Hojicha Cheesecake with Roasted Tea (Print)

Creamy roasted tea cheesecake with buttery crust and marbled hojicha swirl

# Components:

→ Crust

01 - 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
02 - 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
03 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
04 - Pinch of salt

→ Hojicha Mixture

05 - 2 tablespoons hojicha loose leaf tea or 2 hojicha tea bags
06 - 1/2 cup heavy cream

→ Cheesecake Filling

07 - 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
08 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 1/2 cup sour cream
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 325°F. Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt. Press firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool completely.
03 - In a small saucepan, heat heavy cream until just steaming. Add hojicha tea, cover, and steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh and cool to room temperature.
04 - In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and mix until combined. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add sour cream, vanilla extract, and flour; mix until just combined.
05 - Divide approximately 1/3 cup of cheesecake batter into a separate bowl. Mix in the cooled hojicha cream until well combined.
06 - Pour the plain cheesecake batter over the cooled crust. Drop spoonfuls of hojicha batter on top and use a skewer or knife to swirl gently, creating a marbled effect.
07 - Place the springform pan on a baking tray. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the edges are set but the center is slightly jiggly.
08 - Turn off the oven, crack the door open slightly, and let the cheesecake cool inside for 1 hour.
09 - Remove from oven, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The hojicha swirl tastes like a secret between you and the dessert, warm and deeply tea-forward without tasting medicinal.
  • It feels fancy enough to serve at dinner parties but comes together in an afternoon with straightforward techniques.
02 -
  • Room temperature cream cheese is absolutely essential—cold cream cheese resists mixing and leaves you with small pockets of plain cheese in your filling.
  • Don't skip the hojicha steeping step or try to rush it by using boiling cream, because the tea won't extract its full complexity and your swirl will taste flat.
03 -
  • If you can't find hojicha loose leaf tea, hojicha powder mixed with a tiny bit of water to create a paste works beautifully stirred into your cream mixture.
  • Don't be tempted to use a water bath for this recipe—the lower oven temperature makes it unnecessary and the cheesecake comes out silkier without one.
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