Baking

Tea and toast cheesecake

Name: Earl grey and marmalade cheesecake recipe
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 120g crustless, stale sourdough bread, chopped; 2 Earl Grey tea bags (or 1 tbs loose-leaf Earl Grey tea); 100ml pure cream; 120g digestive biscuits; 60g corn flakes; 20.00 ml brown sugar; 150g unsalted butter, melted and cooled; 900g cream cheese, at room temperature; 100g sour cream, at room temperature; 200g caster sugar; Finely grated zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange; 4 large eggs, at room temperature; 50g plain flour; 200g chunky orange marmalade; Edible blue cornflowers, to serve (optional)

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by Aoife Noonan

CHEF

Oct 24, 2024

What's better than your morning cuppa? Well, this cheesecake, which champions your favourite breakfast flavours in a moreish dessert. Delicate and fragrant notes of Earl Grey infuse the body of this cake while a tart and tangy marmalade top offers a sweet sharpness for the perfect balance. Elegant, delicious, and oh-so-luxurious, this cheesecake recipe is one to return to.

Recipe note: Begin this recipe at least 8 hours ahead. You’ll need a 22cm springform pan and a 24cm round cake pan.

120g crustless, stale sourdough bread, chopped
2 Earl Grey tea bags (or 1 tbs loose-leaf Earl Grey tea)
100ml pure cream
120g digestive biscuits
1 1/2 cups (60g) corn flakes
1 tbs brown sugar
150g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
900g cream cheese, at room temperature
100g sour cream, at room temperature
200g caster sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup (50g) plain flour
200g chunky orange marmalade
Edible blue cornflowers, to serve (optional)

Method

1.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 22cm springform pan and line base with baking paper.
2.

Place the bread in a food processor and whiz to very small crumbs. Transfer to a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes, tossing halfway through. Set aside to cool.
3.

For the filling, open tea bags and drop leaves into a small saucepan. Add cream and bring to a simmer. Set aside to cool.
4.

For the base, add the biscuits, corn flakes and brown sugar to the food processor and whiz until fine crumbs. Add cooled breadcrumbs and whiz to combine. Add the melted butter and whiz to combine. Spoon into prepared pan and press into base, packing down to ensure a smooth, even layer. Bake for 10 minutes, then set aside until cool. Reduce oven to 160°C/140°C fan-forced.
5.

For the filling, place the cream cheese in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk until smooth. Add the sour cream, caster sugar and zest and whisk well to combine. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition. Strain over the tea mixture through a fine sieve and discard leaves. Stir to combine. Sift over the flour and fold through, making sure there are no flecks of flour visible. Pour mixture into prepared pan and smooth top. Place pan in a 24cm round cake pan.
6.

Place larger pan in a deep baking tray and place in oven. Pour enough boiling water into baking tray to come halfway up the side of cake pan. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until cheesecake is set but still has a slight wobble in the centre (it will continue to bake as it cools).
7.

Carefully remove baking tray from oven and leave cheesecake in the water bath for 30 minutes. Transfer springform pan to the fridge and chill for at least 4-6 hours, or overnight, before removing cake from pan to serve.
8.

Place the marmalade with 1 tsp water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Gently boil for 3 minutes to thicken slightly. Set aside for 5 minutes. Spoon over cheesecake and chill for at least 30 minutes.
9.

Transfer cheesecake to a serving plate. Serve decorated with blue cornflowers, if using.