This rich, deeply caramelised Basque cheesecake is lifted with the fruity tang of Tart Tonic Shiraz Shrub, studded with blueberries and finished with a light dusting of cocoa.
Ingredients
- 750 g cream cheese, chopped and softened
- 1 cup (220 g) caster sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1½ cups (375 ml) thickened cream
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) Tart Tonic – Shiraz Shrub
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1½ tablespoons plain flour or rice flour
- 150 g fresh blueberries
- Cocoa powder, for dusting
Method
- Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line a 22 cm round springform cake tin with three overlapping sheets of non-stick baking paper, allowing the paper to extend above the rim.
- Place the cream cheese and caster sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat until smooth and soft peaks form.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add the cream, Tart Tonic and vanilla bean paste, then mix only until combined. Sift in the flour and beat on low speed until the batter is smooth and thick.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin and scatter the blueberries evenly over the top.
- Bake for 15 minutes, rotate the tin, then bake for another 10–15 minutes. The top should be deeply caramelised and the centre should still wobble considerably.
- Cool in the tin for 1 hour, then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
- Just before serving, lightly dust the cheesecake with cocoa powder.
Serves: 10–12
Adapted from Donna Hay’s Basque burnt cheesecake.