Earl Grey Cheesecake Bites
Serves: 20
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 2 teaspoons finely ground* loose-leaf Earl Grey tea
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • ⅓ cup strained blackberry preserves
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line 20 wells of a 24-well miniature muffin pan with paper liners.
  2. In a small bowl, stir together cracker crumbs and melted butter until well blended. Spoon approximately 1 ½ teaspoons crumb mixture into each prepared well of muffin pan. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, firmly press crumbs into bottom of wells to form a crust.
  3. In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese, ground tea, sugar, and vanilla extract with a mixer at medium speed until smooth and well blended. With mixer at low speed, beat in egg just until blended. Divide cream cheese mixture evenly among wells of pan (approximately 1 tablespoon each).
  4. Place preserves in piping bag and cut a ¼-inch hole in tip of bag. Pipe a small dollop of preserves into each well. Drag the end of a skewer through preserves to swirl.
  5. Bake until centers of cheesecakes are set, 9 to 10 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Remove cheesecakes from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack. Place cheesecakes in a covered container, and refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Notes
*We used a spice grinder, but a mortar and pestle will work also.
Recipe by TeaTime Magazine at https://teatimemagazine.com/earl-grey-cheesecake-bites/