This is sort of the anti-cheesecake. You don’t need to make the parchment paper neat around it. In fact, put a lot of creases along the sides with the parchment paper, it adds character. You don’t need to bake it at a low temperature, you don’t need multiple temperatures, and you don’t need to put it in a bain-marie. Also, don’t worry if there are cracks, or that it might still be very jiggly when you take it out of the oven.

When you take it out of the oven, it will be very puffed up, but shrinks down soon and will be sliceable only after at least a couple of hours, so don’t even think of unmolding it. Just put it in the fridge and forget about it for a couple of hours, and you’ll be amazed at how the smooth and creamy texture is still there but is accompanied by a burnt caramelized top that goes well with it. I was amazed at how “stress-free” I felt while and after making this. I think the most stressful part of baking a cheesecake is wondering if I wrapped the pan well enough to keep the water from the bain-marie from seeping into the crust.

The other things I also normally worried about with other cheesecakes but didn’t have to here are: a crust that sticks to the base of the pan rather than with each slice; a soggy crust; a gritty mouth-feel of the cake; huge cracks on the surface, and a texture that is too heavy and dense. This was happy, worry-free baking.

burnt basque cheesecake (adapted for 8-inch springfrom pan from here)

ingredients

448 grams cream cheese room temperature

160 grams caster sugar

222 grams dairy whipping cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

5 eggs, room temperature

18 grams cake flour

method

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.

Lightly grease an 8-inch springform pan with baking spray and line with two sheets of parchment paper. I used a slightly smaller pan to press into the larger pan just to get the paper to stick to the sides but with a lot of creases.

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until softened. Add the sugar into the cream cheese in increments while continuing to beat until all the sugar is incorporated.

Add the remaining ingredients in much the same way, including the 5 eggs, one at a time. For the cake flour, sift it over the top and blend it in.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, then remove from oven and place on a wire rack until cooled, then refrigerate a few hours to overnight to cool before unmolding and slicing and serving.