la viña's basque cheesecake

Basque cheesecake is the rebellious teenager of the cheesecake world. It breaks every rule in the book, and the result is a light and creamy cake with a deeply caramelized crust. It’s also incredibly easy to make - just mix it all together and throw it into a hot oven. Forget about the water bath or stress about cracks. You want all the cracks and the craggy edges. The cheesecake will rise substantially in the hot oven and settle back down into the nooks and crannies as it cools.

I added lemon zest to lighten up the cake, though the original La Viña version does not have any so add according to your personal preference. The cake is delicious the same day, or chilled straight out of the fridge, but make sure to let the cheesecake cool completely before slicing, as the middle may still be custardy while warm (not that it’s a bad thing). Serve with a cup of coffee and it will make your day!

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La Viña Basque Cheesecake

makes one 8 inch cake

ingredients

4 packs (32 ounces) cream cheese, room temp

5 eggs

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons flour

zest of one lemon (optional)

steps

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Mix it all together: Using the paddle attachment or vigorously by hand, mix the cream cheese until smooth with no lumps. Mix in the eggs one at a time, then adding in the heavy cream, sugar, salt, flour, and lemon zest until well incorporated. Scrape down the sides as you mix to avoid any lumps.

Prepare the pan: Line an 8 in. springform pan with an oversized piece of parchment paper. Don’t cut it to fit, as we want all the wrinkles and edges that form along the walls of the pan. Pour the batter into the parchment lined pan (it will be a very wet batter).

Baking the cake: Bake at 425 F for 40 - 50 minutes. The cheesecake should be browned across the top with the middle still jiggly. Let the cake cool completely (at least 2 hours) before serving.