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Dense, rich, crustless cheesecake with a burnt and caramelised top

Mini Basque Cheesecake

Dense, rich, crustless cheesecake with a burnt and caramelised top
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Makes: 3 servings
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Ingredients
  

  • 180 gms cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/3 cup caster sugar (60 gms)
  • 1/4 tsp lemon zest, optional
  • 1 egg, at room temperature (see notes)
  • 1/4 cup whipping or heavy cream (60 ml, see notes)
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 200 C. Cut out large pieces of non-stick baking paper (essential in this recipe) and line three ramekins (3.5 inches wide and 2 inches high), letting the paper rise at least 2 inches above the rims. Fold and crease the paper as needed to properly line the ramekins and get those signature jagged edges on the cheesecake.
  • In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and lemon zest with a hand mixer on medium speed, until smooth.
  • Add the egg, cream, vanilla and salt and beat again to combine until the egg is incorporated.
  • Now sprinkle the flour into the bowl and beat on low speed until the mixture thickens and is completely smooth, about 15 to 30 seconds.
  • Divide the batter equally among the three ramekins, filling them about 3/4th of the way. Tap them lightly on a flat surface to burst any air bubbles.
  • Place the ramekins on a tray and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the tops are deeply browned and puffy. I found that there wasn't much of a jiggle in the center by the time the tops were fully done, but if your cheesecake still looks jiggly, that's ok.
  • Let the cheesecakes cool to room temperature, the tops will fall and create sunken centers. You can either eat them now, or do what I did and chill them for about 2 hours first. Lift them out of the ramekins using the paper, peel it off and dive in! The texture is soft but firm, creamy but dense, all at once. Some recipes say the center should be gooey but I like this texture more and in the mini size, the cheesecakes cook quicker and more evenly overall.
  • These cheesecakes need to be kept in the fridge at all times, where they will last for 4 to 5 days. You can also freeze them for a few weeks. Happy baking!

Notes

*I used Amul whipping cream. You can probably use regular cream if you don't have whipping cream. The cheesecake might be a little less rich and creamy but it should work.
*I have not tried this cheesecake without eggs but I've seen some other recipes that use condensed milk as a substitute.
*For a large 9 inch cheesecake, go by the original Bon Appetit recipe.
*Shop this recipe: Baking Paper, Caster Sugar