Basque Cheesecake

TIME2 hours MAKES8-10 servings PORTION
0.5x 1x 2x 3x

A blueprint for a basque cheesecake, originally based on the one from Bon Appetit, although that recipe seems to have been updated over the last few years with differing ingredient amounts.

Note that there is quite a bit of variation online with basque cheesecakes — whether flour is added (or not), when to add flavourings (with the butter and sugar or with the cream), however the version below has always worked out well for me.

INGREDIENTS

  • Unsalted butter (for pan)
  • 900g cream cheese, room temperature
  • 300g sugar
  • 6 large eggs
  • 480ml heavy cream
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

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Dry ingredients

  • 40g all-purpose flour (optional)

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Special Equipment

  • A 10 inch or 25cm-diameter springform pan

STEPS

  1. Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 200ºC. Butter pan, then line with 2 overlapping sheets of parchment, making sure parchment comes at least 5cm above top of pan on all sides.

  2. Beat cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-low speed, scraping down sides of bowl, until very smooth, no lumps remain, and sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes.

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  1. Increase speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, beating each egg 15 seconds before adding the next. Scrape down sides of bowl, then reduce mixer speed to medium-low. Add {{cream}}, salt, and vanilla and beat until combined, about 30 seconds.

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  1. Turn off mixer and sift the {{dry_ingredients}} evenly over cream cheese mixture. Beat on low speed until incorporated, about 15 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl (yet again) and continue to beat until batter is very smooth, homogenous, and silky, about 10 seconds.

  2. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cheesecake until deeply golden brown on top and still very jiggly in the center, 60–65 minutes.

  3. Let cool slightly (it will fall drastically as it cools), then unmold. Let cool completely. Carefully peel away parchment from sides of cheesecake.

basque cheesecake