Chocolate Basque Cheesecake

This super chocolatey basque cheesecake has no crust, and you want to bake it until it’s almost burnt to get the proper flavour. Preheat your oven to 200C/400F, then add 250 grams of chopped chocolate into a medium-sized mixing bowl and melt it in the microwave at 30-second intervals. Stir between the intervals until the chcolate is melted, then set it aside to cool. Add 900 grams of room-temperature full-fat cream cheese into a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer.

Mix the cream cheese until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl while mixing so that everything is well incorporated. Reduce the speed to medium-low, add 225 grams of sugar, increase the speed to medium-high, and beat until smooth. You will know you are ready to move to the next step when you take some on your finger, rub it together, and feel all the sugar dissolved.

Add six eggs one at a time, ensuring each is incorporated before adding the next. Once all the eggs have been added and well incorporated, add 250 grams of heavy or double cream and mix for about 2 minutes. Add 30 grams of sifted cocoa powder and 30 grams of cornflour. Make sure you sift the cocoa powder and flour; your cheesecake will have lumps if you don’t.

Once the cocoa powder and cornflour have been combined, add the cooled melted chocolate, then mix until it is a cohesive colour. Butter a 20 cm springform pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, and then place the springform pan on a baking tray. Pour the smooth cheesecake filling into your prepared pan and spread your batter quickly.

Bake in the oven for about 60 minutes until it rises and looks like a souffle. Once baked, remove from the oven and let it cool down; once cooled, free the cake from the springform pan and place the cake. Dust the top with sweetened cocoa powder and serve.