If you've been craving a dessert that's both elegant and comforting, you’re in for a treat. This London Fog Basque Cheesecake with Blackberry Sauce Recipe combines the toasty, fragrant notes of Earl Grey tea with the rich, creamy indulgence of a Basque-style cheesecake, all topped with a bright, fresh blackberry sauce. It’s perfect for special occasions or a cozy weekend treat when you want something a bit different but totally approachable.
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This London Fog Basque Cheesecake with Blackberry Sauce Recipe
I love how this cheesecake balances the smoky, caramelized exterior with a silky, tender center that’s infused with the soothing flavor of Earl Grey tea. The blackberry sauce adds a lively tartness, perfectly cutting through the richness for a harmonious bite every time.
- Texture you want: A beautifully caramelized, slightly burnt top with a creamy, custardy interior.
- Flavor that pops: The subtle bergamot from the tea blends seamlessly with the fresh blackberry brightness.
- Everyday ingredients: Mostly pantry staples with a unique twist from Earl Grey and fresh berries.
- Works for any night: Elegant enough for dinner parties but simple enough for weekend baking.
Ingredient Spotlight
The core of your success in this London Fog Basque Cheesecake with Blackberry Sauce Recipe hinges on a few star ingredients, especially your tea and cream cheese. Using quality Earl Grey will make that bergamot flavor truly sing, and full-fat cream cheese makes all the difference in texture.
- Earl Grey tea bags: Opt for a robust blend with rich bergamot notes to truly flavor the cream.
- Cream cheese: Use full-fat and softened for the creamiest, smoothest batter and no lumps.
- Fresh blackberries: When in season, fresh blackberries elevate the sauce beautifully, but frozen works well too.
Seasonality & Sourcing
For the freshest blackberry sauce, pick up blackberries when they’re in peak season—typically mid to late summer. I like to grab them at farmers’ markets where they’re bursting with flavor and super juicy. If it’s off-season, frozen blackberries are a handy stand-in and still deliver lovely taste and texture. Earl Grey tea bags are widely available year-round, but if you’re after nuance, look for specialty brands with higher-quality bergamot oil. As for cream cheese, the fresher the better—avoid overly soft or grainy options to keep your cheesecake velvety.
Step-by-Step: How to Make It
Step 1 — Prep & Preheat
Start by gently warming the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat. When it's hot—steaming but not boiling—add your Earl Grey tea bags and press them down to soak fully. This step requires a bit of patience: cover and steep for at least 30 minutes so that deep London Fog flavor infuses the cream. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Lining your springform pan with parchment can feel fiddly, but scrunching and smoothing the paper helps it cling neatly, protecting the crust and creating that signature Basque look. A key mistake to avoid here is rushing the steeping; too little time means your cheesecake won't have that elegant hint of tea aroma.
Step 2 — Cook & Build Flavor
Once your tea cream is ready, remove the bags and squeeze them well to capture every flavorful drop, then strain the cream to ensure no bits remain. In a stand mixer, beat the softened cream cheese with sugar until silky smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing gently—overbeating can make the cheesecake dense. Then, pour in the luscious, Earl Grey-infused cream along with vanilla paste, and finish with the sifted flour. Bake your batter in the oven for about 50 to 60 minutes until the top transforms into a deeply browned, almost burnt, crust that crackles slightly. The center should remain jiggly but not loose—this wobble tells you the inside is creamy perfection. If it looks undercooked, pop it back in for a few minutes; if bubbling too fast or burning, tent lightly with foil.
Step 3 — Finish & Rest
This is where patience truly pays off. Let your London Fog Basque Cheesecake cool completely in the pan before transferring it to the fridge for at least four hours, ideally overnight. This resting period allows the flavors to marry beautifully and the texture to set just right—not too firm, not too soft. Remember, this cheesecake isn’t dense; it holds a luscious creaminess you've got to experience. Resist the urge to cut into it too early, no matter how tempting—it’ll be well worth the wait when that silky, fragrant bite melts in your mouth.
