Strawberry Rhubarb Basque Cheesecake

Posted on by Amanda Leave a comment

The sourdough has been tucked away for the summer but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t any baking happening. I love a cheesecake for a summer dessert, especially a minimal fuss basque-style cheesecake. The oven can go on in advance of an event, the basque cheesecake can sit in the fridge for a couple days, and it can be taken out to get to room temperature before serving (and to make fridge space if hosting). Basque cheesecakes are lighter and fluffier than their New York style sister, don’t have any graham cracker crusting, and end up with a caramelized exterior.

Ingredients:

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam – from Strawberry Rhubarb Jam, feel free to substitute with other jams you may have

Eggs – These give the cheesecake the fluffy texture and rise in the oven.

cream cheese + sugar
add jam
don’t forget to scrape
add cream
pour into springform

Strawberry Rhubarb Basque Cheesecake

Print Recipe
A summery cheesecake that mixes together easily in one bowl.
Course Dessert
Keyword cheesecake, rhubarb, strawberry
Cook Time 1 hour

Equipment

  • 1 12" springform pan
  • parchment paper

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs cream cheese room temp
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup strawberry rhubarb jam
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Instructions

  • Add cream cheese and sugar to a stand mixer and beat with the whisk or paddle attachment until smooth. Stop and wipe down the bowl and beaters as necessary.
  • While this is mixing together, line the springform pan with parchment paper to cover the entirety of the bottom and the sides. Some may protrude over the top of the pan, but that's ok! If you don't like the look, trim the top. The folds in the parchment will give the cheesecake extra texture on its caramelized sides.
  • Add jam to mixer and continue mixing. Stop and wipe down the bowl and beaters as necessary.
  • While mixer is still on, add eggs one at a time. Wait until each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stop and wipe down the bowl and beaters as necessary.
  • Mix salt into heavy cream and pour into the mixer. Stop and wipe down the bowl and beaters as necessary.
  • Add flour and only mix about 10 seconds.
  • Turn off mixing, and gently mix about 5-10 additional stirs until flour is completely mixed.
  • Pour batter into parchment lined springform pan, tent with foil, and bake at 400F for ~40 minutes. Bake uncovered additional ~20 minutes until browned on top.
  • Remove from oven after 60 minutes. Cheesecake will have risen and look very jiggly. It will set as it cools, deflating in the center.
  • Allow to come to room temp before removing from springform pan and serving.

Try another cheesecake: Pumpkin Basque Burnt Cheesecake or another jam: Blueberry Rhubarb Jam

Pumpkin Basque Burnt Cheesecake

Posted on by Amanda Leave a comment

November is over, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop cooking with pumpkin (in my opinion, it’s not even really the “pumpkin” you taste, it’s just the combination of spices)! If Starbucks has the pumpkin spice latte running until the new year, I’m going to keep pumpkin around. Costco even has their signature pumpkin pies through Christmas at least. The holiday season seems to really focus on pies, but what about cheesecake? Specifically pumpkin cheesecake! Most cheesecakes take way too much time, requiring the graham cracker crust, a water bath, and God forbid your cheesecake have a crack on top. That’s why I opt for a Basque-style cheesecake, with a roasty toasty top that’s just so beautiful when you peel back the parchment paper layers.

Ingredients

Pumpkin – I use fresh pumpkin, but feel free to use whatever is easier! Learn how to make Homemade Pumpkin Puree.

Cream cheese – This recipe is not healthy. It’s the holidays. 🙂

Eggs – These really give the cheesecake the puff!

Sugar – I think this is the minimum amount of sugar you could use, otherwise the cheesecake will start being more savory and even approaching bland.

cream cheese/sugar
pumpkin
eggs
heavy cream & spices
flour
bake!

Pumpkin Basque Burnt Cheesecake

Print Recipe

Equipment

  • 1 12 in spring form pan
  • parchment paper

Ingredients

  • 1.5 pounds cream cheese room temp
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp clove
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Instructions

  • In a mixer, add cream cheese and sugar and beat with paddle until smooth.
  • While mixing, snap springform pan together. Rip a sheet of parchment to cover bottom and the sides, folding the extra parchment that covers the sides of the pans. If your sheet of parchment is not big enough, use more parchment, overlapping the sheets.
  • Once cream cheese and sugar are well-combined. Add pumpkin and continue mixing.
  • Stop mixer to scrape bowl and paddle. Continue mixing.
  • Add eggs one at a time, waiting until each egg has been fully incorporated before adding the next.
  • Stop mixer to scrape bowl and paddle. Continue mixing.
  • Mix salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and ginger into heavy cream. Pour heavy cream mixture into the mixer.
  • While mixer is running, add flour and mix again for ~10 more seconds.
  • Stop mixer and finish mixing by hand until flour is gone.
  • Pour into parchment lined spring form pan. Bake at 400F for ~60 minutes in the middle rack. Tent with foil if top starts browning too quickly.
  • Remove from the oven after baking. The top should be a deep, golden brown and cheesecake should be puffy and jiggly. It will fall as it cools.
  • Serve at room temp!

Try other pumpkin desserts: Pumpkin Pull Apart Bread, Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars,

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Posted on by Amanda Leave a comment

Hot take: I do feel the first week of September is a little early for Starbucks to debut their fall menu (pumpkin spice latte), but I understand they are a business and it really does generate plenty of revenue for the die hard pumpkin fans. It’s hard for me to call the first week of September fall, because I’m still in the denial phase that summer is mostly over. However, the last week of September, my arms are open to welcome the coming rain and cooler temps. I will accept pumpkin and make them into pumpkin bars.

These pumpkin bars are pretty quick to mix together and it’s so fun to swirl the cream cheese topping. The tart cream cheese balances the sweet, spiced pumpkin and the walnuts add a good textural change.

Ingredients

Pumpkin puree – I like to make my own Homemade Pumpkin Puree with fresh pumpkin, but you can always use canned.

Cream cheese – If you don’t like cheesecake/cream cheese, you can eliminate the swirl altogether. The pumpkin bars can be eaten alone or you can make a simple powdered sugar/milk icing to top them if you do want a little bit of a decorative touch.

Walnuts – I prefer toasted walnuts in my desserts but this would also be lovely with toasted pecans or hazelnuts. If you prefer no nuts, do that too!

wet ingredients
dry ingredients
walnuts
swirled
into bars!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Print Recipe
Spiced pumpkin bars with a tart, cream cheese swirl and crunchy walnuts.
Course Dessert
Keyword bars, cheesecake, cream cheese, dessert, pumpkin

Equipment

  • quarter baking sheet with lip OR 13×9 baking dish

Ingredients

Pumpkin Bar

  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ginger
  • 1/4 tsp cloves
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 cup toasted walnuts

Cheesecake Swirl

  • 4 ounces cream cheese softened
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

Pumpkin Bar

  • Combine pumpkin puree, oil, and eggs. Mix well until combined.
  • Mix in white and brown sugars, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and salt.
  • Add in flour and baking soda and mix until streaky.
  • