Basque Cheesecake
I love cheesecake, and this is a great cheesecake. If you have never made a cheesecake before this is the place to start. It is super simple and almost impossible to mess up. I mean, you have to burn it! This goes really well paired with a chilled glass of Pedro Ximenez Sherry. It makes about 10 slices.
Method
It is really important for your cream cheese to be at room temperature. So take it out of the fridge for a couple of hours.
Preheat your oven to 200ºC fan. Cut out 2 large squares of baking paper and scrunch them up. Unfold them and line your tin. You want a couple of inches over the rim of the tin to help you remove the cheesecake after it is baked. The baking parchment will be uneven and creased, this is what you want. It will help with the final appearance of the cheesecake.
Beat together the cream cheese and sugar until the sugar is dissolved and the cream cheese is completely smooth.
Add in the eggs one at a time. Beat the mix hard after each egg to ensure it is completely incorporated before adding the next egg.
Pour in your cream, salt and vanilla extract into the mix and beat again until completely combined, and the mixture is smooth and glossy.
Sift over the flour and add in the lemon zest and beat one final time until completely incorporated.
Pour the mixture into your prepared tin, and place into your oven for 60 - 65 minutes until the top is deeply golden brown and the top is has a wobble when you gentle shake the tin. The cheesecake will drop significantly almost straight away. Don’t worry, this is supposed to happen!
Allow the cheesecake to cool for 20 minutes in the tin before gently removing, keeping the baking paper wrapped around it until it is completely cool. Once cool, gently peel away your baking paper.
The cheesecake will keep in the fridge, covered, for a couple of days. But take it out a few hours before serving as it should be served at room temperature.
Ingredients
900g cream cheese at room temperature
350g caster sugar
6 eggs
475ml cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
45g flour
zest 1/2 lemon
You will also need a:
25cm diameter cake tin
baking paper
Top tips
For ease use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, wiping down the sides as you go. But electric beaters, or just a good bit of elbow grease works just as well.
