One of the easiest desserts I have made in recent memory was a Basque cheesecake that I took to my friends Lisa and Dan’s place for dinner recently. I am not a big fan of cloyingly sweet cheesecakes like my dad used to enjoy when we visited New York that were covered in a layer of sour cream and vibrant fruit topping – usually strawberry or blueberry. So, I was excited to see this unusual looking one that is brown to the burnt sugar and high oven temperature when I was reading about trending desserts. I saw some recipes that add some flour to the batter, but in keeping it gluten free for my sister (she was not here, but I try to do this anyway on her behalf!) I removed it and kept it simple. It tasted very light. The parchment is hard to peel off, so do be aware of that. It is easier once it is chilled in the fridge. This is a cheesecake I will be making again and again as it is forgiving, and you don’t need a water bath to avoid cracks!
Ingredients
1 ⅓ cup sugar
3 teaspoon lemon zest
3 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1 8 oz. carton mascarpone cheese, room temperature
6 eggs, room temperature
1 ¼ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon limoncello, Cointreau or Triple Sec
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 carton of strawberries, sliced
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a 9-inch springform pan with two 15 x 15 pieces of parchment paper and make sure they extend over the edge of the pan by 2-3 inches. Set the pan on a baking sheet.
2. Beat together sugar and lemon zest until zest is distributed throughout the filling. Add cream cheese and mascarpone cheese and beat on medium until sugar is dissolved. Beat in 6 eggs one at a time until combined. Add cream, limoncello, salt and vanilla. Beat on medium until combined. The mixture will be slightly thin.
3. Pour the filling into the prepared springform pan. Tap on the counter to make sure it is uniform. Bake 55 minutes until the center is slightly jiggly when shaken. The top of the cake should be fairly deep brown. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove sides of the springform and cool completely on a wire rack. Gently peel off the parchment. Serve at room temperature or chill in the refrigerator for 3 days.
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