"Burnt" Basque Cheesecake
"Burnt" Basque cheesecake is made by baking the cheesecake in a very hot oven to deliver a beautiful, dark exterior full of bittersweet notes that complements the creamy light interior. The original recipe was developed in the 1970s, at a cafe in San Sebastian called La Vina. I adapted it to fit a standard cake pan rather than the large springform pan used in the original. I rarely post a trendy recipe while it's still trendy. But this "burnt" cheesecake method deserves the hype and is just plain easier — just remember the parchment paper.
soft unsalted butter, or as needed
1
tablespoon
parchment paper
cream cheese, softened
3
(8 ounce) packages
white sugar
1
cup
all-purpose flour
3
tablespoons
fine salt
½
teaspoon
vanilla extract
½
teaspoon
eggs, at room temperature
4
jumbo
heavy cream
1 ¼
cups
 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  Butter a 9-inch cake pan. Cut a sheet of parchment paper large enough to line the inside of the pan by a few extra inches. Butter the paper and press it into the pan, flattening any major creases. Trim away any excess paper from the sides until you have an inch or two of overhang.
  Combine cream cheese, sugar, flour, and salt in a bowl; stir and smear together with a spatula until very smooth and creamy.
  Add vanilla and 1 egg; whisk to combine. Whisk in remaining eggs, one at a time. Pour in heavy cream and mix until smooth.
  Pour batter into the prepared pan. Tap the pan against the counter to burst any excess air bubbles.
  Bake in the preheated oven until puffed, very well browned, and nearly burned on the edges, 50 to 55 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for the last 10 minutes.
  Let cheesecake cool to room temperature, at least 25 minutes. Lift out onto a plate and peel back parchment paper, using a knife or spatula if needed. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, 4 hours to overnight.
