Basque Burnt Cheesecake with Peach Ginger Compote

Meet the cheesecake that breaks the rules 🍑

It’s bold, golden, and unapologetically rustic. Beneath that dramatic crust is a silky, melt-in-your-mouth cream cheese filling that practically begs for a fork. Add a spoonful of bright, zesty peach-ginger compote, and you’ve got a show-stopping dessert that’s secretly simple to pull off. One bite and your guests will be saying, “Basque in the glory!”

Basque Burnt Cheesecake with Peach Ginger Compote

Yield: 10-inch cheesecake, 10 to 12 servings

Unsalted butter (for pan)

2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature

1½ cups granulated sugar

6 large eggs

2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

⅓ cup unbleached all-purpose flour

Peach Ginger Compote (see recipe)

Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 400°F. Butter a 10-inch spring form pan, then line with 2 overlapping 16x12" sheets of parchment, making sure parchment comes at least 2" above top of pan on all sides. Smooth away as many creases as possible. The parchment will be indented into the cake. Place pan on a rimmed baking sheet.

Beat cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-low speed, scraping down sides of bowl, until very smooth, no lumps remain, and sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, beating each egg 15 seconds before adding the next. Scrape down sides of bowl, then reduce mixer speed to medium-low. Add cream, salt, and vanilla and beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Turn off mixer and sift flour evenly over cream cheese mixture using a fine-mesh sieve. Beat at a low speed until incorporated, for about 15 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl (yet again) and continue to beat until batter is very smooth, homogenous, and silky, for about 10 seconds. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cheese cake until deeply golden brown on top and still very jiggly in the center, 60–65 minutes.

Let cake cool slightly (it will fall drastically as it cools), then unmold. Let cake cool completely. Carefully peel away parchment from sides of the cheesecake and slice into wedges. Serve at room temperature.

Chef Stacy Tip: Halve the recipe and bake in a 6-inch springform pan for 5 to 6 servings.

Peach Ginger Compote

Yield: about 2 cup

3 large ripe peaches peeled and diced (approximately 2 heaping cups)

1 tablespoon honey, optional

2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice

2 tablespoons candied ginger, chopped

Heat a medium sized skillet or saucepan over medium high heat. Add peaches, honey, and lemon juice to the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally until the peaches are soft and the liquid has mostly reduced, about 10 minutes. Cool then stir in candied ginger. Enjoy with Basque Cheesecake, ice cream, and more.

Equipment

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Fresh Ricotta + Lemon Ricotta Cookies

Say Cheese! 🧀 We’ll make fresh ricotta from scratch and turn it into the dreamiest Lemon Ricotta Cookies. PLUS lots of ideas for your delicious cheese including bonus recipe, Spinach & Mushroom Cannelloni!

📅 Wednesday, September 3 at 5:30 PM PDT

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“These are items I use and love. If you make a purchase after clicking on the links, I’ll earn some grocery money which I promise to use to make even more recipe content. You do not pay a higher price. Thank you for your support!” - Chef Stacy

Stacy Horn