The best moments in life are a little bittersweet - including cake.
Don’t be alarmed, the burnt Basque Cheesecake is an intentionally burnt dessert that is surprisingly easy to make. It’s a low maintenance one bowl recipe. Perfect for those lazy days when we are too lazy to make a cookie crust!
My favourite part about this cake is the interesting contrast between bitter caramelised cheese and sweet vanilla flavour. Believe it or not, it tastes great both hot or cold, though it sets firmer in the fridge.
This is a small batch recipe that serves 2. Do triple the recipe if you are using a classic 9 inch cake pan.
Ingredients:
150g Cream Cheese (softened)
40g White Sugar
1 Egg
1tsp Vanilla Extract
1tbs Plain Flour
70g Heavy Cream
Method:
Beat cream cheese with sugar. Add your egg, vanilla extract and flour. Once well mixed, fold in your heavy cream.
Double line your baking tin with parchment paper with some paper hanging over the sides. Trim the edges to follow the shape of the tin. This will make for a rustic presentation of you Basque Cheesecake.
Bake at 235 degrees celcius for 30 minutes. No water bath needed! This cake is baked at a high temperature for a short period of time compared to classic New York Cheesecakes for a well burnt top and gooey interior.
Let cool and serve as a warm cheese custard or chill in the fridge and enjoy cold.
Some tips:
a) Combine all ingredients at room temperature.
b) A sneaky trick is to use a taller mould. The batter will have less surface area exposed and result in a creamier “half-baked” center as compared to a wider pan.
I love that the Burnt Basque Cheesecake looks great served in the parchment it’s baked in on a wooden chopping board. Rustic and casual, don’t worry about it not being perfect. That’s the charm of this home made dessert.
Love,
Mich