Basque cheesecake is the ultimate in creaminess. Unlike traditional cheesecake that has a crust and is baked at a low temperature, this style is crustless (perfect if you’re gluten-free) and cooks at a higher temp. Adding two kinds of chocolate to the traditional ingredients makes it a chocolate lover’s dream. The parchment paper used to line the springform pan creates Basque cheesecake’s signature look when peeled away and makes for a great presentation at holiday celebrations.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup unprocessed cocoa
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso
- 2 cups heavy cream at room temperature, divided use
- 6 ounces dark chocolate (between 64% and 72% cacao)
- 2 pounds best-quality cream cheese at room temperature
- 1-1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 6 large eggs at room temperature
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 10-inch by 3-inch springform pan with a large piece of parchment paper, pleating it as needed to flatten it against the sides—don’t worry about making the pleats uniform. Add a second piece of parchment if needed for full coverage, placing it diagonally opposite the first one.
Step 2
Sift the cocoa and cornstarch into a small bowl to remove any lumps; set aside.
Step 3
In a small cup, mix the instant espresso into 1 tablespoon of the heavy cream; set aside.
Step 4
Coarsely chop the chocolate and place 5 ounces in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at 50% power for 2 minutes, stir, and repeat until the chocolate is almost fully melted. Out of the microwave, add the remaining ounce of chocolate to the bowl, let sit for 2 minutes, and then stir until smooth; set aside.
Step 5
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater or in a very large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese at medium-high speed for about 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy, stopping every minute or so to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the sugar, vanilla, instant espresso and cream mixture, and salt. Lower the speed and add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the cornstarch/cocoa, the melted chocolate, the rest of the heavy cream, and the olive oil. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the work bowl with a flexible spatula to incorporate any lumps.
Step 6
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for about an hour, until the top turns deep brown (the center will still jiggle a bit). Place on a wire rack to cool completely before transferring to the fridge to chill from 4 hours to overnight.
Step 7
When ready to serve, release the sides of the pan and gently peel the parchment away from the sides. You can slice it from the parchment right from the pan bottom or use a cake lifter to transfer the cake to a platter.
Yields 10 servings