Smooth and creamy. Tangy and Tart.
This is yet another recipe which I really cannot take much credit for. The recipe is totally stolen from Nigella's Burnt Basque Cheesecake (so I really cannot take any credit), however I've switched up some of the flavours. I've added in vanilla extract and blueberries into the original cheesecake, plus I've added in my own compote which I think pairs wonderfully.
Blueberry Basque Cheesecake with Elderflower Blueberry Compote
Serves 8-12 slices
Ingredients
For the cheesecake
600 grams full-fat cream cheese (at room temperature)
175 grams caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 large eggs (at room temperature)
300 millilitres sour cream (at room temperature)
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
25 grams cornflour
100g blueberries
For the compote
200g blueberries
3 tbsp elderflower cordial
1 tbsp cornflour
(notes, variations and substitutions found below the method)
Method (based on the original recipe here in the words of Nigella)
Heat the oven to 200℃/180℃ Fan/400°F. Get out a 20cm/8-inch springform tin and a roll of baking parchment. Unfurl a long piece from the roll, and when it looks like you’ve got enough to line the tin with an overhang of 5–7cm/2-3in, tear it off and press it into the tin, and down into the edges at the bottom. Now do the same again with a second piece, placing it perpendicular to the first so that the tin is entirely lined. Push this piece down, too, and don’t worry about any pleats, creases and wrinkles; this is The Look. Sit something heavy in the tin to keep the paper in place while you get on with the cheesecake mixture.
I use a freestanding mixer fitted with the flat paddle for this, but you could easily use a large mixing bowl, wooden spoon and elbow grease. First beat the cream cheese with the sugar and vanilla until light and smooth; I beat for quite a long time, certainly not under 2 minutes, and it would be at least 5 minutes by hand. It is absolutely essential – and I’m sorry to repeat myself – that the cream cheese is at room temperature before you start.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, waiting for each one to be incorporated before adding the next, and when they’re all mixed in, you can – beating all the while – pour in the sour cream.
Once that is also incorporated, you can slow down the mixer a little (or risk getting cornflour all over yourself) and then beat in the salt, followed by the cornflour, one teaspoon at a time. Remove the bowl from the mixer, scrape down the sides with a silicon spatula, and give everything a good stir.
Pour into the lined tin (removing whatever’s been sitting in it, obviously), making sure no cheesecake mix is left in the bowl, then tap the filled tin on the work surface about five times to get rid of any air bubbles. Scatter over 100g blueberries across the surface to finish off.
Place in the oven and bake for 50 minutes, by which time the cheesecake will be a burnished bronze on top, even chestnut brown in places, and it’ll have risen, like a dense soufflé. It will, however, still be very jiggly. It’s meant to be. You’ll think it’s undercooked, but it will carry on cooking as it cools, and it should have a soft set, anyway. It may have cracked a little around the blueberries but this is all part of the charm.
Leave to cool in the tin. It will sink in the middle a little, but that too is part of its traditional appearance. I reckon it’s cool enough to eat after 3 hours, although you may need to leave it for a little longer. If you want to chill it in the fridge, do, but not for more than 30 minutes.
To make the blueberry compote, place 200g blueberries in a pan with 3 tbsp elderflower cordial and 2 tbsp water. Simmer for about 5 minutes, squishing the blueberries a little.
In a small bowl mix together 1 tbsp cornflour and 1 tbsp water. Take the compote off the heat and immediately stir in your cornflour mix. It should thicken immediately so it is the consistency of ketchup. If it doesn't thicken just return to the heat for a minute or so.
Before serving, unclip and lift the sides of the tin up and away, and then lift the cheesecake up with the edges of the parchment. Place this on a board, and peel the paper back, and take it like that, rustically beautiful, to the table, along with your blueberry compote. Just drizzle a little over the slices of cheesecake as you hand them out, allowing people to spoon more compote over as they eat.
Notes, variations and substitutions
Make ahead: Prepare liquorice sauce up to 1 week ahead. Cover and refrigerate until needed. Allow sauce to come to room temperature before serving.
Store: Refrigerate cheesecake leftovers, covered, for up to 3 days. Refrigerate sauce leftovers, covered, for up to 3 months.
Freeze: Freeze cheesecake leftovers in airtight container for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in fridge and eat within 24 hours. Sauce leftovers can be frozen in airtight container for up to 6 months. Defrost overnight in fridge.
Variations
Lemon: replace vanilla extract with 2 lemons (zested). Add lemon juice to the blueberry compote
Raspberries: replace blueberries with raspberries
Peanut butter and chocolate: Add 150g peanut butter into the cheesecake mix. Drizzle with melted milk chocolate.
//Blueberry Basque Cheesecake with Elderflower Blueberry Compote//
Smooth and creamy. Tangy and Tart. The recipe is totally stolen from Nigella's Burnt Basque Cheesecake (so I really cannot take any credit), however I've switched up some of the flavours. I've added in vanilla extract and blueberries into the original cheesecake, plus I've added in the elderflower compote which is a citrus contrast to the vanilla cheesecake.
Recipe link in my bio.
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