Basque Burnt Cheesecake

Ingredients

1 kg Cream Cheese
1,5-2 cups Sugar
6 Eggs
250ml Heavy Cream
1 tsp Salt
1 Vanilla Bean
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/3 cup Flour

1/4 tsp grated lemon peel

Cake tin
Baking paper

Preheat oven to 180C fan assisted.

Line the pan with 2 overlapping sheets of baking paper in your 25-26cm spring form baking tin, making sure the paper comes at least 5cm above the top of the pan on all sides. Because the paper needs to be pleated and creased in some areas to fit in the pan, you won’t end up with a clean, smooth outer edge to the cake; that’s okay! Place pan on a rimmed baking sheet.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium-low speed, scraping downsides of the bowl, until very smooth, no lumps remain, and sugar has dissolved about 2 minutes.

Increase the speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, beating each egg for 15 seconds before adding the next. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then reduce the mixer speed to medium-low. Add cream, salt, and vanilla and beat until combined, about 30 seconds.

Turn off the mixer and sift flour evenly over cream cheese mixture. Beat on low speed until incorporated, about 15 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to beat until batter is very smooth, homogenous, and silky about 10 seconds.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake cheesecake until deeply golden brown on top and still very jiggly in the centre, 1.5 hours to 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Let cool slightly (it will fall drastically as it cools), then unmold. Let cool completely. Carefully peel away the parchment from sides of cheesecake. Using a knife that you have dipped into hot water and wiped dry (if you want a clean edge), slice into wedges and serve at room temperature, preferably with a glass of sherry alongside.