Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Cherry Bakewell Basque Cheesecake
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
45 mins
1 hour 25 mins
10 hours 10 mins
Serves:
One 8-inch cheesecake; 12 slices
Nikki created this dish for Great British Bake Off ™ Series 17. Baking with her cousin Jen, she turned the cherry Bakewell slices from their grandparents' house into a Basque cheesecake with an almond shortbread base, a hidden cherry layer and a glossy sour cherry gel disc on top. This version takes...
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Ingredients
FOR THE ALMOND SHORTBREAD BASE: 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar 3/4 cup (95 g) all-purpose flour 1/2 cup (50 g) ground almonds (almond flour) 1/4 tsp fine salt
FOR THE CHERRY FILLING: 2 cups (300 g) pitted cherries, fresh or frozen (dark sweet, or half sour) 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1 1/2 Tbsp (12 g) cornstarch 2 Tbsp water
FOR THE ALMOND BASQUE CHEESECAKE: 24 oz (680 g) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp (175 g) granulated sugar 4 large eggs, at room temperature 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream 2 Tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour 1 tsp pure almond extract 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/4 tsp fine salt
FOR THE SOUR CHERRY GEL DISC: 3 Tbsp cold water 2 tsp (6 g) powdered gelatin 1 cup (240 ml) tart (sour) cherry juice 2 Tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar, or to taste
EQUIPMENT: 8-inch (20 cm) springform pan, 3 inches (7.5 cm) deep Parchment paper (two large sheets) Stand mixer or hand mixer Small saucepan Fine-mesh strainer Instant-read thermometer 7-inch (18 cm) cake pan or ring, lined
Method
STEP 1: LINE THE PAN
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Crumple two large sheets of parchment paper, open them out and press them crosswise into the springform pan, letting them stand 2 inches (5 cm) above the rim.
STEP 2: BAKE THE BASE
Beat the butter and sugar until pale. Mix in the flour, ground almonds and salt to a soft dough. Press it evenly over the bottom of the lined pan and prick it all over. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden at the edge, then cool completely. The ground almonds carry the almond flavor here, so no extract goes into the base.
STEP 3: MAKE THE CHERRY FILLING
In the small saucepan, simmer the cherries, sugar and lemon juice for 5 minutes, until the fruit softens. Mix the cornstarch with the water, stir it in and boil for 1 minute, until thick and glossy. Lightly crush about a third of the cherries. Cool, then chill until fridge-cold, because a warm, loose filling weakens the set from below.
STEP 4: RAISE THE OVEN
Increase the oven to 400°F (200°C), with a rack in the lower middle.
STEP 5: MAKE THE BATTER
Beat the cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth, scraping down the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each. Beat in the heavy cream, then the flour, almond extract, vanilla extract and salt. Mix only until smooth, and pass the batter through the fine-mesh strainer if any lumps remain.
STEP 6: ASSEMBLE
Spoon the cold cherry filling over the base, leaving a 3/4-inch (2 cm) border. Gently pour the batter over the top.
STEP 7: BAKE THE CHEESECAKE
Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until the top is deep mahogany and the outer 2 inches are set. Check the center with the instant-read thermometer and take the cheesecake out at 150°F (65°C). The middle should wobble in one piece like a set jelly, not ripple like liquid.
STEP 8: COOL AND CHILL
Cool the cheesecake in its pan at room temperature for 2 hours. It will sink, as a Basque cheesecake should. Then chill for at least 6 hours, or overnight. Do not rush the cooling in an ice bath.
STEP 9: MAKE THE GEL DISC
Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and leave for 5 minutes to bloom. In the small saucepan, warm the cherry juice and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Off the heat, stir in the bloomed gelatin until melted. Pour into the lined 7-inch cake pan or ring and chill for 2 hours, until firm.
STEP 10: FINISH AND SERVE
Unclip the pan, lift the cheesecake out on its parchment and peel the paper away. Only once the cheesecake is cold and firm, slide the gel disc onto the center of the top. Slice with a hot, dry knife. Keeps for 4 days, covered, in the fridge.
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Instructions
FOR THE ALMOND SHORTBREAD BASE:
1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (95 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (50 g) ground almonds (/interesting-ingredients/ground-almonds)(almond flour)
1/4 tsp fine salt
FOR THE CHERRY FILLING:
2 cups (300 g) pitted cherries, fresh or frozen (dark sweet, or half sour)
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp (12 g) cornstarch
2 Tbsp water
FOR THE ALMOND BASQUE CHEESECAKE:
24 oz (680 g) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp (175 g) granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
2 Tbsp (16 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp pure almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
(/interesting-ingredients/vanilla-extract)1/4 tsp fine salt
FOR THE SOUR CHERRY GEL DISC:
3 Tbsp cold water
2 tsp (6 g) powdered gelatin
(/interesting-ingredients/gelatin-powder)1 cup (240 ml) tart (sour) cherry juice
2 Tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar, or to taste
EQUIPMENT:
8-inch (20 cm) springform pan, 3 inches (7.5 cm) deep
Parchment paper (two large sheets)
Stand mixer or hand mixer
Small saucepan
Fine-mesh strainer
Instant-read thermometer
7-inch (18 cm) cake pan or ring, lined
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: LINE THE PAN
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Crumple two large sheets of parchment paper, open them out and press them crosswise into the springform pan, letting them stand 2 inches (5 cm) above the rim.
STEP 2: BAKE THE BASE
Beat the butter and sugar until pale. Mix in the flour, ground almonds and salt to a soft dough. Press it evenly over the bottom of the lined pan and prick it all over. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden at the edge, then cool completely. The ground almonds carry the almond flavor here, so no extract goes into the base.
STEP 3: MAKE THE CHERRY FILLING
In the small saucepan, simmer the cherries, sugar and lemon juice for 5 minutes, until the fruit softens. Mix the cornstarch with the water, stir it in and boil for 1 minute, until thick and glossy. Lightly crush about a third of the cherries. Cool, then chill until fridge-cold, because a warm, loose filling weakens the set from below.
STEP 4: RAISE THE OVEN
Increase the oven to 400°F (200°C), with a rack in the lower middle.
STEP 5: MAKE THE BATTER
Beat the cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth, scraping down the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each. Beat in the heavy cream, then the flour, almond extract, vanilla extract and salt. Mix only until smooth, and pass the batter through the fine-mesh strainer if any lumps remain.
STEP 6: ASSEMBLE
Spoon the cold cherry filling over the base, leaving a 3/4-inch (2 cm) border. Gently pour the batter over the top.
STEP 7: BAKE THE CHEESECAKE
Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until the top is deep mahogany and the outer 2 inches are set. Check the center with the instant-read thermometer and take the cheesecake out at 150°F (65°C). The middle should wobble in one piece like a set jelly, not ripple like liquid.
STEP 8: COOL AND CHILL
Cool the cheesecake in its pan at room temperature for 2 hours. It will sink, as a Basque cheesecake should. Then chill for at least 6 hours, or overnight. Do not rush the cooling in an ice bath.
STEP 9: MAKE THE GEL DISC
Sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and leave for 5 minutes to bloom. In the small saucepan, warm the cherry juice and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Off the heat, stir in the bloomed gelatin until melted. Pour into the lined 7-inch cake pan or ring and chill for 2 hours, until firm.
STEP 10: FINISH AND SERVE
Unclip the pan, lift the cheesecake out on its parchment and peel the paper away. Only once the cheesecake is cold and firm, slide the gel disc onto the center of the top. Slice with a hot, dry knife. Keeps for 4 days, covered, in the fridge.
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