These Basque cheesecakes are incredibly decadent, velvety, and completely foolproof. It is also very simple to make, especially when compared to other cheesecakes!
– 2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature – 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups sugar, depending on desired level of sweetness – 2 cups heavy cream, divided – 6 large egg – 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – ½ teaspoon fine salt – ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
Make sure there is no rack above the one in the middle of the oven. This will give the cheesecake plenty of room to rise. Warm the oven up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Tear off two large parchment sheets. Press them into the base of a 9-inch springform pan, crosswise. Pleat the parchment against the pan to make room for the cheesecake.
At least 2 inches of paper should rise around the pan. Mix cream cheese, sugar, and ½ cup of cream in a 12-cup food processor, stand mixer, or large bowl (with hand mixer).
Mix or process on low speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl sides, until smooth and sugar dissolves. In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup, crack eggs. Add all eggs and blend until smooth. Keep the measuring cup.
Stop and scrape sides if needed. Mix vanilla and salt with the remaining cream. Mix everything for 30 seconds (or longer if using a mixer).
Put 1 cup of mixture in the measuring cup. Stir the flour into the mixture until smooth to avoid flour flying. Replace the cup in the food processor and blend for 10–20 seconds.
Fill the springform pan with batter. Jiggle the pan to distribute batter evenly. Crease the paper folds more sharply to rest against the pan.
Bake the cheesecake for 60–65 minutes until the top is deep golden brown and the centre is still jiggly. Cheesecake will fall dramatically when cooled on a rack.
After cooling for an hour, serve or cover and refrigerate. Serve the cheesecake by removing the pan and parchment from the sides. Wedge the cheesecake and enjoy.
The cheesecake will stay fresh in the fridge for up to five days or in the freezer for up to three months. You can thaw individual slices of the cheesecake even if it's frozen.