San Sebastian Basque Burnt Cheesecake has a stunning caramelized top and custardy centre. An easy decadent recipe worth the time and the calories!
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time45 minutesmins
Total Time55 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Basque
Servings: 6generous slices
Author: Famidha Ashraf
INGREDIENTS
450gramscream cheese squares softened to room temperature*
⅔cupwhite sugar
3large eggsroom temperature
1cupwhipping creamchilled
1teaspoonvanilla extract
a pinch of salt
3tablespoonall-purpose flour
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep the cake pan
Grease the bottom and sides of a 7-inch or an 8-inch springform pan with softened butter.
Grease a large piece of baking paper with softened butter all over.
Press this paper buttered side up into the pan making sure the paper comes at least 2-inch above the pan on all sides.
Press another plain baking paper overlapping similarly to make sure every part inside the pan is covered with the baking paper neatly.
Place the pan on a baking tray so you can easily slide in and out from the oven.
Prepare batter
Preheat the oven to 200℃. Use a handheld electric mixer or standing mixer to make the batter.
Add the softened cream cheese into a large bowl and beat to cream at medium speed for about a minute or until it is smoothed.
450 grams cream cheese squares
Add the sugar and continue to whisk making sure to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Whisk until sugar is dissolved and you have a very smooth with no lumps mixture. This will take about 2 minutes.
⅔ cup white sugar
Next, add one egg at a time, beating each egg for less than 15 seconds or just until incorporated fully. Again, make sure to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3 large eggs
Lastly, pour the heavy or whipping cream, salt, and vanilla extract and beat until combined for about 30 seconds. Your mixer job is done.
1 cup whipping cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, a pinch of salt
Sift the flour over the batter and fold with a rubber spatula until the batter is very smooth and silky. Tiny lumps of flour are OK, it will eventually dissolve while baking.
3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake
Carefully slide the tray into the lower middle rack of the oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the top changes to burnt golden colour. The cheesecake would rise considerably tall. Keep an eye on the cake starting 35mins as each oven is different, yours may get done sooner or later.
Carefully remove the cheesecake from the oven, you will see it jiggle like jelly in the centre.
Let it cool completely to room temperature. While cooling, the cheesecake will sink and that is perfectly ok.
Serve
Unmold the cheesecake from the pan by removing the outer ring of the springform pan and lift the cake with the excess baking paper and place it on the serving plate.
Peel away the baking paper from the sides of the cheesecake and you may use a scissor to trim the excess for aesthetic purpose.
Slice into wedges and serve at room temperature. You should serve this at room temperature which is the best way we loved or you may pop it in the fridge overnight completely covered and eat it cold or bring it to room temperature again before you serve any remaining cheesecake.
Store
Store any leftover covered in the fridge for not more than 3 days. You may freeze the cheesecake wedges cling-wrapped in an airtight freezer container for not more than 2 weeks but I have not tried freezing yet. Or be kind and share some with your neighbour!
Notes
* I like to unwrap each square and keep them in a large bowl to soften to room temperature. If you don't unwrap while still cold, the cream cheese tends to stick to the wrapper making you lose some of it.