recipe · 24 July 2026

Earl Grey & Cherry Basque Cheesecake

A rich, creamy burnt cheesecake infused with Earl Grey tea and finished with tart cherries. The floral bergamot balances the sweetness, while the deeply caramelised top gives way to a soft, custardy centre.

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I wanted this cake to feel rich without being overly sweet. The Earl Grey is infused directly into the cream, giving the cheesecake a gentle floral flavour that works beautifully with the tart cherry jam and fresh berries on top. The outside is deeply caramelised, while the centre stays soft and custardy. Finished with lightly sweetened vanilla cream, it is a simple cake that still feels special enough for a dinner party or celebration.

prep
45 min
cook
25 min
serves
8
season
Summer & Winter

Ingredients

  • For Cake:
  • 750g Cream Cheese
  • 7 Eggs
  • 180g Sugar
  • 8 Bags Earl Grey Tea
  • 400g Whipping Cream
  • 7g Lemon Juice
  • Pinch of Salt
  • For Topping:
  • Seasonal Berries
  • 200g Whipping Cream
  • Vanilla Essence
  • 3tbs Sugar
  • 2 tsp Cornstarch

Method

  1. 1
    Preheat the oven to 200°C fan-forced. Line a 23 cm springform cake tin with baking paper, allowing the paper to extend above the sides.
  2. 2
    Place 270 g whipping cream and the Earl Grey tea bags in a small saucepan. Warm gently over low heat until steaming, without letting it boil. Remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 15 minutes. Remove the tea bags, gently squeezing out any remaining cream, then allow the mixture to cool.
  3. 3
    Place the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl. Beat on low speed until smooth and fully combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
  4. 4
    Add the eggs one at a time, mixing gently after each addition. Avoid beating too much air into the mixture.
  5. 5
    Pour in the Earl Grey-infused cream, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Mix until smooth and evenly combined.(Put the batter through the sieve to make sure it is smooth.)
  6. 6
    Pour the batter into the prepared tin and gently tap it against the bench to remove any large air bubbles.
  7. 7
    Bake for 20 minutes, after that turn the oven to 210°C top heat and bake it for another 5 minutes or until the top is deeply browned and the edges are set. The centre should still have a noticeable wobble when the tin is gently shaken.
  8. 8
    Leave the cheesecake to cool completely in the tin. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, before removing it from the tin.
  9. 9
    To make the topping, combine the whipping cream, sugar and a small splash of vanilla essence. Whip until soft peaks form.
  10. 10
    Over a low heat, add half of the berries to a saucepan with a little water and 2 tbs of sugar. Cook until the berries are soft and at a jam like consistency.
  11. 11
    Spoon the whipped cream over the chilled cheesecake, add some jam on top, and finish with seasonal berries just before serving.