How to Make a "Burnt" Basque Cheesecake

Bring the cream cheese to room temperature. Cut 2 pounds cream cheese into large cubes. Place in a large bowl if using an electric hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer and let sit at room temperature at least 1 hour.

Heat the oven and prepare the pan. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400ºF. Coat a 9-inch springform pan or 9-inch (3-inch high) round cake pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with 2 overlapping sheets of parchment paper, and don’t worry if there are some wrinkles and creases in the paper.

Beat the cream cheese and sugar together. Add 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar to the cream cheese and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon kosher and beat to combine.

Beat in the eggs and cream. With the mixer on low speed, beat in 5 large eggs one at a time, mixing until each one is incorporated before adding the next. Slowly pour in 2 cups heavy cream and mix until smooth.

Sift in the flour and gently fold it in. Use a fine-mesh strainer to sift 1/4 cup all-purpose flour onto the batter. Fold it in with a large spatula.

Bake the cheesecake for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until browned and almost burned-looking on top, with a jiggly center, 50 minutes to 1 hour. The cake will puff, crack, and fall as it bakes.

Cool the cheesecake for 1 hour. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour.

Serve the cheesecake at room temperature. To serve, remove the cake from the pan, or remove the outer ring of the springform pan. Peel away the parchment paper and slice the cheesecake.