halloween, they released two new flavours of their custard purin cheesecake —
Spiced Pumpkin Purin Cheesecake with Burnt Caramel Sauce (100 mL, $8.00). It uses kurikabocha, a Japanese pumpkin named after its chestnut-like sweetness.
The use of pumpkin meant this pudding did not have the same silky smoothness as the usual flavours, but rather a slightly gritty and gluggy texture. The pumpkin notes were notable, with a gentle sweetness and a significant hint of spice, the combination of which did recall a chestnut-like sweetness but the texture of the pudding was not pleasing and there was insufficient caramel to lubricate the mouthfeel.
Black Sesame Custard Purin Cheesecake with Burnt Caramel Sauce (100 mL, $8.00).
This was an absolute delight, delivering a smooth, silky, rich black sesame flavour with the burnt caramel adding depth to the nuttiness of the black sesame. While we’d give the previous one a miss, this one is easily our favourite flavour of the ones on offer and we’d return for it in a heartbeat.
Classic Purin with Yuzu Sakura Jelly (100 mL, $8.00).
The pudding here was silky smooth and creamy with any presence of the cream cheese base well masked by the jelly, which delivered a hint of refreshing floral citrus that was amplified by the addition of the sakura.
Japanese Yuzu Basque ($7.00).
I was surprised that the yuzu flavour took so long to appear in their cheesecakes but nonetheless delighted. The yuzu came through as tiny flecks of yuzu peel that provided subtle texture as well as bright floral and tangy citrus notes, yet did not disturb the usual smooth creaminess of the cheesecake base. It was a very refined execution of the yuzu flavour in their usual impeccable cheesecakes.
Black Sesame Mochi ($8.00).
The rich black sesame flavour in the pudding gave me high hopes going into this cheesecake. Unfortunately, the black sesame flavour was quite weak in this cheesecake with the slightly funky notes of cream cheese coming through more prominently than in their other flavoured cheesecakes. Flavour aside, the crust was enjoyable along with the tender softness of the mochi.
For Australia Day, 15centimeters released lamingtons inspired by Japanese flavours.
Matcha Lamington ($5.50)
It consisted of two layers of rice flour-based sponge sandwiching a layer of their matcha-flavoured cream cheese enrobed in matcha-flavoured white chocolate and coated in coconut.
This was a very satisfying lamington. The flavour of the matcha came through bright with a subtle vegetal bitterness balanced well by the subtle sweetness in the cream. While it was a cream cheese filling, the matcha’s boldness masked the cream cheese’s signature acidity very well. The sponge was fluffy, soft and super moist. This was a simple twist on the original lamington yet done very well. The texture of the lamington was everything we’d wanted the vanilla sponges at Tōkyō Lamington to be but weren’t.
Hōjicha Lamington ($5.50)
It consisted of two layers of rice flour-based sponge sandwiching a layer of their hōjicha-flavoured cream cheese enrobed in hōijicha-flavoured white chocolate and coated in coconut.
If the matcha lamington was a delight, then our penchant for the roasted qualities of hōjicha easily made this one our favourite. The hōjicha flavour that came through the cream was rich and creamy without overt cream cheese notes, while the sponge was similarly light and fluffy and moist. The subtle nuttiness of the coconut complemented the hōjicha by adding texture and additional nuttiness without being overwhelming.
Hōjoicha Profilterole ($6.00). A few weeks later, they introduced a series of profiteroles that were piped with hōjiicha cream and dusted with hōjicha powder upon ordering to preserve the crunch of the pastry.
The profiterole shell was crisp all around, including the base, and provided a sturdy vehicle for the cream filling, which delivered a decent hōjicha flavour. I was hoping for a thicker cream cheese filling much like in the lamington to give it a richer mouthfeel.
Belgian Chocolate Basque Cheesecake ($8.00).
The chocolate and mixed berry flavour made way for this Belgian chocolate version for Valentine’s Day. It was everything we’d expected it to be: indulgent with a rich and premium chocolate flavour that masked the funkiness of the cream cheese base all the while being creamy and smooth.
Overall, the lamingtons from 15centimeters were a very enjoyable and well-executed simple twist on the original Australian favourite. While the profiterole was decent, it was not something we’d return for.
15centimeters is located at Maker’s Dozen, The Exchange, 1 Little Pier Street, Haymarket NSW 2000.
