Recipe

Basque Cheesecake with Cranberry Caramel

Servings: 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: about 1 hour

Ingredients:

For the Cheesecake:
● Unsalted butter (for pan)
● 2 lb. cream cheese, room temperature
● 11⁄2 cups (300 g) sugar
● Orange Zest
● 6 large eggs
● 2 cups heavy cream
● 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1⁄2 tsp. Morton kosher salt
● 1 tsp. vanilla extract
● 1⁄3 cup (42 g) all-purpose flour

For the Cranberry Caramel:
● 1 cup sugar 220g
● 1⁄3 cup pure 100% cranberry juice 75g
● 5 tablespoons butter 75g
● 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
● 2 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions:

1. Prep your Pan:
Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 400°. Brush pan with unsalted
butter, then line with 2 overlapping sheets of parchment paper, making sure
parchment comes at least 2″ above top of pan on all sides. Crunch up the
parchment to fit into the pan as best you can–you won’t end up with a clean,
smooth outer edge to the cake. Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet to
catch any drips.

2. Cream the Cheese:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 2
pounds of room temperature cream cheese, orange zest, and 11⁄2 cups sugar.
Beat on medium-low, scraping down the sides occasionally, until the mixture
is silky smooth and the sugar has fully dissolved—about 2 minutes. (If you’re
using a hand mixer instead, just plan on a few extra minutes to fully dissolve
the sugar.)

3. Add the Eggs:
Turn the speed up to medium and start adding in 6 large eggs, one at a time.
Give each egg about 15 seconds to fully incorporate before adding the next.
Once all eggs are mixed in, scrape down the bowl, lower the mixer to
medium-low, and add 2 cups of heavy cream, 1 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal
salt (or 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt), and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat until
everything is smooth and combined—about 30 seconds.

4. Add the Eggs:
Turn off the mixer and sift 1⁄3 cup (42 g) of all-purpose flour evenly over the
mixture using a fine-mesh sieve. Mix on low speed until just incorporated,
about 15 seconds. Scrape down the bowl one last time, then give it a final
10-second mix to make sure the batter is silky and well-blended.

5. Bake:
Pour the batter into your prepared pan, and bake until the top is a deep
golden brown but the center is still quite jiggly—about 60-65 minutes.

6. Make the Cranberry Caramel:
While the cheesecake is in the oven, make the cranberry caramel. In a pot,
combine the sugar and a squeeze of lemon, stirring to mix in the lemon juice.
Turn on the heat and let the sugar start to melt, turning brown as it
caramelizes. Stir with a wooden spoon to keep the color even and help
dissolve any sugar lumps—most will smooth out as they melt. Once all the
sugar has caramelized, let it cook for another minute. Add the butter and stir
until fully melted and smooth. Then, slowly pour in the cranberry juice, stirring
as you go to prevent the caramel from seizing. After all the juice is in, stir in the
vanilla and heavy cream. Allow the sauce to cool, then store it at room
temperature in an airtight container.

7. Serve!
Let the cheesecake cool slightly (it will collapse as it cools—don’t worry, that’s
expected). Once it’s fully cooled, remove it from the pan, gently peel away the
parchment, slice into wedges, and serve at room temperature or chilled, with a
drizzle of cranberry caramel.
This Basque cheesecake can be made a day in advance. Once it’s cool, cover
and chill it. When you’re ready to serve, let it sit out for a few hours to reach
room temperature again.