Make Yourself A Mini Basque Burnt Cheesecake In Under An Hour

The caramelised Basque cheesecake is all the rage. It seems to have become the unofficial cake of choice during this stay-home period, whether it’s people ordering it from the numerous cafes (before the extended circuit breaker stipulated cake shops can’t reopen till 12 May) that sell it, or whipping some up themselves. And it’s not difficult to see why. Custardy and comforting with a lighter, more melt-in-the-mouth texture than denser American-style cheesecakes, it’s easy to make and even easier to devour. Unlike the traditional cheesecake, it doesn’t involve making a cookie crust, using a water bath and praying the top of the cake doesn’t split in the oven. In fact, the beauty of a burnt cheesecake, reportedly invented by the owner of San Sebastian pintxos café La Viña in Spain, is in its imperfect cracked, almost burnt-but-not-quite crown. The cake puffs up in the oven, then deflates a little once it's out to create a charmingly craggy, blistered surface with a caramelly flavour.

A typical Basque cheesecake recipe yields a large cake — which is all well and good if you have a bigger family at home. It also takes about an hour to bake in the oven once the batter is prepped. But what if it’s just one or two of you hunkering down this circuit breaker? Or you’re simply impatient for some good, gooey cheesecake, pronto?

This baby needs just 15 minutes of baking time. We used standard muffin tins, each with a 7cm diameter and 4cm-deep tapered sides. We also tested this recipe using slightly larger 10cm by 4cm tins. The baking time for both sizes is the same: 15 minutes at 250°C. If your oven only goes up to 240°C, as many ovens do, then check your cakes after the 15 minutes — as long as they’re dark and practically burnt on the surface, you can take them out.

We’ve suggested regular cream cheese like those from Philadelphia or Royal Victoria in this recipe, but if you prefer a more savoury edge to your cheesecake, try adding a dash of a tasty soft cheese like brie or even a mild blue cheese. Suggested proportions are stated in the recipe below. With just cream cheese alone, these little cakes taste similar to a mildly sweet Japanese soufflé cheesecake.

Photo: Redmart

Makes about 12 standard muffin-size cakes

Ingredients:​​​​​​​

450g cream cheese, softened at room temperature (or a mix of 380g cream cheese + 70g of a savoury soft cheese like brie)

120g caster sugar

3 eggs (weighing 60g each in its shell)

a pinch of salt

20g corn flour

270g whipping cream

1. Line each muffin cup with 2 squares of baking paper, one on top of the other. The squares should be larger than the muffin moulds so that they overhang above the tins. This double lining ensures no spillage as the batter rises in the oven.

2. Preheat oven to 250°C.

3. Place cream cheese (and/or any other cheese you are using) and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer. Beat using paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl.

4. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat on medium speed till smooth, about a minute. Scrape down sides of the bowl, add the salt, and beat again until the mixture is smoothly incorporated, about another minute. Set aside.

5. Place corn flour in a separate deep bowl. Add a few tablespoons of cream and whisk till smooth. Gradually add the rest of the cream, a little at a time, and keep whisking, ensuring that the flour doesn’t create any lumps.

6. Pour this cream mixture gradually into the cheese mixture while the mixer beats on low speed. Increase the speed to medium for about 10 seconds to ensure that everything is combined.

7. Fill each paper-lined muffin cup with batter till they reach the rims. If you have more batter than moulds, cover leftover batter with plastic wrap and refrigerate till ready to use. The batter will keep for up to 8 hours.

8. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the tops of cakes are dark brown and almost charred. The middle of the cakes should still wobble when you gently shake the tin.

9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for at least 10 - 15 minutes, allowing the cheesecakes to set.

10. Remove cheesecakes from tin and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Leftover cakes can be individually wrapped in cling film and frozen for a month. Before serving, take them out and allow to thaw to room temperature before eating. Indispensable on stressful WFH days when you need an instant homemade treat.

Annette Tan