2023
To coincide with their now permanent store in Haymarket, 15centimeters rebranded as 15cenchi in June 2023 to reflect the Japanese pronunciation of the measurement.
Ume (Plum) Basque ($7.00), non-alcoholic.
Shortly prior to their rebranding, they incorporated a new addition into their assortment of basque cheesecake varieties – ume, or Japanese plum – to commemorate Mother’s Day in 2023.
True to form, the basque cheesecake retained its characteristic richness and creaminess. The inclusion of ume introduced a tangy fruitiness that accentuated the distinct dairy undertones of the cheese. Despite this enhancement, the ume infusion remained subtle, avoiding an overly pronounced presence that would distinctly label it as ume-flavoured.
Umeshu (Plum Wine) Basque ($9.00), alcoholic.
In contrast, this iteration perfectly encapsulated the anticipated flavour of umeshu within a cheesecake. The amalgamation flawlessly embodied the sweet and tangy attributes of the ume fruit. The pronounced ume profile resonated with its inherent fruity characteristics, accompanied by a discreet undercurrent of the alcohol’s bitterness, serving as a gentle reminder of its umeshu origin.
Matcha Mochi Basque Cheesecake ($7.00). It was a twist on their original matcha cheesecake, which we’d tried before, and continued to use matcha from Yame, in Fukuoka Prefecture
The mochi contributed a soft and stretchy texture, augmenting the already velvety consistency of the cheesecake. True to its nature, the matcha was a lively hue, accompanied by harmoniously balanced vegetal and umami undertones that adeptly counterbalanced the distinct creaminess of the cheese.
Espresso Basque Cheesecake ($8.00/slice).
In celebration of International Coffee Day in 2023, 15cenchi introduced a seasonal flavour featuring Headlands Coffee, specifically their South Head blend sourced from Brazil and Ethiopia. This blend is known for its distinct flavour profile, characterized by notes of cocoa, subtle nuttiness, and a hint of strawberry milk. When they opened their second store in The Galeries, coffee formed a central part of their business.
The cheesecake had a velvety-smooth texture with delightfully chewy edges. Upon the first bite, the cheese component took centre stage, making its presence known. However, by the second bite, the cheesiness had mellowed, giving way to the rich espresso notes of the coffee. These aromatic coffee nuances added a sophisticated layer of nuttiness, chocolatey depth, and a hint of pleasant bitterness to the overall flavour.
Espresso Purin Cheesecake ($8.00).
Regrettably, the pudding did not withstand the 40-minute journey home, resulting in its exterior melting beyond repair, even after refrigeration. Nevertheless, this setback did not diminish our enjoyment of this dessert, which happened to be our favourite among the three items. The unaffected portion of the pudding maintained its luxurious creamy quality, with the melted part transforming into an even more generous sauce. The coffee flavour was impeccable, boasting beautiful aromatics with the same chocolatey and nutty undertones. The pudding’s texture remained rich and wobbly, with the cheese contributing a delightful creaminess that did not overpower with any undesirable acidity. Each spoonful was a finely tuned and harmoniously balanced delight.
Espresso Choux Cream ($6.00).
The profiterole offered a delightful crispiness, and within it resided a coffee filling that struck a balance between the liquid consistency of the pudding and the solid form of the cheesecake. The cream carried a robust espresso flavour, its velvety softness creating a pleasing contrast against the crunchy exterior.
Decaf Oat Latte with Coffee Jelly ($7.50).
The coffee was an opaque tan hue, featuring dark brown-black jelly cubes at the base. While the oat milk had a subtle gritty texture that became more pronounced towards the end of the cup, it managed to avoid the overly cereal-like associations often found in some oat milk coffees. The coffee, without additional sweetening, delivered a bright and aromatic coffee flavour, complemented by the jelly’s subtle sweetness and hint of acidity that provided a pleasant contrast to the oat-based notes in the coffee.
Genmai Marble Cookie ($6.50).
Measuring about 7 cm in diameter and 1 cm in height, this cookie offers a soft and chewy texture with a generous amount of melting white chocolate. Despite the prominent coating of roasted brown rice on the exterior, the cookie’s flavour did not strongly convey its genmaicha origin, as the green tea notes were relatively subdued. Nevertheless, the abundant coating imparted warm toasted notes from the rice, leaving a lasting impression on the palate. Additionally, the coating added a delightful contrasting crunch to the overall softness of the cookie.
