Basque Burnt Cheesecake

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •10-inch springform pan
• •Stand mixer with paddle attachment (or hand mixer)
• •Fine-mesh strainer
• •Parchment paper
• •Wire cooling rack

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare your pan

   Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 400°F. Line a 10-inch springform pan with two overlapping sheets of parchment paper, pressing them into the corners and up the sides. The paper should extend at least 2 inches above the rim. Don't worry about wrinkles or creases. Those imperfections become part of the rustic charm, creating beautiful rippled edges on the finished cake.

   Crumple the parchment into a ball first, then smooth it out. This makes it pliable enough to conform to the pan without fighting you.
2. 2

   Beat the cream cheese

   Place the room-temperature cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until completely smooth and free of lumps, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl thoroughly. Any lumps now will haunt you later.

   Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable here. Cold cream cheese will never blend smooth, and cold eggs can cause the batter to break and curdle.
3. 3

   Add sugar and salt

   Add the sugar and salt to the cream cheese. Beat on medium speed until fully incorporated and the mixture looks lighter in texture, about 2 minutes. The sugar should be completely dissolved. Rub a small amount between your fingers. If you feel grains, keep mixing.

4. 4

   Incorporate the eggs

   Add the eggs one at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until incorporated. After the last egg, scrape down the bowl and beat for 30 seconds more. The mixture will be loose and golden. Resist any urge to whip air into it. We want density, not fluff.

5. 5

   Add cream and vanilla

   With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the heavy cream in a steady stream. Add the vanilla. Mix just until combined. The batter should be pourable, like thick cream, completely homogeneous with no streaks.

6. 6

   Finish with flour

   Sift the flour directly over the batter. Mix on the lowest speed until no dry spots remain, about 15 seconds. Stop the moment the flour disappears. Overmixing now develops gluten and creates a gummy texture. The batter will be thin and silky, nothing like traditional cheesecake batter.

   Some recipes skip the flour entirely. It works. But the small amount here helps the center set just enough to slice cleanly while remaining impossibly creamy.
7. 7

   Strain and pour

   Pour the batter through a fine-mesh strainer into the prepared pan, pressing any stubborn bits through with a spatula. This step catches any remaining lumps of cream cheese and removes chalazae from the eggs. Your finished cake will be flawlessly smooth.

8. 8

   Bake until dramatically burnished

   Bake for 60 to 65 minutes. The top will puff dramatically, crack, and turn deep mahogany with blackened spots. The center will jiggle like a water balloon when you gently shake the pan. This is correct. The cake continues cooking as it cools. If you bake until the center is set, you've gone too far.

   Every oven runs differently. Start checking at 55 minutes. The top should be deeply caramelized, almost alarmingly dark. Trust the process.
9. 9

   Cool completely

   Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool completely at room temperature, at least 3 hours. The dramatic puff will collapse as it cools. This is expected. The surface will wrinkle and the center will sink slightly, creating that signature sunken appearance.

10. 10

    Chill and serve

    Refrigerate the cake, still in its pan, for at least 4 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, remove the springform ring and gently peel away the parchment. Transfer to your serving plate. Let it stand at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes before slicing. The texture at cool room temperature is transcendent: creamy, dense, and yielding.

Chef Tips

• •Full-fat cream cheese is essential. Reduced-fat versions contain stabilizers and gums that will ruin the texture. Buy the blocks, not the spreadable tubs.
• •If your oven runs hot or you're nervous about the dark color, start at 425°F for 15 minutes to set the top, then reduce to 375°F for the remaining time. The result is slightly less dramatic but still delicious.
• •For a subtle flavor variation worthy of the original, replace the vanilla extract with the seeds of one vanilla bean, or add a tablespoon of aged rum.
• •This cheesecake pairs beautifully with macerated berries, but it needs nothing at all. Serve it naked and let the burnished top speak for itself.
• •A hot, thin knife makes clean slices. Dip the blade in hot water, wipe it dry, and cut with a single confident stroke. Clean the blade between each cut.

Advance Preparation

• •This cake must be made at least 4 hours ahead and benefits from overnight refrigeration. The texture improves as it sets.
• •The finished cheesecake keeps refrigerated for up to 5 days, covered loosely with plastic wrap. The top softens slightly but remains delicious.
• •Bring to room temperature 30 to 60 minutes before serving for the best texture. Cold from the refrigerator, it's too firm. At room temperature, it's transcendent.
• •This cake does not freeze well. The high cream content causes textural changes upon thawing. Make it fresh.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 153g)