Basque Cheesecake with Blueberry Compote

This show stopping dessert is for bakers of all skill levels. There’s no need for a water bath or to worry about uneven surfaces as it only adds to the beauty and presentation of the cheesecake. Whether served with a fruit compote or by itself, this cheesecake is sure to impress.

Basque Cheesecake with Blueberry Compote
2lb cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup (200 g) sugar
6 eggs
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
⅓ cup (50g) Flourist Sifted Red Fife Flour 

Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a 10” springform pan by cutting 2 large rectangle sheets of parchment paper and crisscrossing them. Fit them into the pan using pleats and creases while ensuring that the parchment paper comes up at least 2” above the sides of the pan as the cheesecake will rise while baking. The pleats will help to create a dramatic and unsmooth edge on the finished cheesecake. Place the prepared spring form pan on a rimmed baking sheet and make sure that the racks in the oven are placed so that the parchment paper edges won’t come into contact with them during baking.

Make sure that cream cheese and eggs are at room temperature before beginning. In the bowl of a standing mixer or with handheld beaters, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and continue beating on medium-low until very smooth, scrape the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula and continue beating for 30 seconds more. 

Increase speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Reduce speed to low and add heavy cream, salt and vanilla, beating for 1 minute. 

Turn off the mixer and use a fine mesh sieve to sift the Flourist sifted red fife flour evenly over the batter. Beat on low until just incorporated, about 20 seconds. Scrape down sides of the bowl and continue beating for about 1 minute until batter is silky smooth and homogeneous. 

Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake cheesecake for approximately 60 minutes until the top is deeply golden brown and jiggly in the center (it will firm up as it cools).

Let cool completely before un-molding from the springform pan, it will collapse as it cools down. Carefully peel away the parchment paper before slicing and serving with Blueberry compote.

Blueberry Compote
1 lb (454 g) blueberries, fresh
½ cup water
2 tbsp (25 g) sugar
2 sprigs of thyme

Add half of the blueberries, water, sugar and thyme to a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until it comes to a boil and simmer on low for 5-10 minutes until the berries have burst and released their juices. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. 

Remove the thyme and transfer the blueberry sauce into a blender or use a hand immersion blender to puree until smooth. Transfer into a bowl and fold the remaining fresh blueberries into the compote. 

Serve blueberry compote warm or cool.