Recipe of the day: Basque burnt cheesecake

If you have a sweet tooth, and are yearning for a delicious sweet dessert, then this basque burnt cheesecake is for you.

This dessert could be called an anti-cheesecake as it is almost opposite to a traditional cheesecake.

Minus a biscuit base or a soft creamy centre, but with an added heavily caramelised top, it’s extremely delicious and will have you looking at cheesecake with renewed appetite.

Not a lot of ingredients go into making this spectacular creation, but if there is anything that you might not already have in your kitchen’s pantry, you will be sure to find it at your nearest grocery store.

Basque burnt cheesecake

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs, at room temperature
• 4 x 250g blocks full-fat cream cheese (room temperature)
• 225g castor sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 150g thick cream
• 300g pouring cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 60g plain flour

ALSO READ: Who makes the best burger in Jozi for R50?

Instructions

1. Before you start, it is imperative that the cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C and place oven rack in the centre of the oven.
3. Line a 25cm loose bottom springform cake pan with 2 sheets of baking paper, making sure the paper overlaps. Use the bottom of the cake tin to press the paper into the pan and then use your hands to crease the sides of the paper to hold its shape. Once the paper is moulded to the tin, you can remove the bottom and the paper and then reattach the bottom to the pan, placing the paper on top. Don’t worry about the creases and folds, it is part of the charm. Place the tin on a baking sheet.
4. Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend on medium speed until smooth.
5.  Set aside for 10 – 15 minutes to allow the bubbles to subside.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and place in the oven.
7. Bake for 1 hour 45 minutes, until golden brown and firm with a slight jiggle in the centre. The cheesecake will puff up like a soufflé during baking and collapse when removed from the oven, this is completely normal and creates the distinct cracked and rustic looking top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate overnight before serving.
8. Before serving, remove from the refrigerator and allow enough time to reach room temperature. Cut into thin slices with a sharp knife dipped in hot water.