15cenchi is located at Maker’s Dozen, The Exchange, 1 Little Pier Street, Haymarket NSW 2000 and Lower Ground Floor, The Galleries, 9/500 George St, Sydney NSW 2000.
2024
This is a round up of the new items from 15 cenchi that we tried through 2024.
Mitarashi Mochi Basque Cheesecake ($8.50)
This was the initial seasonal special of 2024, drawing inspiration from mitarashi dango, the Japanese street food of skewered rice dumplings brushed in a soy-based glaze. In this cheesecake version, the foundation remained their signature velvety smooth and creamy cheesecake, but featured the addition of a layer of traditional mochi, and a thinner layer of mitarashi agar, and coated with a mitarashi glaze.
The original cheesecake had a luxurious texture with a mellow cream cheese profile and a rich, eggy flavor reminiscent of a thick creme caramel. The addition of soft and tender mochi provided a delightful chewiness, while the mitarashi agar layer melted on the palate, imparting a hint of umami without contributing much texture. Paired with the drizzled glaze on top, it offered a soft and mellow savoury quality that complemented the cheesecake, giving an overall flavour reminiscent of a softer, more subdued salted caramel. This fusion of mitarashi dango with cheesecake proved to be truly inspired.
White Peach Oolong Basque Cheesecake ($8.00)
This seasonal flavour, available in April, featured their signature cheesecake base infused with peach oolong tea, blended with ground oolong tea leaves and smooth peach purée, and with a base of diced peaches.
Peach cubes gave it a vibrant fruitiness and a firm bite at the bottom of the cheesecake, while the cheesecake itself was smooth and creamy, with a rich oolong flavour evident in the visible tea leaves, but also infused with the sweet clear sweetness of white peach, with minimal acidity. If the white peach oolong from Kirin was delicious, this is its impeccable equivalent in cheesecake form. So good, went back for a second slice.
Matcha Sakura Mochi Basque Cheesecake ($8.00)
This seasonal flavour, available in October, featured a layer of sakura mochi within a cheesecake made with ceremonial-grade matcha from Kyōto (as opposed to the regular matcha cheesecake, which uses Fukuoka’s Yame matcha).
The cheesecake offered a harmonious balance of sweet and savoury. The floral notes of sakura were distinct but subtle, lightly perfuming the surrounding matcha layer while remaining prominent in the mochi itself. The soft and stretchy mochi provided a pleasant textural contrast and complementary flavour to the smooth, creamy cheesecake. The matcha layer was gently sweet with a notable umami quality, free from bitterness or astringency. It perfectly mirrored the sakura’s sweet-savoury profile, blending its floral notes with the matcha’s grassy, vegetal undertones, creating a vibrant spring flavour combination.
Salted Grapefruit & Lychee Basque Cheesecake ($9.00)
This seasonal flavour for Christmas 2024 featured a blend of pink grapefruit juice, pulp, lychee purée, and sliced grapefruit as a topping.
The cheesecake delivered a complex flavour profile, starting with the tangy zest of grapefruit, highlighted by grapefruit pulp at the base and topping. The slight, manageable bitterness from the grapefruit was well-balanced by the savoury notes of the cheesecake. The creamy, smooth interior contrasted beautifully with the caramelised crust, and the addition of sweet lychee introduced a delightful floral tropical nuance. Together, each bite achieved a perfect harmony of sweetness, saltiness, bitterness, and sourness, creating a sophisticated and memorable dessert.
Earl Grey Sticky Date Pudding with Cream Cheese ($9.00)
This dessert featured a sticky date pudding infused with Earl Grey tea and a cream cheese centre. It was recommended to reheat in an 800W microwave for 30 seconds. However, the use of a tin container made reheating inconvenient, and a cardboard alternative would have been more practical.
On tasting, the top of the pudding was notably dry, with the ground Earl Grey tea lending a fragrant aroma but also a persistent gritty texture on the palate. Closer to the centre, the natural sweetness of the dates and the lighter crumb of the cake became more pronounced. The cream cheese core provided a much-needed source of creaminess and moisture, enhancing the overall texture. Despite this, the pudding fell short of expectations, especially considering the price.