Troubleshooting London Fog Basque Cheesecake with Blackberry Sauce Recipe
If your cheesecake ends up too dry, it could mean it baked too long or at too high heat—next time, check it 10 minutes earlier and adjust your oven slightly lower. A bland-tasting cake usually means either the tea infusion was too weak or the vanilla understated; try steeping the tea cream a bit longer or using vanilla bean paste rather than extract for a richer aroma. In case the crust becomes soggy, always line your pan with parchment securely and avoid adding too much liquid. Also, don’t rush the cooling process—letting it rest ensures that perfect texture you’re after.
Pro Tips
From my kitchen to yours, here are some secrets I’ve learned making the London Fog Basque Cheesecake with Blackberry Sauce Recipe again and again. Don’t skimp on the steep time for the cream; that tea flavor is what makes this cheesecake truly distinctive. Also, using room temperature eggs helps the batter blend evenly and prevents curdling. I always recommend baking on the middle rack to ensure steady, even heat. And to avoid cracking, resist opening the oven during baking.
- Heat control: Maintain a steady 425°F; too hot, and the crust burns before the inside firms.
- Timing window: Check the cheesecake starting at 50 minutes; jiggly center is perfect.
- Make-ahead move: Chill overnight for best texture and flavor development.
- Avoid this pitfall: Don’t overmix once the eggs go in—too much air can deflate the batter.
Variations & Substitutions
If you want to shake things up, try swapping Earl Grey with jasmine or chamomile tea for a more floral note. For a dairy-free version, you can use coconut cream and vegan cream cheese, though the texture will be less traditional. To make your blackberry sauce alcohol-free, simply omit the crème de cassis and add a touch more lemon juice for brightness. Feel free to use other berries like raspberries or blueberries if blackberries aren’t around—they all play well with this style of cheesecake.
Great Debates
There’s always chatter about whether to use vanilla extract or the more aromatic vanilla bean paste. I personally lean toward vanilla bean paste because the flecks add visual charm and the flavor is deeper. Another hot topic is whether to cover the cheesecake while baking — with Basque cheesecakes, that signature burnt top relies on exposure, so keep it uncovered but watch closely to avoid burning too much. Butter vs oil in the crust? This recipe skips a crust altogether, embracing the rustic Basque style where the parchment lining makes all the difference.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Freezing
You can make your London Fog Basque Cheesecake with Blackberry Sauce Recipe a day or two in advance. It keeps beautifully covered in the fridge for up to 4 days—just make sure it’s wrapped tightly or stored in an airtight container to protect its delicate flavors. The blackberry sauce can be stored separately in the fridge for up to 5 days. This cheesecake freezes well too: slice it before freezing on a parchment-lined tray, then wrap portions tightly in plastic wrap and foil. Thaw overnight in the fridge for best results, avoiding sogginess.
Yield & Conversions
This recipe yields one 9-inch Basque cheesecake, comfortably serving 8 to 10 people. To scale up, simply double ingredients and use a 10 or 11-inch pan, increasing baking time slightly. For smaller batches, halve everything and bake in a 6-inch pan, keeping a close eye on cooking time (45-50 minutes). Metric lovers will appreciate that 1 ½ cups of cream equals about 360 ml, and 4 eggs are typically around 200 grams without shells.
Serving Ideas & Pairings
Serve your London Fog Basque Cheesecake with Blackberry Sauce Recipe exactly as is for a crowd-pleaser, or garnish with fresh blackberries and a sprig of mint for a pop of color. A dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle of honey on the sauce adds a subtle extra touch. I enjoy pairing this cheesecake with a cup of the same Earl Grey tea for a soothing, full-circle experience or a glass of sparkling rosé to balance the richness with a bit of fizz.
FAQs
Absolutely! Use about 2 tablespoons of loose leaf Earl Grey steeped in the cream, then strain well to remove all leaves before mixing. The flavor will be just as vibrant.
