eggnog burnt basque cheesecake
Who’s this noob in town called the Burnt Basque Cheesecake?
To be honest, the best invention to those who love cheesecake but hate the process.
As delicious as the Caramel Butterfinger Cheesecake was, the dish truly was a labor of love. You need to allot time and energy to the project, and for a special occasion or a serious cheesecake craving, it’s so worthwhile. However, sometimes you just don’t have the brainspace or the coordination. I get that. So here’s a simplified, increasingly popular formula perfect for the holiday season when food is flinging from all directions and dessert especially can’t be forgotten, but certainly simplified.
Burnt Basque cheesecakes love all the things most cheesecakes hate. Cracks, browning, flopping, high temperature… that’s the ideal temperament of this treat. I spun it around on its springform mannequin and offered an eggnog suit, which it accepts wholeheartedly for Christmastime and beyond. Certainly deserves a seat on your Christmas menu.
‘Noggin
Important note number one: all of your ingredients need to be at room temperature. Differing temperatures mess with the incorporation and the final texture of the cheesecake, so set everything out well ahead of time to ensure it’s ready to use.
When you’re sure, sure sure, get started!
Whip up three blocks of cream cheese with some sugar until very fluffy and creamy. Give this time – 4-5 minutes. Then, beat in the eggs one at a time, until incorporated.
Next, whip in eggnog, then nutmeg, flour, and salt. Do not overmix.
Spring To It
Heat up the oven to 400 and prepare a springform pan with a light greasing of butter or oil, then a layer of parchment that climbs up the insides of the pan.
Pour in the cheesecake batter. Bake 50-60 minutes until very golden, jiggly, and puffy. Again, the center will wiggle and boogy, that’s just fine: so long as the top is dark, you’re good to remove it from the oven.
Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature before slicing and serving. Or, stow it in the fridge to chill completely. You can serve it either way you prefer.
But first – chocolate ganache. This part isn’t really required but dudes, it’s a luscious accompaniment. Ganache is simply equal parts heavy cream and chocolate, but I like adding some espresso, Kahlua, and vanilla for some extra luxury.
Warm the chocolate and heavy cream, whisking constantly, until the chocolate melts. Then stir in the Kahlua, espresso, and vanilla, if you choose to use those. Pour that shit all over the cheesecake. Maybe add some vanilla meringues if you’re feeling snazzy.
This cheesecake stores really well in the fridge for about 4 days, so you can prepare it ahead of time to lessen the intensity of your holiday baking. Just try not to snarf it down before the party.
If you’re serving younger folk, you can leave the alcohol out and the taste will still prove magnificent. I just think it’s a moral sin to drink or eat virgin eggnog. I obviously say that as someone who’s over 21.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
eggnog burnt basque cheesecake
Ingredients
- 3 8-oz blocks cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cup eggnog, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup spiced rum or bourbon, or 1/4 cup more eggnog
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
chocolate ganache
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tbsp Kahlua (optiona)
- 1 tsp instant espresso (optional)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease an 8 or 9 inch springform pan with butter or oil and line with parchment paper all the way up the sides.
- In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until very light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until each is incorporated. Whip in the eggnog, rum or bourbon (if using), nutmeg, flour, and salt, until the batter is very thick and just combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Bake 50-60 minutes until deeply golden and puffed, but still very wiggly on top. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.
- For the ganache, gently melt the chocolate chips with the heavy cream in a small saucepan. Do not boil. Stir in the Kahlua and espresso (if using) and vanilla.
- Serve the cheesecake at room temperature, or chilled, with a generous drizzle of chocolate ganache and a sprinkle of nutmeg.
