Hello! Welcome to today’s Stories from Catbird Cottage, aka it’s still winter and therefore, let’s eat cake. We’re going dive right in, but before we do, let me just say thank you so much for being here.
I’m going to turn fifty this year. 50!! For those of you older than that, I’m sure it sounds like a cakewalk but for me, holeeeee. It feels like something I need to officially prepare for, a milestone that inevitably posits where I’ve been, and, where I might be going.
With some recently acquired (needed!) free time, I found myself embarking on a baking experiment. I’d wanted to make a burnt Basque cheesecake for a while. It looks so enticing in its elemental presence. I had a few tabs open, reminding me for a while that this desire, in fact, had not been satisfied. Susan Spungen’s version sealed the deal, which was inspired by Nicola Lamb’s post, here. You could also go down the burnt Basque cheesecake rabbit hole, which re-enforces that there are always many right ways to make a thing.
Even when Basque cheesecake isn’t perfect, it’s still great.
In a way, this originates with a cheesecake I experienced twenty years ago. On a foibled-but-still-wonderful trip to Montreal to celebrate my turning 30, I ate a cheesecake which left an indelible mark. It was made using goat cheese. This cheesecake was like none other I’d ever had, possessing a subtle sweetness and gentle savoriness, which surprised and delighted me. So in my version I have included goat cheese to bring that nostalgia of creamy, luscious tang to new heights. And omg, I look like a baby twenty years ago!
Burnt Basque cheesecake
15 oz cream cheese
6 oz plain chèvre
4 large eggs
3/4 cup cane sugar
5 oz heavy cream
4 oz sour cream
3 tbsp gluten free flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 baking flour)
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
For easier mixing and faster baking, be sure all dairy and the eggs are room temperature when you begin. Additionally, feel free to substitute AP flour in place of the GF - I wanted to ensure I could dole out slices to as many cherished neighbors once my experimenting was complete (some follow a gluten-free diet, so I decided to include this in the list of variables). The results will be winning either way :)
1. Crumple a segment of parchment paper that exceeds an 8-inch springform pan by 4 inches into a ball. Smooth it out flat again and then arrange it to line the pan, as flush to the sides and base as possible (crumpling it first makes it more pliable). It should exceed the rim of the pan by an inch or so on all sides. Make any pleats as flush to the sides of the pan as you can. Preheat the oven to 485º.
2. Use a hand mixer to blend the cream cheese and goat cheese together until smooth in a high-sided heatproof bowl. In my cold winter kitchen, I heated both the beaters and my enamel bowl briefly in a low oven, until they were mildly warm. This aided in the winter “room temperature" elements behaving less unwieldy.
3. Cream the sugar into the cheese mixture on medium speed until no grittiness remains. After a few minutes, take a swipe and rub it between your fingers to check. Repeat blending as needed.
4. Add the eggs in one at a time, blending to combine with each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl between rounds.
5. Add the heavy cream and sour cream and blend them in until the mixture is uniform.
6. Mix together the flour and salt in a small bowl. Use an ample-sized sieve to sift in the salt-flour mixture, working in intervals to incorporate and avoid clumping. I did this in 4 rounds to ensure a smooth consistency, beating the mixture in fully, then adding a bit more, then beating it in, etc.
7. Pour the mixture into the parchment-lined pan, set on a sheet pan. Thwack the side of the springform pan with the handle of a spatula or wooden spoon a number of times to release any air bubbles.
8. Bake for 30 minutes, then rotate the pan 180º for even browning. As the cheesecake bakes, it will produce an amazing caramelized aroma, filling the house as it nears ready. Bake for 5 more minutes and then remove it from the oven. The cake will still have a good bit of wobble.
9. Transfer the cheesecake to a wire rack to cool. When only mildly warm, transfer it to the refrigerator to complete its setting process (a few hours, up to overnight). If you’d like that almost-still-liquid center, don’t refrigerate the cheesecake, and simply slice it once fully cooled. Otherwise, remove it from the refrigerator an hour before you plan to enjoy it for the creamiest experience.
Serve slices with a spoonful of seasonal berries, tart jam, or compote for an extra divine experience. I’d made a tart cranberry-orange-black pepper compote (from a package of cranberries, lurking from Thanksgiving). It paired surprisingly well with the cheesecake! Bookmark this recipe for your Easter or Passover table, or for any occasion meriting a little extra ooooh.
Just found this while going down my own basque cheesecake rabbit hole!! Alas, so much to discover 🤍
My husband & I shared a slice of Gateau Basque last night for dessert (at our local bistro), it was delicious! How timely that you’re sharing a recipe for the same cake - I’ll make it very soon.