Kyohō Sencha ($5.50, or $3.00 with a cheesecake purchase)
This tea had the fragrant, aromatic sweetness of musky kyohō grapes, with the sencha providing a brisk, grassy vegetal flavour. Initially, the combination was enjoyable and balanced, but if left to steep too long, the tea developed a bold astringency and bitterness. Since the tea bag is served in the cup rather than removed, it was easy to oversteep.
Strawberry Hōjicha ($5.50, or $3.00 with a cheesecake purchase)
The sweet, fresh flavour of strawberry paired well with the roasted depth of the hōjicha, reminiscent of a strawberry and wattleseed blend as in the Dairy Farmers Thick & Creamy Layered Yoghurt Queensland Strawberry & Australian Wattleseed. It was delicate, slightly sweet, and comforting. The hōjicha was less prone to oversteeping, as it didn’t become bitter, only deepening in its roasted flavour, while the strawberry notes remained distinct.
Strawberry Hōjicha Latte ($9.00)
While most places were pairing strawberry with matcha, 15cenchi stood out by offering it with hōjicha. The combination, though less visually striking, was more enjoyable. The roasted notes of the hōjicha came through at the beginning of each sip, with the strawberry’s fruity sweetness emerging more prominently towards the finish. We would have preferred a stronger hōjicha flavour to better balance the boldness of the strawberry. A strawberry coffee might also work exceptionally well.
White Peach Oolong (Iced) (+$2.00 with cheesecake purchase)
This iced tea of the day was served unsweetened over ice, and captured the delicate floral and fruity essence of white peach. The natural floral and lightly toasted character of the moderately oxidised oolong complemented the peach notes seamlessly, with no trace of astringency or bitterness. Refreshing and light, it was excellent value at the additional $2.00 when paired with a slice of cheesecake but less compelling at its standalone price of $6.50.
2025
This is a flavour round-up from 15cenchi for 2025.
Strawberry Hōjicha ($9.00)
Inspired by their own tea blend of the same name, this cheesecake featured hōjicha-infused cream cheese, folded through with strawberry compote. We were particularly pleased to see this flavour appear—having suggested it after being impressed by their peach oolong cheesecake the previous year (a flavour we returned to repeatedly).
The result was a mellow, creamy cheesecake with a pronounced hōjicha base—earthy, warm and gently smoky—softly lifted by the subtle tartness and natural sweetness of the strawberry. The compote added moisture and a delicate tang that softened the cheese’s edge and gave the overall texture an exceptionally smooth quality. The roasted character of the tea and the fruit’s brightness worked in tandem to create a balanced, nuanced profile. Ideal for cooler months and certainly one worth seeking out again.
Salted Egg Mochi Moon Cheesecake ($19.00)
Available only as a mini cake (7.5 cm diameter) from mid-September to early October for the Moon Festival, this release combined their original basque cheesecake with a golden salted egg custard. The result was decadent and indulgent. The firm crust gave way to an exceptionally smooth and creamy interior, where the savoury richness of salted egg deepened and rounded the tang of cream cheese. The layer of mochi introduced a soft, stretchy chew that contrasted the creaminess, adding another dimension to the texture. Rich, custard-like, creamy, and far more indulgent than the original basque, this was a seasonal highlight.
Passionfruit & Mango Basque Cheesecake with Matcha Ganache ($9.00)
This was the summer seasonal flavour, featuring fresh mango and passionfruit folded through the basque cheesecake base, finished with a Mont-Blanc–style swirl of matcha ganache made from Yame matcha and white chocolate.
The tropical fruit came through clearly and tasted fresh rather than processed, delivering bright, tangy pops that cut cleanly through the richness of the cheesecake. The mango contributed rounded sweetness and softness, while the passionfruit added acidity and aromatic lift, keeping the palate engaged rather than heavy. The matcha ganache anchored the fruit with a smooth, gently earthy sweetness, its white chocolate base rounding out any sharp edges. Together, the contrast between vibrant fruit and creamy, grounded matcha felt intentional and well judged, making this a refreshing yet still indulgent seasonal offering.
15cenchi is located at Shop T07, The Exchange, 1 Little Pier St, Haymarket NSW 2000 and Lower Ground Floor, The Galeries, 500 George St, Sydney NSW 2000.