Rooibos Baked Cheesecake

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Rooibos Baked Cheesecake is a South African twist on the classic European-style baked cheesecake, infused with rooibos red bush tea for a gentle, sweet, vanilla-honeyed aroma. The tea is steeped into warm cream to extract its earthy, caramel notes before being folded into a silky cream cheese filling set on a buttery biscuit base.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 485 kcalCalories
• 34 gFat
• 20 gSaturated Fat
• 36 gCarbs
• 1 gFiber
• 27 gSugar
• 8 gProtein
• 290 mgSodium
• 180 mgPotassium
• 115 mgCalcium
• 1.5 mgIron
• 2 mgVitamin C
• 260 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the biscuit base

• 200 g digestive biscuits, finely crushed
• 100 g unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• Pinch of fine sea salt

Digestive biscuitsUnsalted butterCaster sugarFine sea salt

For the rooibos cream

• 4 rooibos tea bags (or 2 tbsp loose leaf rooibos)
• 250 ml whole milk
• 250 ml double cream
• 1 tbsp honey

Rooibos tea bagsWhole milkDouble creamHoney

For the cheesecake filling

• 680 g full-fat cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 180 g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Full-fat cream cheeseCaster sugarLarge eggsCornflour (cornstarch)Vanilla bean pasteLemon

For the water bath and finish

• Boiling water for the bain-marie
• Icing sugar, for dusting

Boiling waterIcing sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F). Grease a 23 cm (9 in) springform tin and line the base with baking paper.
2. Mix the crushed biscuits, melted butter, sugar, and salt in a bowl until evenly damp. Press firmly into the base of the tin, creating a level, compact layer about 5 mm thick. Chill while you prepare the filling.
3. Warm the milk and cream in a small saucepan over low heat until just steaming. Remove from the heat, add the rooibos tea bags, cover, and steep for 10 minutes. Squeeze the bags and discard them, then stir in the honey. Set aside to cool slightly.
4. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with the sugar and lemon zest using an electric mixer on medium speed for 3-4 minutes until pale, smooth, and fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed.
5. Add the cornflour and vanilla, beating until just combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time on low speed, mixing only until each disappears into the batter to avoid incorporating excess air.
6. Pour the warm rooibos cream in a thin stream into the cream cheese mixture, beating on low until completely smooth and uniform in colour. Tap the bowl on the counter a few times to release large air bubbles.
7. Pour the filling over the chilled biscuit base. Place the springform tin inside a larger roasting pan and pour boiling water into the outer pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the tin.
8. Bake on the middle rack for 55-65 minutes, until the edges are set but the centre still has a soft, gentle wobble (about 5 cm diameter). Turn the oven off, crack the door open slightly, and leave the cheesecake inside for 1 hour to cool gradually and prevent cracking.
9. Remove from the water bath, run a thin knife around the edge, and cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, before unmoulding.
10. Dust with icing sugar just before serving and slice with a warm, wiped knife for clean cuts.

Cook’s Notes

• Do not over-beat the batter once the eggs are in – too much air causes the cheesecake to rise dramatically and then crack as it cools.
• Use full-fat, block-style cream cheese (not the spreadable tub variety) for the creamiest, most stable set.
• A water bath is essential for gentle, even baking and helps prevent cracks; if steam leaks into the tin, wrap the outside of the springform in a double layer of foil first.
• For a stronger rooibos flavour, use 6 bags instead of 4, or stir 1 teaspoon of rooibos powder directly into the batter.
• Serve with fresh berries or a light berry compote to cut through the richness – berries also pair beautifully with rooibos' natural caramel notes.

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