Burnt Basque chocolate cheesecake

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line a 22 cm springform cake tin with three overlapping 50 x 45 cm pieces of baking paper to ensure the mixture doesn’t leak.

2. Place the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat until smooth and soft peaks form. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition at a low speed, until combined.

3. In another bowl over a pan of simmering water, heat the chocolate and cream until melted. Add the cocoa and vanilla and stir until incorporated. Add the cream mixture to the cream cheese and whisk at a low speed.

4. Spoon into the cake tin and bake for 20 minutes, then carefully rotate the tin 180°. Bake for a further 50 minutes. The cheesecake should be slightly burnt on the top but still wobbly in the centre.

5. Remove from the oven and cool completely. This is best the next day if you have time to set it overnight in the fridge.

6. To make the chocolate drizzle, melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second bursts, then slowly stir in the warm cream until smooth. Allow to stand for a minute or two. If it splits, stir vigorously with a spoon and heat for a few seconds at a time until it comes together. Pour over the cheesecake to serve.

Cook's note: This may look daunting, but there is no water bath, no base and it’s made in one bowl! The darkened surface lends a lovely caramelised bitterness to the cheesecake, which goes perfectly with the chocolate. It’s important not to overwhip the mixture as you don’t want a lot of bubbles throughout the cake.

Find more cheesecake recipes here. 

Photographs: Myburgh Du Plessis Recipes
Food assistant: Claire-ellen Van Rooyen