Afternoon Tea and Cookies Cheese Cake

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup icing sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 cup chilled butter cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 large egg yolk
• 400 grams Philadelphia Cream Cheese at room temperature
• 1/3 cup icing sugar
• 3/4 cup whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons strongly brewed Lady Grey tea
• 1 tablespoon contents of one of the brewed teabags (the tea leaves)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 Lady Grey teabags
• 2 cups cold water
• 1 cup white sugar

Directions

1. Toast the almonds in a non stick pan over medium heat until they are golden and fragrant. Set aside.
2. Combine almonds, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup icing sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt; stir well.
3. Add butter and blend until coarse meal forms.
4. Add egg yolk and blend until moist clumps form. Knead dough into ball.
5. Roll the dough into an 8 inch tube. Divide into 12 equal pieces.
6. Spray a non-stick muffin pan with cooking spray and then press each dough piece into the muffin tin forming cups.Pierce bottom all over with fork. Cover pan with foil and freeze crust at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
7. Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake cookie crusts uncovered about 5 minutes until edges the begin to brown, press sides and bottom with back of fork and then cover pan with tinfoil, continue to bake for another 7-10 minutes checking often so as not to burn. Cool completely. When cooled ( after about 20 min) turn the muffin tin upside down and tap the bottom of each cup with a knife. They should all just pop right out.
8. For the cheesecake filling... Beat cream cheese, 1/3 cup icing sugar, the tea, vanilla and tea leaves
9. Whip the whipping cream until stiff peaks form and gently fold into the cream cheese mixture.
10. Spoon the cheese cake mixture into each individual tea cup. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.
11. To make the tea reduction... Bring the cold water, tea bags and sugar to a boil in a small sauce pot. Reduce to medium heat and allow the liquid to reduce down to a glaze. Remove the tea bags halfway, so that they don't make the sauce bitter and to prevent them from sticking to the bottom. When the reduction has become the consistency of maple syrup, remove from heat. Allow to cool.
12. Top each individual cheesecake with orange zest and a generous drizzle of the tea reduction
13. Serve in tea cups with a slice of orange and mint leaf to garnish.