16 ounce cream cheese room temperature (do not use whipped or "light" products)
4 large eggs
1 bunch mint leaves fresh
0.5 cup fromage blanc packed ()
1 pint golden raspberries fresh
1 pint raspberries fresh red
0.8 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground tea from 4 tea bags green finely
8 servings water boiling
Equipment
bowl
frying pan
oven
hand mixer
roasting pan
aluminum foil
springform pan
Directions
Preheat oven to 325°F. Press cookie crumbs firmly onto bottom (not sides) of 8-inch-diameter springform pan. Wrap outside of pan tightly with 3 layers of heavy-duty foil. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, fromage blanc, and sugar in large bowl until smooth.
Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until incorporated after each addition. Beat in green tea powder until smooth.
Pour batter over prepared crust in pan.
Place cakein roasting pan; add enough hot water to roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan.
Bake cake until set but center moves very slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour.
Remove cake from roasting pan; cool 1 hour at room temperature. Refrigerate uncovered overnight. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
Place 5 raspberries (mix of red and golden) and 3 mint leaves in each of 8 heatproof glasses. Fill glasses with boiling water; let steep 5 minutes.
Cut around pan sides to loosen cake; remove sides.
Place cake on platter.
Garnish cake with some raspberries.
Cut cake into wedges.
Serve each piece with a few raspberries and a glass of tisane.
*Fromage blanc is available at some supermarkets, cheese stores, and specialty foods stores.
**Green tea powder is available at Japanese markets.
The tisane doesn't really need sweetening, but serving it with rock candy swizzle sticks (available at candy stores and candyeveryday.com) adds a touch of whimsy.
