White Chocolate Basque Cheesecake
The creamiest white chocolate Basque cheesecake! This version of the classic burnt cheesecake is incredibly rich, with a caramelised white chocolate flavour.
Servings: 12 People
Equipment
- 8" Springform Tin
- Stand Mixer
- Baking Tray
- Sieve
- Digital Food Probe
Ingredients
- 180 g White Chocolate
- 400 g Double Cream
- 560 g Cream Cheese (Room Temperature)
- 300 ml Creme Fraiche (280g - See Notes)
- 120 g Caster Sugar
- 60 g Light Brown Sugar
- 2 tsp Vanilla Paste
- ½ tsp Fine Sea Salt
- 165 g Whole Eggs (3 Large Eggs)
- 50 g Egg Yolks (3 Yolks)
- 30 g Cornflour (Cornstarch)
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 210°c/410°f (190°c/374°f fan).
- Tear off a large piece of baking parchment, scrunch it up then unravel and press into an 8" springform tin. Place the tin onto a baking tray then set to one side.The parchment should overhang the tin by at least a couple of inches. Use 2 overlapping pieces of parchment if necessary.
- Chop the white chocolate into small pieces then place into a heatproof mixing bowl.
- Add 250 grams of the double cream into a small saucepan then set over a low heat & warm until steaming hot. Then pour the warm cream over the chocolate, leave to stand for 1 minute then stir to combine. Set this to one side.Stir the cream just until the chocolate melts. It's best to start in the middle of the bowl & slowly work your way outwards (like when you make ganache). Also, don't let the cream boil!
- Add the cream cheese, creme fraiche, both of the sugars, vanilla & salt into the bowl of a stand mixer then mix with the paddle attachment on a medium-low speed until combined & smooth. This will only take 2-3 minutes.Make sure to scrape the bowl down regularly with a spatula as you mix the batter!
- Next, add the eggs & yolks into a jug then lightly beat together with a fork.
- With the mixer still running on a medium-low speed, gradually pour in the eggs. Make sure to let each addition mix into the batter before adding in more. Turn the mixer off once the eggs have been mixed in.
- Add the cornflour into a small mixing bowl then gradually whisk in the remaining 150 grams of double cream, to make a smooth paste. Don't over whisk though, you don't want whipped cream!Don't worry if there's a few tiny lumps, we'll be passing the batter before baking.
- To finish the cheesecake batter, add the cooled chocolate and the cornflour into the cream cheese then mix on a medium-low speed until incorporated. This will only take a minute or two.
- Pour the batter into the tin, through a sieve then tap the tin on your work surface a couple of times to pop any air bubbles.
- Bake the cheesecake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until the top is a deep, brown colour but is still quite jiggly in the middle.If you take the internal temperature of the cheesecake with a food probe, it should be 60°c/140°f once baked. Make sure to probe the cheesecake through the side (near the top) so you don’t end up with a hole in the top!
- Once baked, let the cheesecake cool to room temperature then chill in the fridge overnight. The cheesecake will sink as it cools, this is normal!
- To serve, take the cheesecake out of the tin then cut the into portions. I’d recommend letting the cheesecake slices sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving.For the neatest portions, cut the cheesecake using a knife that has been run under warm water & dried between cuts. A non serrated knife works best!
Notes
1. Cooking In An Aga – Bake the basque cheesecake on a grid shelf placed on the floor of the roasting oven. Turn the cheesecake around after 30 minutes so that the top browns evenly.
2. Cream Cheese - Make sure to use full fat cream cheese, for the best flavour & texture. When making this cheesecake, it’s key to let the cream cheese & creme fraiche come up to room temperature as they well mix more evenly, into a smooth batter. Cold cream cheese won’t be as smooth & can make the batter lumpy!
3. Creme Fraiche - Make sure to use full fat creme fraiche. This recipe uses a 300ml pot of creme fraiche. If you're using a bigger pot, it'll be easier to weigh out 280 grams.
4. White Chocolate - For the best flavour, use a bar of good quality white chocolate. Chocolate chips won't melt as well, so it's best to chop up a bar.
5. Tin - For this cheesecake, you’ll need an 8″ springform tin that’s at least 7cm/2¾ inches tall. The batter will rise slightly as it bakes, which is why we leave plenty of baking parchment overhanging the edge of the tin.
6. Storage & Serving - Basque cheesecake needs to be stored in the fridge & is best eaten within 3 days. To serve, I'd recommend cutting slices then letting them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. I served my cheesecake with my blueberry & lime compote but it's good with most fruits!
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