Although it’s made with basic ingredients, the method is what produces something special. This light, fluffy cake, paired with fragrant coconut jasmine-tea cream and a burst of fresh cherries, is a cloud of springtime perfection.
Serves 6–8
For the cream:
5 jasmine tea bags
1 cup cream
1 t vanilla essence
2T sugar
¼ cup coconut cream
For the cake:
250g cream cheese
¼ cup butter
½ cup milk
6 eggs, separated
2 x ⅓ cup sugar
½ cup flour, sifted
¼ t salt
2½T cornflour, sifted
¼ t cream of tartar
1 cup cherries, for serving
Method
1. Place tea bags in cream and leave to infuse in the fridge for 1–2 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 200˚C. Grease a 20cm round cake tin and line with baking paper.
3. Fill a saucepan halfway with water and bring to a simmer over low heat. Place a glass bowl on top and add the cream cheese. Whisk until smooth. 4 Whisk in butter and milk, then egg yolks one at a time, and ⅓ cup sugar.
5. Remove the bowl from the heat and fold in flour, salt and cornflour.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy, then whisk in remaining ⅓ cup sugar a little at a time. Whisk until it’s at soft-peak stage and looks glossy.
7. Gently fold egg-white mix into cream-cheese mix, a third at a time, until combined. Pour this mixture into the prepared cake tin.
8. Line a roasting tray with a dishcloth and place the cheesecake on top. Carefully fill the tray halfway up with water. Bake the cake for 18 minutes.
9. Reduce oven to 140˚C and bake for 30 minutes.
10. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake inside for 30 minutes – do not open the oven.
11. Remove cake from the roasting tray, return it to the oven and cool for 30 minutes more, with the door slightly ajar.
12. Remove tea bags from the cream. Beat in vanilla and sugar using an electric mixer, and fold in coconut cream.
13. Remove the cheesecake from the tin, spread the infused cream over the top and garnish with cherries.
