Easy Healthy Burnt Basque Cheesecake (Extra Creamy)

Ingredients

• 1000 g Organic full-fat cream cheese (At room temperature; take out of the fridge 1–2 hours before starting.)
• 6 Organic free-range eggs
• Organic maple syrup (Free-poured to taste; amount not specified.)
• 2 Vanilla pods (Split lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Alternatively, the creator says pure vanilla extract or paste may be used, 1–2 tbsp.)
• Fresh lemon juice (A good squeeze; amount not specified.)
• Sea salt (A good pinch; creator uses Celtic sea salt.)
• 600 ml Organic double cream (Add in two portions of 300 ml each.)
• Butter (A little, to lightly grease the sides of the tin; amount not specified.)

Steps

1. 1

   Bring the cream cheese to room temperature by taking it out of the fridge 1–2 hours before you begin.

2. 2

   Prepare a 23 cm springform tin. Line the base with parchment paper, then lightly grease the sides with butter. Fold another sheet of parchment lengthwise, cut it down the middle, and line the sides; trim the excess so the paper sits level with or just above the tin. A few wrinkles are fine.

3. 3

   Put the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Whisk on low speed until smooth, scrape down the bowl, and whisk again until the mixture looks slightly lighter and creamier.

4. 4

   Crack in the eggs and whisk them into the cream cheese.

5. 5

   Add maple syrup, tasting the mixture to adjust the sweetness to your preference.

6. 6

   Split the vanilla pods lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the bowl. Add a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a good pinch of sea salt.

7. 7

   Mix until completely smooth and unified, with no streaks or unmixed pockets. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then whisk once more until the batter looks smooth and fluid.

8. 8

   Add 300 ml of double cream and gently fold it in with a spatula; do not whisk it in aggressively.

9. 9

   Add the remaining 300 ml of double cream and fold gently until fully incorporated and the batter is silky smooth.

10. 10

    Pour the batter slowly into the prepared tin, scraping as much as possible from the bowl. Smooth the top with a spatula, twist the tin a few times to distribute the batter, and tap it firmly on the counter a few times to bring trapped air bubbles to the surface.

11. 11

    Bake at 240°C for about 30 minutes. Turn the tin a couple of times during baking to encourage even caramelization.

12. 12

    After 30 minutes, reduce the oven to 200°C and bake for 10 minutes. Raise it back to 240°C for the final 5 minutes to finish the crust. The top should be deeply caramelized, and the cheesecake should still jiggle when moved.

13. 13

    Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours, until completely cool.

14. 14

    Refrigerate overnight so the filling sets and the flavors develop.

15. 15

    Release the springform clasp and lift away the sides. Remove the parchment, including the piece beneath the cheesecake. Slice into eight portions with a good-sized knife and serve.

Notes

The creator gives no measured amount for the maple syrup, lemon juice, sea salt, or butter. He mentions a variation with 250 g mascarpone and two extra eggs, but describes it as a separate variation rather than the main recipe. The exact resting and chilling times are at least 2 hours at room temperature and overnight in the refrigerator.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• Spanish
• gluten-free
• crustless
• baked
• high-fat
• no refined sugar