This classic burnt Basque cheesecake with blueberries is meant to be a little dark on the top and it also should collapse after baking! The not so neat sides are also also exactly as they should be. So do make plenty of rough pleats when you line your tin with parchment paper.
The creamy-soft inside of this classic cheesecake tastes extra delicious with a handful of dark wild blueberries. Look for them in the freezer section. I prefer frozen blueberries to fresh ones because the color will run a little less in the filling. If you can’t find the little wild ones, you can always use the bigger ordinary blueberries in this cheesecake.
Burnt Basque cheesecake with blueberries
Preparation time ± 10 min. / Oven ± 45 min.
for 8-10 people
450 g cream cheese, at room temperature
60 g caster sugar
4 eggs
250 ml of whipping cream
25 g flour + 1 tbsp for the berries
65 g frozen blueberries
Extra: springform pan of 18 cm Ø and blueberry sauce (optional)
Preheat the oven to 200 ° C / 400° F. Grease the spring form and line it with baking paper. The baking paper should extend well above the edge. Use 2 sheets that you place crosswise in the form. Fold and press the baking paper against the side. It does not have to be neat at all.
Beat the cream cheese with the sugar with an electric mixer until the sugar has dissolved. Add the eggs one by one. Mix well and only add the next egg after the previous one has been completely incorporated. Stir in the whipped cream and a good pinch of salt. Sift the flour over the bowl and stir into the mixture.
Mix the berries with the tablespoon of flour. Pour the batter into the tin and sprinkle with the berries. Spoon a few spoons of batter over the berries to just cover them.
Bake the cake in the middle of the oven for ± 45 minutes. The outside should be nice and dark, but the inside should still be slightly wobbly and soft. The core temperature must be ± 63 °C / 145 ° F . If necessary, turn on the oven grill to give the cake a darker color.
Take out of the oven and leave to cool in the tin. The burnt Basque cheesecake with blueberries will sink quite a bit, but that is the way it should be. Covere with foil and leave to , rest and set completely overnight in the refrigerator.
Vegan burnt Basque cheesecake with blueberries
Preheat the oven to 160°C / 320° F . Prepare the spring form according to the recipe above. Mix 600 grams of Greek style soy yoghurt with a high protein content, 200 ml of soy whipping cream and the juice and zest of 1/2 (organic) lemon. In small bowl mix 70 grams of caster sugar, 75 grams of cornstarch, 1 teaspoon of baking powder and a pinch of salt. Add to the soy yoghurt mixture until no more lumps can be seen.
Melt 100 grams of plant based butter and stir through the mixture. Mix 65 grams of frozen blueberries with another 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Pour the batter into the tin and sprinkle the berries over the top. Dollop a few spoons of the batter over the berries to cover them.
Bake the cake for ± 50 minutes until the sides are set and the inside is still a bit wobbly. The core temperature should be ± 63°C / 145°F.
Turn on the oven grill and grill until the top is nice and dark. Take out of the oven and leave to cool in the tin. The cake will collapse slightly. Cover with clingfilm and leave to set in the refrigerator overnight.
Styling Jet Krings
Photo Eric van Lokven
