Basque Burnt Cheesecake

The world famous Burnt Cheesecake of Basque is a cheesecake that breaks all the rules. It has no crust, it’s served at room temperature, it’s baked without a water bath, the surface is supposed to collapse and crack, and most notably, the cheesecake is baked until the exterior forms a dark brown “burnt” crust. The slightly bittersweet burnt crust and contrasting custard-like interior result in a mature, sophisticated flavor profile. Another distinguishing feature, it’s probably the easiest cheesecake you’ll ever make.

The batter is simply mixed together until smooth, either by hand or in a stand mixer, then poured into a parchment-lined 10-inch springform pan. No special technique required.

The cheesecake is baked, without a water bath, until the top puffs up, cracks, and turns a deep brown color.

Here’s a peek of the cracked and “burnt” top after baking.

As the cheesecake cools, it will collapse - this is what it’s supposed to do.

When the cheesecake is completely cool, remove the sides of the springform pan and peel away the parchment paper. It’s now ready to serve.

Use a thin, sharp knife to cut. This cheesecake cuts beautifully and leaves very little residue on the knife blade (unlike traditional cheesecake).

It’s recommended that this cheesecake is best served at room temperature (although we prefer it chilled), and I’ve read it pairs well with sweet sherry. We like to dollop a big spoonful of our favorite cheesecake topping (recipe below). Let me know if you give it a try.

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• 10-inch springform pan https://amzn.to/2OxNmIy

• parchment paper https://amzn.to/3bgTxL5

• heavy duty stand mixer https://amzn.to/2UoLxBE

• beaterblade attachment https://amzn.to/2GWSQZ8

• pure vanilla extract https://amzn.to/3ovS9fE

• vanilla bean paste https://amzn.to/2OCnb3H

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Basque Burnt Cheesecake

makes 16 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Cheesecake Filling:

• 32 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

• 1/3 cup all purpose flour

• 6 large eggs, room temperature

• 2 cups heavy cream

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

Optional Creamy Topping:

• 8 ounces sour cream

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or pure vanilla extract)

Directions

To Make the “Burnt” Cheesecake:

1. Preheat oven to 400F and place rack in center position.

2. Spray a 10-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray; line pan bottom and sides with parchment paper, allowing the paper to extend an inch or two above the top of the pan.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a BeaterBlade or paddle attachment, blend cream cheese to soften, then add the remaining ingredients until combine until the mixture is smooth and creamy, scraping down the bowl as needed. Alternatively, you can do this by hand.

4. Pour batter into springform and bake for 60 minutes; raising the oven temperature to 425F for the last 10 minutes. (if you’re worried about spills in your oven, place the springform on a half sheet pan)

5. Remove cheesecake from pan (it should jiggle like jello) and allow to cool completely before removing pan sides and parchment paper.

6. Serve slices at room temperature (although we prefer it chilled and served with a dollop of creamy topping).

To Make the Creamy Topping:

• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream, sugar, and vanilla bean paste until the sugar is completely dissolved.

recipe adapted from Bon Appetit

Blueberry Delight Slab Pie

Blueberries are my favorite berry, especially tiny wild Maine blueberries. Here the delectable little orbs are featured in a triple-layer slab pie that can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Alternatively, you can make the individual components separately and assemble everything a few hours before serving. Need to feed a crowd? The recipe can easily be doubled (see my notes below).

When brought to a gathering a few days ago, this was a hit. Several people told me they’d happily eat the entire batch. Requests for the recipe quickly followed. It’s a winner.

Start by making a simple crust from flour, melted butter, and finely chopped pecans. Bake and cool completely.

Next, spread the creamy vanilla filling on the crust.

Lastly, add the luscious homemade blueberry topping. That’s it - super simple.

To cut neatly, it’s best to press a sharp knife straight down, without dragging, then lift the knife straight up, wipe clean, and repeat. If you drag a knife through, the crumbly crust and creamy filling make a huge mess. Of course, it’ll still taste amazing, but it just won’t be very pretty.

Enjoy!

Items used to make this recipe:

(affiliate links)

• quarter sheet pan with cover https://amzn.to/2TVKWXS

• half sheet pan with cover (double recipe) https://amzn.to/3LtEEXE

• microplane zester https://amzn.to/38DludK

• lemon squeezer https://amzn.to/2TWLJb5

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Blueberry Delight Slab Pie

makes 24 servings (2x2-inch squares) *recipe may be doubled - see notes below

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 cup all purpose flour

• 8 tablespoons salted butter, melted

• 3/4 cups finely chopped pecans

Filling:

• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar

• 3/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 1/8 teaspoon fine salt

• 1 cup heavy cream

Topping:

• 3 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)

• 6 tablespoons granulated sugar (or more if needed)

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

• zest of 1 lemon

• 2-3 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

To Make the Crust:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and place rack in center position.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour and melted butter together until no traces of dry flour remain.

3. Press the flour mixture into the bottom of a quarter sheet pan (9x13x1); sprinkle the chopped pecans evenly on top and press them into the soft flour/butter layer.

4. Bake crust in preheated oven for 30 minutes; remove from oven and cool completely.

To Make the Filling:

1. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to whip the cream cheese, confectioners sugar, salt, and vanilla until very soft (several minutes); set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to whip the cream until stiff peaks form; add about 1/4 of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and mix well.

3. Using a rubber or silicone spatula, carefully fold the remaining whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until fully combined.

4. Spread mixture evenly over cooled crust; chill until ready to top.

To Make the Topping:

• In a large saucepan, combine the blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon zest over medium-high heat, stirring very frequently, until mixture reaches a full boil; stir constantly for 3 minutes before removing from heat.

• Stir in lemon juice and taste to see if the mixture is sweet enough (I used Wyman’s frozen wild blueberry - if the berries you’re using are more tart that the ones I used, you’ll need to add more sugar); allow mixture to cool completely.

• Spread blueberry filling evenly on top and chill. Serve cold.

Notes

• If you’re tempted to double the creamy filling (and you may very well be), use a 9x13-inch cake pan or casserole dish instead of a 1-inch tall quarter sheet pan.

• To double the recipe, use a 13x18x1 half sheet pan or a 2-inch deep half sheet pan if you make the creamy filling extra thick.

• Ideally, chill for several hours before serving.

• Can be assembled up to 3 days ahead.

• Cover before refrigerating to prevent flavor transfer.