It’s about that time when falling leaves transition to falling snow. As Autumn comes to a close, now is the time to squeeze in every last bit of pumpkin love. Combine two seasonal favorites, all things pumpkin and warm spices, to create this decadent pumpkin burnt basque cheesecake. Here’s to ending this season on a sweet note!
First off, let’s talk spices. We drew inspiration from masala chai. This lends a warmer, more well-rounded spice profile to our burnt basque cheesecake. While the spices utilized in traditional pumpkin pie spice are nice, those utilized to make masala chai are even better.
Pumpkin pie spice traditionally includes cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove, and allspice. Our masala chai-inspired blend contains cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, clove, nutmeg, and black pepper. While similar when it comes to ingredients, the addition of cardamom and black pepper in our spice blend offers up a spicier, citrus-forward, and floral flavor profile. Overall, this masala chai-inspired spice blend creates a complex and well-rounded blend that works equally as well with the mellow flavor of pumpkin.
Now if you don’t have these spices on hand, no need to worry. Feel free to utilize 4 grams of pumpkin pie spice in its place and fortify it with a few dashes of cardamom and/or black pepper.
It is important when making this dessert to understand its origin. Basque cheesecake was created in 1990 in the town of San Sabastian, in the Basque region of Spain, by Chef Santiago Rivera. This new cheesecake varied from its sweet NY-style American counterpart. It was crustless and had a deep golden, caramelized, and even “burnt” exterior. "Nearly three decades later its popularity remains for there are endless flavor variations and nearly limitless topping options.
The technique used to bake the Basque cheesecake is quite unique. Unlike American cheesecake, Basque cheesecake does not utilize a water bath. Instead, a high-temperature oven, typically 400F degrees and up, is used to quickly cook the base, resulting in a multi-textural delight. The cheesecake has a cakey texture around the exterior, a creamy interior, and a heavily caramelized top.
Here are some additional steps you can take to make a superior Basque cheesecake. Take the time to temper your ingredients. This step results in a smoother, easier-to-blend cheesecake base, that also bakes off more evenly. Additionally, opt to blend your cheesecake base over hand mixing or using a stand mixer. Utilizing a blender helps create a more homogenous, lump-free base. Furthermore, blending the base incorporates less air than other methods, resulting in a denser, more custardy finished product. To knock out any large air bubbles or remove any remaining lumps, run your cheesecake base through a fine mesh strainer prior to pouring it into your parchment-lined cake or springform pan.
If you are looking to amp up your Pumpkin Burnt Basque Cheesecake one step further, you can make your own pumpkin puree. Take any edible pumpkin (sugar pumpkins are typically the most readily available) and cut it in half using your 7” Nakiri Knife. Scoop out the seeds using your Titanium Quenelle Spoon. Rub the pumpkin halves with neutral vegetable oil and pop them into a 400F degree oven on an aluminum foil-lined sheet tray. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until a knife easily enters the flesh of the pumpkin. Remove the pumpkin from the oven, let it cool slightly, scoop out the flesh, and place it into a blender. Blend the flesh until smooth and use in place of the canned pumpkin puree typically utilized in your favorite recipes.
Some benefits of using homemade pumpkin puree include adding deeper flavor to your dish; this flavor comes from the high-temperature bake used to cook the pumpkin, which leads to the slight caramelization of the flesh. When cooking with edible pumpkins, they are typically sweeter and less vegetal than their canned counterparts. Additionally, homemade pumpkin puree has less moisture content than canned purees. In this recipe, less moisture means a more luscious cheesecake base that is less prone to moisture leaching post-bake. That being said, if you are using canned pumpkin puree, you can pull out some of the moisture by placing the puree in a paper towel or cheesecloth, and squeezing out the water.
We hope you enjoy delving into all things Basque cheesecake. The time spent creating this lovely Pumpkin Burnt Basque Cheesecake serves as an excellent opportunity to slow down. So, grasp the final moments of Autumn before the holiday hustle commences. And with that, get ready for all things merry and bright!
Masala Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake
Enjoy the last days of Autumn with a basque-style cheesecake made with mellow pumpkin and infused with bright masala chai-inspired spices. This crustless cheesecake has a decadent creamy center, not-too-sweet flavor, and signature caramelized “burnt” top.
Recipe and Photography by SyEnna Hackbarth
Forge To Table Knives
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Servings: 12
Ingredients:
240 grams Heavy Whipping Cream, Room Temperature
300 grams Whole Eggs, Room Temperature
40 grams Egg Yolks, Room Temperature
1000 grams Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
200 grams Granulated Sugar
25 grams All Purpose Flour
300 grams Pumpkin Puree (homemade or canned)
2.50 grams Ground Cinnamon
0.75 gram Ground Cardamom
0.50 gram Ground Ginger
0.25 gram Ground Clove
0.25 gram Ground Nutmeg
Pinch of Finely Ground Black Pepper
Directions:
PREHEAT. Preheat the oven to 400F degrees with convection (optional).
COMBINE. To the bowl of a blender pitcher, add heavy whipping cream, whole eggs, egg yolks, cream cheese, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, pumpkin puree, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, ground ginger, ground clove, ground nutmeg, and finely ground black pepper. Having liquids towards the bottom of the blender pitcher will reduce the overall stress on the machine.
BLEND. Place the blender pitcher on the machine base. Starting at low speed, blend the cheesecake base together. Slowly increase the speed to medium and blend until the base is homogenous and as close to lump-free as possible. Avoid increasing the speed above medium, for higher speeds add more air, which negatively affects the texture. Set aside.
PREP. Spray a 9” cake pan or springform pan with baking spray. Take 2, 12” x 16” parchment baking sheets and form them into an X. Press them into the pan, ensuring that the sides and bottom are covered. Gently fold the overhanging parchment paper over the edge of the pan.
STRAIN. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the cheesecake base into the parchment-lined pan.
BAKE. Place the cheesecake pan on a sheet tray. Slide the sheet tray into the oven on the middle rack, ensuring there is at least 3 inches of clearance above it. Bake until the sides are set, the center is jiggly, and the top is a deep brown color, about 60 minutes. The internal temperature should read 150F degrees.
REST. Turn off the oven and crack the door. Allow the cheesecake to rest inside the warm oven for 1 hour.
REFRIGERATE. Remove the warm cheesecake from the oven and transfer it to the refrigerator. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight for the best results.
SERVE. Remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator and release it from the pan by grabbing on the excess parchment and pulling it up. Peel the parchment from the sides of the cheesecake, slice, serve, and enjoy!
Chef’s Notes:
Be sure to let your cheesecake rest in the oven once the cooking time is complete. Removing it too early can lead to a runny and unset center. The gentle heat helps the center of the cheesecake set, yet remain custardy.
Keep a close eye on the parchment paper while your cheesecake is baking. Slight browning is normal, but bursts of heat or powerful convection can lead to burning.
Do not open the oven door while the cheesecake is baking. This creates fluctuations in temperature and can cause large cracks in the surface of the cheesecake to appear.
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