05/16/2026
Shavuot is coming !! Here my recipe for Burnt Basque cheesecake from my latest cookbook MATZAH AND FLOUR!
BURNT BASQUE CHEESECAKE
Serves: 8 people
Time: 40 minutes prep, 1 hour resting (and overnight)
18 oz (510 g) full-fat cream cheese
1 cup (230 g) labneh (or mascarpone)
113 cup (320 g) heavy cream
1 cup (200 g) sugar
2 tsp salt
4 eggs
3.5 tbsp (30 g) corn starch
1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (210°C) for traditional baking (not convection), and lightly grease an 8-inch (20 cm diameter) springform pan. Take a single large sheet of parchment paper and moisten it with water.
After crumpling it up, press it to drain any excess water, being careful not to tear it. Line both the bottom and sides of the springform pan with the parchment paper, ensuring that the paper extends above the baking pan’s sides.
2- In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, labneh, heavy cream, and salt. Do not whip the mixture. Add the sifted corn starch/potato starch/almond flour to the mixture, and mix carefully until homogeneous.
3- In a bowl, beat the eggs with sugar for about 3 minutes until the batter becomes smooth and creamy.
Then, add it to the cheese-flour mixture and stir well. Pour the mixture into the lined springform pan, and tap it on the table to remove any air bubbles.
4-Bake for 25 minutes. When finished, it should be jiggly in the middle (more than a traditional American cheesecake), and the top should be dark. If the top is not dark enough broil the cheesecake for 4 minutes.
5-Then turn off the oven and open the door, but leave the cheesecake inside for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, the center should still jiggle when you shake it, but less than before.
6- Remove from the oven and let it cool at room temperature for about 1 hour.
Then place it in the fridge for at least 3 hours (but overnight is better).
1 hour before eating, Carefully remove the cheesecake from the mold and parchment paper, and put it on a plate.