Cracking usually happens if the oven temperature is too high or the cake cools too quickly. This Basque style actually embraces a rustic, cracked top—so don’t stress! Just avoid opening the oven early to keep cracking to a minimum.
Simply reduce the sugar amount by half or adjust to taste. Adding a little lemon juice also enhances tartness, balancing the natural sweetness of the berries.
Yes! Since the flour amount is very small, swap regular flour for a gluten-free all-purpose blend for an easy substitution without changing texture significantly.
Notes, Tools & Special Equipment
For this London Fog Basque Cheesecake with Blackberry Sauce Recipe, a 9-inch springform pan lined neatly with parchment is essential to create that rustic crust and easy release. A paddle attachment for your stand mixer helps achieve the smoothest batter without overworking it. Use a fine mesh strainer when removing tea leaves to keep your custard silky. While not mandatory, a kitchen thermometer can help you ensure your oven is holding a steady 425°F for perfect baking. Lastly, vanilla bean paste shines in this recipe for its deep flavor and speckled look, but good-quality vanilla extract will do in a pinch.
PrintPrintable Recipe 📖
London Fog Basque Cheesecake with Blackberry Sauce Recipe
This London Fog Basque Cheesecake with Blackberry is a decadent dessert featuring a unique Earl Grey tea-infused creamy cheesecake with a caramelized top and a luscious homemade blackberry sauce. The cheesecake combines the subtle floral notes of London Fog with the rich, burnt crust of Basque cheesecake, perfectly complemented by fresh blackberry sauce for a sophisticated treat.
- Prep Time: 50 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 5 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Fusion
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
London Fog Basque Cheesecake
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, plus more as needed
- 8 Earl Grey tea bags
- 4 x 250 g cream cheese, softened
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon flour
Blackberry Sauce
- 3 cups blackberries, thawed if frozen
- 6 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon crème de cassis, optional
- Fresh blackberries, for garnish
Instructions
- Steep the Tea Cream: In a saucepan, warm the heavy cream over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Add the Earl Grey tea bags and press down to submerge. Remove from heat and cover, allowing the tea to steep for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare Tea-Infused Cream: Remove and squeeze the tea bags to extract as much liquid as possible. Strain the cream into a measuring cup, adding more heavy cream if needed to have at least 1 ½ cups of cream.
- Mix Cream Cheese and Sugar: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the softened cream cheese and sugar. Beat on low speed until smooth, scraping sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add Eggs and Flavorings: Add eggs one at a time, beating on low speed just until combined after each addition. Mix in vanilla bean paste and the tea-infused cream until just combined.
- Add Flour: Sift the flour over the mixture and mix on low speed until fully incorporated without overmixing.
- Prepare the Pan: Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with two large squares of parchment paper, overlapping and pressing them evenly to cover the inside and extend about 2 inches above the rim. Lightly spray with non-stick spray.
- Bake the Cheesecake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes until the top is deeply browned and caramelized but the center remains jiggly and not runny.
- Cool the Cheesecake: Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 4 hours before serving to let flavors develop and texture set.
- Prepare Blackberry Sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine blackberries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and stir in optional crème de cassis.
- Serve: Plate cheesecake slices with a spoonful of blackberry sauce and garnish with fresh blackberries.
Notes
- Room temperature eggs help achieve a smooth batter and prevent cracking.
- Make sure not to boil the cream when steeping tea to preserve delicate flavors.
- Use full-fat cream cheese and heavy cream for the best creamy texture.
- The crinkled parchment lining helps achieve the signature rustic burnt edges typical of Basque cheesecake.
- Allowing the cheesecake to cool thoroughly is essential before slicing to ensure clean cuts.
- Crème de cassis is optional but adds a lovely depth and subtle sweetness to the blackberry sauce.
- Too much flour can alter the cheesecake texture; measure carefully and sift before adding.
Leave a Reply