u/Common_Nuisance_Tea — reddlx

My daughters and I worked on a Matcha cheesecake this weekend. They both love matcha, and after a few months of making matcha lattes at home, my oldest suggested we try a cake. I wanted to develop something that would highlight the tea’s natural profile while giving it a sweet, complex foundation. This is what I came up with:

Yield: One 9-inch cheesecake | Theme: High-Contrast Japanese Sophistication

Phase 1: The "Basalt" Crust

150g Plain Shortbread or Marie biscuits (crushed to fine sand)

60g Black Sesame seeds (toasted and pulsed until fragrant)

10g Black Cocoa powder (for that "midnight" color)

2g Sea salt

60g Unsalted butter, melted

Procedure:

Toast & Pulse: Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan until they pop. Pulse in a blender with the biscuits and black cocoa until it looks like dark volcanic sand.

Form: Mix in melted butter and salt. Press firmly into a 9-inch springform pan.

Par-bake: Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 10 minutes. Let it cool completely.

Phase 2: The Matcha "Latte" Slurry

60g Heavy cream (separated from the main 240g)

25g High-quality Matcha powder (Sifted)

Procedure:

The Warm Up: Heat the 60g of cream to 60°C (140°F). It should be warm, not simmering.

The Whisk: Sift the matcha into a small bowl. Slowly pour the warm cream over it, whisking constantly until it forms a thick, neon-green "paint." Set aside to cool to room temp.

Phase 3: The Batter

900g Full-fat cream cheese (4 blocks), room temperature

250g Mascarpone cheese, room temperature

200g Granulated sugar

180g Heavy cream (the remainder)

10g Vanilla bean paste

3 Large eggs + 1 yolk, room temperature

Procedure:

Creaming: Beat cream cheese, mascarpone, and sugar on low speed until perfectly smooth. No air bubbles allowed.

Integration: Mix in the vanilla and the remaining heavy cream.

The Green Shift: Pour in your Matcha Slurry. Mix on low until the batter is a uniform, deep forest green.

Eggs: Add eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined.

The Bake: Pour over the crust. Bake in a water bath at 160°C (325°F) for 75–85 minutes.

The Cool: 1 hour in the oven with the door cracked, 1 hour on the counter, then chill for at least 8 hours.

Phase 4: The Glass-Smooth "Foam" Ganache

150g High-quality White Chocolate (chopped fine)

75g Heavy cream

Pinch of Salt

Procedure:

Melt: Heat cream until it just starts to bubble at the edges. Pour over the white chocolate.

The Smooth Stir: Let sit for 2 minutes. Use a silicone spatula to stir in slow, small circles from the center outward. Do not lift the spatula; we want zero air bubbles.

The Pour: Once the cheesecake is chilled and firm, pour the ganache over the top. Tilt the pan to let it run to the edges for a perfectly flat mirror finish.

Final Set: Return to the fridge for 30 minutes to set the "foam.”

After a day and a half of tweaking, the result was a very sophisticated cheesecake. Interestingly, despite being the matcha fans in the house, both of my daughters didn’t really care for it. However, as someone who usually doesn't reach for matcha, I found that it worked incredibly well. It’s a very 'grown-up' flavor—if you aren't ready to appreciate the earthy, grassy notes of the tea for what they are, the profile might be a surprise. But for those who enjoy that complexity, it’s a winner.

A few weeks ago I made a review of a Dancong that I posted on r/gongfutea and it did okay. After trying a few more, I figured I'd dedicate a profile to an online notes column for the tea I have available to me. Most of what I have and will be reviewing is a budget-friendly variety of Pu-erhs, Oolongs, Greens, and Whites I get from a local shop, Amazon, or other tea websites.

My goal is to make this as informative as possible and allow beginners to have some insight into how to (or atleast how I) brew Gongfu tea. Six years ago, I picked up a travel set and slowly learned the basics on my own. My biggest fear was spending any amount of money on tea that I didn't like. Today I have a substantial collection and I wanted to kick off these reviews with this tea orange that helped get me started.

The Tea Orange is a masterclass in biological synergy. This version utilizes sun-dried Xinhui tangerine shells as an aging chamber for Shu Pu-erh and Shihu orchid stems. Unlike flavored teas that rely on sprays or oils, the profile here is the result of slow-motion infusion; the citrus oils and orchid sugars penetrate the tea over months/years of storage. The result is a liquor that mimics the Rock Rhyme “Yan Yun” of a cliff oolong, but with the heavy, syrupy armor of a medicinal tonic.

