Burnt Basque Cheesecake

Serves 10-12

Time 2 hours + cooling time

Ingredients

1kg cream cheese, room temperature

1½ cups sugar

6 large free-range eggs

500ml cooking cream

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

⅓ cup plain flour 

To serve

Dollop cream

Strawberries, sliced 

1 sprig mint

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C. 

Line a 25cm springform baking tin with 2 overlapping sheets of baking paper. The mixture will rise when baking so allow for 5cm of excess baking paper about the top of the pan on all sides. Don’t worry if the baking paper is creased, a slightly ruffled texture adds to the cheesecake. 

Beat the cream cheese and sugar until very smooth and the sugar has dissolved. 

Add eggs one at a time, beating each egg for 15 seconds before adding the next. Add cream, salt, and vanilla and beat until combined, about 30 seconds.

Sift flour evenly over cream cheese mixture. Gently mix until incorporated and smooth. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. 

Bake cheesecake for 1 hour 30-45 minutes or until deeply golden brown on top and still very jiggly in the centre. 

Allow to cool slightly in the tin, it will fall as it cools. Remove from the tin and allow to cool completely. 

Carefully peel away the parchment from the sides of the cheesecake. Using a knife that you have dipped into hot water and wiped dry to slice into neat pieces. 

Serve with a spoonful of dollop cream topped with strawberries and a sprig of mint.