Orange Basque Burnt Cheesecake
Cheesecake is one of those finicky and time-consuming desserts to make. It is a capricious recipe that doesn’t allow any room for mistakes. From the crust to the baking method, the whole ordeal feels like you are tip-toeing around the formula, afraid to make the wrong move that will ruin the result. Well, fear no more! In the 1990s, a Spanish chef gifted the world with the Basque Burnt Cheesecake. It has two rules: make sure all ingredients are at room temperature and be well combined.
I tried this dessert for the first time while visiting a friend in Idaho. Oddly enough, Boise has the largest population of Basque people outside of Spain. At first glance, the dish looks like it will be complicated to make, but I soon learned that the burnt effect is accomplished by sprinkling sugar before baking, giving a caramelized top and a molasses taste to the dish. There’s no crust, and the whole piece is baked at a high temperature making it easy and quick to make.
When I tried to recreate the cheesecake at home, I was surprised at the no-fuss approach and the lovely smell during the baking process. I can’t say the same about burning fat. The first time I melted someone’s face, I used a makeshift flamethrower comprised of a lighter and a can of body spray. I attributed the foul smell to the fragrance, however after trying a second time with hairspray, I figure it was the body fat. Since then, I have upgraded to a much safer way with a professional flamethrower, not that it reduces the stench, but it does have a higher temperature gauge making the process more efficient. A surprising by-product of experimenting with a fire weapon is that I can also use that tool to treat wood yakisugi style. I genuinely enjoy the imperfect shape and the sticky blackstrap semblance of it all.
I have tried this in different flavor variations, including plain, lemon, lime, and blood orange. I sure hope you give it a try!
Orange Basque Burnt Cheesecake
Equipment
- Springform pan
Ingredients
- 3 8 oz cream cheese packages room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp orange zest
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 1½ cup heavy cream room temperature
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
Orange sugar
- 1 Tbsp orange zest
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
Instructions
- Place rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°
- Lightly butter a springform pan and line with parchment paper going up the sides.
- Using the paddle attachment of the stand-up mixer, beat together at medium-high speed the cream cheese, sugar, and orange zest for about 2 minutes. Make sure to pause and scrape the sides as necessary. All ingredients must be well combined.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, pausing in between to scrape the sides and making sure it is fully incorporated before adding the next one.
- Reducing the speed to medium-low, add the cream and vanilla. Then add the flour and salt. Beat for about one minute
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle half the orange sugar on top.
- Transfer to oven and bake for 50-55 minutes. It should be bronze-colored on top and jiggly in the center
- Let the cheesecake rest for about 10 minutes before removing it from the pan. Sprinkle the rest of the orange sugar on top and serve either at room temperature or refrigerated.
Orange Sugar
- In a medium bowl, mix the orange zest and the sugar.
