Creamy Hojicha Cheesecake Swirl

# What You Need:

→ 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 - ½ cup heavy cream

→ Cheesecake Filling

07 - 16 ounces cream cheese, softened

08 - ¾ cup granulated sugar

09 - 2 large eggs

10 - ½ cup sour cream

11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

12 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

# How-To Steps:

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 and allow to cool.

03 - Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan until just steaming. Add hojicha tea, cover, and steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh and cool to room temperature.

04 - Beat softened cream cheese until smooth in a large bowl. Add sugar and mix until combined. Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Fold in sour cream, vanilla extract, and flour until just incorporated.

05 - Transfer approximately ⅓ cup of cheesecake batter to a separate bowl. Mix in the cooled hojicha cream until well combined.

06 - Pour plain cheesecake batter over the cooled crust. Drop spoonfuls of hojicha mixture on top and use a skewer or knife to swirl gently for a marbled effect.

07 - Place the pan on a baking tray. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the edges are set but the center is slightly jiggly.

08 - Turn off the oven, crack the door open, and allow the cheesecake to cool inside for 1 hour.

09 - Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours or overnight before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -

It tastes like you spent hours perfecting it, but the hojicha does most of the heavy lifting.
That earthy tea flavor is subtle enough not to overpower, but bold enough to make people ask what makes it different.
The marble effect looks stunning with minimal effort, which always feels like you've gotten away with something.

02 -

The center will look underdone when you pull it out, and that's exactly right; it firms up as it cools, and overbaking is the number one reason for dry, cracked cheesecake.
Hojicha powder can replace the loose leaf tea if you have it on hand, but use slightly less since the flavor is more concentrated, and whisk it directly into the cream rather than steeping.

03 -