Description
Basque Cheesecake is a rich, creamy, and rustic dessert with a burnt golden top and a perfectly jiggly center. This recipe delivers a silky smooth texture achieved by slow mixing and baking at a high temperature, then chilling to set. It’s perfect for parties and can be enjoyed plain or with fruit compote.
Ingredients
Scale
Cheesecake Batter
- 32 ounces cream cheese, room temperature and full-fat only
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 1½ cups heavy cream, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, sifted
Instructions
- Prepare the Pan: Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a 9 or 10-inch springform pan with a criss-crossed double layer of parchment paper. Wet, scrunch, and dry the parchment paper to make it easier to work with, ensuring it sticks about 2 inches above the pan’s top. Set aside.
- Whip Cream Cheese: In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cream cheese for 2 minutes to get it smooth.
- Add Sugar: Add the granulated sugar on medium speed and whip until smooth, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed to remove lumps.
- Incorporate Eggs: Add eggs one at a time on low speed, mixing so only a little yellow remains before adding the next to avoid overwhipping.
- Add Cream and Flavorings: With mixer on low, add heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Add Flour: Sift the flour into the bowl and mix for about 20 seconds until just combined.
- Pour Batter into Pan: Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared springform pan.
- Bake: Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet on the middle oven rack and bake for 65 minutes until the top is golden brown and the center is still jiggly.
- Cool: Remove from oven and transfer the cheesecake in the pan to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
- Chill: Refrigerate the cheesecake, in the pan, for at least 8 hours or overnight to set the center properly.
- Slice and Serve: Remove from refrigerator 1 to 2 hours before serving for best texture. Use parchment edges to lift cheesecake from pan base and slice with a hot knife for clean pieces. Serve plain or with fruit compote.
Notes
- Using farm fresh double cream instead of regular heavy cream enhances richness.
- Do not remove cheesecake from the pan until completely cool to avoid breaking.
- Serve the cheesecake at room temperature, but store refrigerated up to one week.
- Pay close attention to mixing speeds to avoid overmixing and air bubbles.
- You can freeze the cheesecake for up to 3 months; cool completely then wrap tightly before freezing.
- The recipe is forgiving and aims for a rustic, imperfect look which is part of its charm.
- Adjust sugar between 1¼ and 2 cups to control sweetness level.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 460 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 37 g
- Saturated Fat: 22 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 145 mg
