CTV Recipes
Search Recipes
Eggnog basque cheesecake
Even though it looks and sounds fancy, Basque cheesecake is the easiest baked cheesecake out there. Rather than having you make a crust and carefully and slowly bake the cheesy custard in a finicky water bath, a Basque cheesecake is purposely baked in a hot oven under direct heat with the whole goal being to burn the heck out of it. Thanks to the eggnog, spiced rum, and nutmeg, I can’t think of a more decadent and jaw-dropping wintery dessert.
YIELDS
1
Ingredients
- 4 cups brick-style cream cheese, room temperature
- 1-1/4 cups sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 6 eggs
- 1 cup whipping (35%) cream
- 1 cup eggnog
- 1 tablespoon dark rum
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Rum whipped cream:
- 1 cup whipping (35%) cream
- 2 tablespoons icing sugar
- 1 tablespoon dark rum
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/4 vanilla bean, scraped
- Freshly grated nutmeg
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and grease a 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
- Using two overlapping pieces of parchment paper, line the greased pan by pressing the parchment along the bottom of the pan and haphazardly up the sides, leaving any crinkles and folds and making sure the parchment reaches at least two inches above the rim of the pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet and set aside.
- For the cheesecake, place the cream cheese, sugar, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl, or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, and beat on medium speed until smooth, about two minutes, scraping the bowl down at least three times. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the bowl between each addition. Add the cream, eggnog, rum, and vanilla. Mix on low speed just until combined.Remove the bowl from its stand and sift the flour over top. Reattach the bowl and continue to beat on low speed just to incorporate, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl halfway through.
- Pour the cheesecake mixture into the prepared pan, bake for 50 minutes, then increase the temperature to 425°F and bake until the cheesecake is deeply golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature before removing it from the pan and peeling away the parchment paper. For the rum whipped cream, whip the cream, icing sugar, rum, and vanilla on medium-high speed, just until soft peaks form, about two to three minutes.Serve the cheesecake at room temperature or chilled, topped with a dollop of rum whipped cream and a grating of fresh nutmeg. This cheesecake will keep covered in the fridge for up to five days.
- Note: When cutting the cheesecake, use a warm sharp knife and wipe it off in between each slice. This will ensure clean, perfect slices.
Excerpted from Well Seasoned by Mary Berg. Copyright © 2021 Mary Berg. Photography ©2021 Lauren Vandenbrook. Published by Appetite by Random House, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
