Get extra cheesy this Christmas with this Lemon and Passionfruit Curd Basque Burnt Cheesecake
I love the look of classic white dinner sets paired with a stainless steel cutlery set. In my home, I have quite a Scandinavian vibe going on in my apartment as a result of inheriting my love for Danish design from my mother.
Because my apartment is small and with an overflowing prop cupboard, I’m always looking for ways to save space. This is why I love the Stax collection by Noritake. The Noritake Dinner Set from the Stax collection consists of an assortment of dinner plates, entree plates, mugs, serving bowls, serving platters, and more. Each piece is stackable on top of the other, saving space in your home.
I presently have a set of four 15cm small white plates from this collection which are the perfect size for serving cakes and desserts. It's a miracle of miracles that I managed to squeeze all 4 plates into my cupboard. The plates are made from fine white porcelain with a uniform, low profile and straight-sided design. They’re timeless, classic, and versatile. Best of all, the plates are chip-resistant and microwave and dishwasher safe too.
To celebrate the arrival of my new plates, I decided to bake a cheesecake. Cheesecake is a bit of a classic at Christmas time, but have you ever had a Basque Burnt Cheesecake? It has no base and it’s cooked in a very hot oven which caramelizes the top of the cheesecake, giving the cheesecake its characteristic flavour. Cheesecake pairs really well with lemon, and lemon goes really well with passionfruit. Hence, I decided to combine all 3 to make a lemon and passionfruit curd basque cheesecake.
As there isn’t a base to protect the cheesecake, you will have to line your tin with 2 overlapping layers of baking paper. Lemon passionfruit curd is swirled through the cheesecake before baking, and also through the whipped cream topping. You can buy the lemon curd and stir through some passionfruit pulp or you can make your own curd. I’ve included a really easy microwave curd recipe for you, which is best made the day before you make the cheesecake to allow it to cool and set. The cheesecake also requires a long cooling time, so it’s also best made the day before serving. It's best to serve the cheesecake at room temperature, so decorate it just before serving.
This recipe makes a 20cm cake. For all my recipes I use a 250ml cup, a 20ml tablespoon, unsalted butter, and 60g eggs. My oven is a conventional oven so if you have a fan-forced oven, you may need to reduce the temperature by 20°C.
Lemon and Passionfruit Curd Basque Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients:
For Lemon and passionfruit curd:
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup (70g) caster sugar
- 80mls (⅓ cup) fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
- Pinch salt
- 45g unsalted butter, chopped at room temperature
- The pulp of 1 passionfruit
For the Cheesecake:
- 750g cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup (220g) caster sugar
- 4 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (375ml) thickened cream
- 1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup (35g) plain flour
- ⅔ cup lemon curd
- 300ml softly whipped cream, to serve
Method:
For the passionfruit curd
1. Whisk the egg, sugar, juice, lemon rind, and salt in a microwave-safe glass bowl until combined. Stirring every minute, cook on low in the microwave for 3-4 minutes or until a smooth, thick curd forms.
2. Sieve the curd to remove any eggy bits and lemon rind. Set aside to cool a little before stirring in the unsalted butter. Allow the curd to cool completely before storing in the fridge in an airtight container. When cold, stir through the passionfruit pulp.
For the Cheesecake
1. Preheat oven to 220°C, conventional. Grease a 20cm springform pan. Place a 30cm x 40cm sheet of baking paper on a clean work surface. Top with another sheet of baking paper, turning 90 degrees to create a cross. Then, line the prepared pan with the paper cross, pleating and folding the sides to fit.
2. Use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is very smooth. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Continue beating until the mixture is smooth and silky.
3. With the motor running, gradually add the thickened cream in a thin, steady stream. Continue beating until smooth. Add the lemon rind, vanilla, and salt and beat to combine. Sift flour over the cream cheese mixture. Beat on low until smooth. Spoon over 2 tablespoons of the curd and use a large metal spoon to gently marble it through the mixture.
4. Pour half the cream cheese mixture into the prepared pan. Then, spoon over another 2 tablespoons of curd. Pour over the remaining cream cheese mixture and use a round-bladed knife to gently marble. Place the cheesecake on an oven tray and bake for 55 minutes in the centre of the oven at 220°C or until the cheesecake is dark brown and puffed, but still has a jiggle in the middle. Set aside to cool completely. Then, place in the fridge to chill for 2 hours.
5. For a softer texture, bring the cheesecake to room temperature before serving. Place the whipped cream in a bowl with a little of the remaining curd and gently marble. Top the cheesecake with the cream mixture, then drizzle the cheesecake with the remaining curd. Cut into slices to serve.
Read: Christmas Dessert Recipe: Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova
