Recipe: Dani Valent’s Basque Cheesecake

BASQUE CHEESECAKE

Serves: 10
Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

As soon as I ate this cheesecake, I knew my mission: get the recipe and adapt it for Thermomix.

Now that I’ve done so, my life is pretty much complete. (If you don’t have a Thermomix, see the ‘traditional’ method below…bliss is still possible.)

I first ate a slice of bliss while shooting a video in San Sebastian. We stopped by La Viña, a famous pintxos (snack) bar which has lots of great food but is most famous for its cheesecake. Read more about my first bite of this life-changing cake and the tricky (and hilarious) story of getting the recipe!

The cake is more like a set custard. It is incredibly jiggly and wobbly when first cooked then it firms up a little as it cools and dries, settling to a more traditional baked cheesecake consistency.

Don’t be frightened by the dark exterior – that caramelised edge has just the right touch of bitterness to take the edge off the creamy interior.

If you’re making this in a TM31 or regular mixer you’ll need to reduce the quantities a little – check the recipe below. Don’t worry, your cake will be just as delicious. – Dani Valent

Ingredients

7 eggs
1000 grams (35.3 oz) cream cheese, chopped in cubes
350 grams (12.3 oz) white sugar
500 grams (19 oz) pouring cream (thickened is fine)
30 grams (1 oz) flour
TM31 & traditional cake mixer
6 eggs
900 grams (31.7 oz) cream cheese, chopped in cubes
300 grams (10.6 oz) white sugar
400 grams (14 oz) pouring cream (thickened is fine)
30 grams (1 oz) flour
Thermomix Method

1. Preheat oven to 200ºC (390°F).

2. Place eggs into mixing bowl and mix 20 sec/speed 4.

3. Add cream cheese and mix 30 sec/speed 5. Scrape down and mix for a further 30 sec/speed 5.5 or until smooth.

4. Add sugar and mix 1 min/speed 5.

5. Add cream and mix 30 sec/speed 5. Scrape down and mix for a further 30 sec/speed 5 or until smooth.

6. Add flour and mix 2 min/speed 5.

7. Line a 22 cm springform tin with paper, ensuring paper extends 10 cm beyond the top of the tin. Pour cheesecake mixture into tin.

8. Cook for 1 hour (200°C/390°F) (see Tips). Cool in tin. When cool, carefully open springform tin, peel away paper and transfer to a serving plate.

You could serve it with berries or just keep your bliss pure!

Traditional Method

1. Preheat oven to 200ºC (390°F).

2. Place eggs into mixer bowl and mix until smooth and combined.

3. Add cream cheese and blend until smooth, stopping the scrape the sides of the bowl as necessary.

4. Add sugar and mix until smooth.

5. Add cream and mix until smooth.

6. Add flour and mix until smooth.

7. Line a 22 cm springform tin with paper, ensuring paper extends 10 cm beyond the top of the tin. Pour cheesecake mixture into tin.

8. Cook for 1 hour (200°C/390°F) (see Tips). Cool in tin. When cool, carefully open springform tin, peel away paper and transfer to a serving plate.

You could serve it with berries or just keep your bliss pure!