Specs:

Tea Orange: 9 grams

Water Temp: 212°F (Filtered Tap)

Vessel: 100ml Gaiwan

Rinse: 5 seconds

Price: $34.99/40 count (Amazon)

First impression

nose In the tea scoop, there is a subtle spiced earthiness under the tropical bouquet of sweet citrus. The orange itself is quite green with a very thin skin. I cracked the shell between my palms to reveal a loose Pu-erh with distinct orchid stems. I preheated my gaiwan and got set to start the session.

I gave the tea a rattle in the hot gaiwan and peeked the lid for a smell. The spiced earthiness has deepened to the foreground and the depth of the citrus increased, leveling out to a quite balanced but relatively simple profile. Nothing stands out more than anything else.

After the rinse, I held off for a moment to let the leaves stew a bit in the more humid air of the closed gaiwan. The profile has shifted to a savory citrus with something like a pleasant fish stock. Yes, the slightest bit aquatic, but under an umami depth that makes it feel complementary. I poured the wash over Sausage(my tea pet) and began the first steep. Oaktree decided to join me for the session. He's got heterochromia giving him a single brilliant blue eye. He's quite the majestic mutt, very lovable.

First Steep: 212°F, 20 seconds

The color on this first steep is already a deep mahogany. The air in the room is distinctly orangey. The Pu-erh is quite young, less than 5 years(container states 2018 🤷‍♂️). There’s a strong black tea overarching flavor with an oily citrus just under the surface. The orange is doing a good job of masking the sub-par tea inside. Very little, if any, of the orchid shines through, though there is a subtle sweetness.

Second Steep: 212°F, 20 seconds

The color is roughly the same as the first steep, maybe ever so slightly darker. This tea is thin no creaminess or complex oily depth. A majority of the orange flavor has subsided, leaving nearly just the taste of a not-great/not-bad young Shu Pu-erh. The complexity is low and the spice notes in the scent do not shine through on the liquor. It has a mostly pleasant bittersweetness and is mossy in the nose on the sip.

Steep 3: 212°F, 30 seconds

This steep is lighter than the first, into the territory of a standard black tea color. The orange is back slightly but it's mostly rind. The Pu-erh taste has lightened back into a black tea. At this point, it tastes medicinal. Most of the more pleasant qualities have passed and it's settled into an awkward mash of nearly undesirable flavors, but a mineral breath has kicked in that isn't overwhelming. Just a calm tingle on the back of the throat.

Steep 4: 212°F, 40 seconds

The liquor has lightened significantly. The mossy smell has subsided into a young Pu-erh funk; the most dominant flavor is orange rind. There’s a citrus glow on the sides and tip of my tongue with a slightly oily orange flavor on movement over a dry tongue. The main profile is a very immature Pu-erh black tea taste, but a sweetness has enveloped the liquor that keeps it grounded.

Steep 5: 212°F, 60 seconds

It's likely this steep is unnecessary. It was nearly broken on that 4th steep but I want to see if there is any redemption in the mellow flavors of the late stages. I don't think I'm going to get much out of the orange outside the prominent rind flavor. The color is very light, nearly orange, but still brown…

I'm shocked that the last steep has a bit of a redemption. The rind of the orange has subsided and left a pleasant citrus. The young Pu-erh funk has fully broken into a mild black tea. I'd have to say that the final steep has been the best overall.

The Leaf:

There seems to be a mix of whole small leaves and small orchid stems. The spent leaf still has a little fight in it. The orange itself smells of floor cleaner with a rubbery texture and a firm hold when ripped.

Verdict: 1.5/5

Honestly, these tea oranges are subpar. I got them about 5 years ago the first time and it took me a while to get through that first batch. I found them again on sale for $19.99, so I picked up another container. They’re quick and easy to crack open and pop in the gaiwan for a low-stakes 79-cent session. They also make a semi-decent cold tea. They are pretty good for practicing the art and that’s about it. They aren't necessarily bad, meaning they are easily palatable and great for a beginner to get used to the funk of a Pu-erh. It's a low-cost bridge into appreciating an unfamiliar tea. I've never had a tea orange that wasn't at the very least palatable, so you don't actually need to pick up this exact brand; just about any cheap tea orange you find will taste, at least, OK.