Basque Cheesecake バスクチーズケーキ

• 1 lb cream cheese (226 g x 2 blocks for 1 6-inch cake; I used Philadelphia brand; at room temperature)
• 3 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) (at room temperature)
• 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream (at room temperature)
• 2 Tbsp cake flour (or use all-purpose flour; use rice flour for gluten-free; measure using the “fluff and sprinkle“ method and level it off)
• 2 tsp cornstarch (or use potato starch or cake flour)
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• ½ cup sugar
• ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt

Before You Start…

• Please note that this cake requires 2–3 hours of cooling time. You can serve it either at room temperature or chilled in the refrigerator for an additional 4 hours.

• Gather all the ingredients.

  

To Preheat the Oven

• Preheat a convection oven (with fan) to 450ºF (230ºC) for at least 30 minutes. If you don’t have convection, preheat a conventional oven to 475ºF (245ºC). If your oven doesn’t heat up very well, preheat it at the hottest temperature (mine is 550ºF/290ºC) for 30–60 minutes, then turn it down to 475ºF (245ºC) when it's time to bake.

  Oven rack: I used my convection oven's middle rack, as it's ideal position for the fan to circulate the air. If you use a conventional oven, move the rack slightly higher as the temperature toward the top is hotter. Keep in mind that a 3-inch deep cake pan needs extra space for rising.

To Line the Cake Pan

• Gather one 6-inch (15-cm) round cake pan with removable bottom. Prepare two rectangular sheets of parchment paper long enough to hang over the sides of the pan by 2 inches (5 cm). Place them crisscross to make sure they cover all inside surfaces of the pan. (Or use one sheet if your paper is extra wide.) Fold each sheet in half, then again into quarters, like a paper napkin.

  

• Unfold the sheets and place them crisscross as before. Find the center point where the creases intersect. Center the parchment sheets over the cake pan ring, then center the removable bottom on top.

  

• Press them down into the cake pan, using the removable bottom to crease the paper into the pan and against the insides for a snug fit. Press and crease the paper edges down around the outside of the cake pan, too.

  

• Gently take out the removable bottom and parchment sheets, now molded to the shape of the pan. Place the removable bottom back into the cake pan (as it should be). Then, fit the molded paper into the pan and press it down to fit snugly. (If you‘re doubling the recipe, repeat with a second cake pan.)

  

To Make the Batter

• Place 1 lb cream cheese in a large bowl. Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature.

  Nami's Tip: If the cream cheese is cold and firm, microwave it at half power (50%) in 15-second increments until it‘s room temperature (about for 45 seconds).

  

★ Hand Mixing Method

• Press down on the cream cheese with a silicone spatula to soften it. Then, add ½ cup sugar. (For the blender method, scroll down to the next section.)

  Nami's Tip: A silicone spatula makes the batter is super smooth with fewer air bubbles.

  

• Rub the mixture with the silicone spatula against the sides of the bowl to combine. The cream cheese will become fluffy and smooth as the sugar granules dissolve.

  

• Frequently scrape the bowl and spatula to incorporate the ingredients well and prevent lumps.

  Nami's Tip: Get rid of lumps early, as it's harder to do when the batter is more liquid.

  

• Crack 3 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell) in another bowl and whisk well.

  Nami's Tip: Whisking in a separate bowl is extremely helpful for blending, instead of cracking eggs one at a time into the cream cheese.

  

• Slowly and gradually add the beaten eggs to the cream cheese mixture, one-third at a time. Make sure the batter is smooth and with no lumps before adding more egg.

  

• After each addition, blend the eggs with the cream cheese THOROUGHLY and COMPLETELY.

  

• Add the rest of the egg and blend well.

  

• Occasionally scrape off the batter from the bowl and the spatula. This will help prevent lumps in the batter. Then, add 1 Tbsp lemon juice and mix thoroughly.

  

• Next, add 2 Tbsp cake flour and 2 tsp cornstarch to a sieve. Sift a little bit of the flour and cornstarch into the cream cheese mixture while you stir with a spatula. Incorporate the ingredients well before adding more. Keep sifting and blending until you‘ve added all the flour mixture. Take your time doing this. You don’t want any lumps.

  

• Add ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and blend together. Make sure there are no lumps at this stage (before adding the heavy cream–more liquid).

  

• Gradually add 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream while you stir. Mix until it’s all combined.

  

★ Blender Method

• Put all the ingredients for the cake batter in a blender (I use my Vitamix): 1 lb cream cheese, ½ cup sugar, 3 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell), 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 Tbsp cake flour, 2 tsp cornstarch, ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream. Blend until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Then, let this mixture rest for 15 minutes to let the air bubbles in the batter settle, or else the cake may crack.

  

To Pour the Batter into the Pan

• Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan in one go (avoid stop-and-go) so you don‘t create any air pockets. Tap the cake pan on the countertop a few times to eliminate air pockets.

  

• Pop any visible air bubbles with a bamboo skewer (or toothpick), then run the skewer through the batter to remove more bubbles. Place the cake pan on a baking sheet, just in case the cheesecake overflows during baking. Mine never did, but I still use a baking sheet to transfer the cake pan to and from the oven.

  

To Bake

• Transfer the baking sheet with cake pan into the preheated oven; do it quickly so you don't let much heat escape. Bake at 450ºF (230ºC) for a convection oven or 475ºF (245ºC) for a conventional oven until the top is dark amber/brown and the center is still very jiggly, about 30–35 minutes. Do not open the oven door while baking and lose heat. The top of my cake starts browning at the 30-minute mark, then gets dark brown within 5 minutes. Please keep an eye on your cheesecake, because every oven is different.

  Nami's Tips: If you love a “gooey“ or “oozy“ texture, then bake for less time, but you must chill your cake well before serving to firm it up. NEVER extend the bake time, even if the top hasn‘t turned dark, because you will overbake the cake. The filling will curdle and you can‘t fix it. If the top doesn‘t darken in 30–35 minutes, you will probably need to adjust the oven temperature (or oven rack or preheating time) next time.

  

To Cool

• Take out the cake when the surface is a dark, burnt color. The middle of the cake should wobble when you gently shake the pan. Let the cheesecake cool in the pan on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature, about 2–3 hours. Make sure the air can circulate under the cake pan; don’t put it on the countertop directly. You can place it on top of your gas range burner grate, if it‘s not in use.

  

To Chill

• You can serve the cake either chilled or at room temperature (which we like, too). To chill it for a firmer texture, cover the room-temperature cake in the pan with a tea towel (don‘t use plastic, as condensation may drip onto the cake), and place in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

To Serve

• Remove the cheesecake from the cake pan and carefully peel back the parchment paper. If you have chilled the cake, let it stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours before serving.

  

To Store

• You can store the cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Serving: 6inch cake, Calories: 3043kcal, Carbohydrates: 141g, Protein: 52g, Fat: 258g, Saturated Fat: 147g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 1383mg, Sodium: 1901mg, Potassium: 1043mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 116g, Vitamin A: 10402IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 687mg, Iron: 5mg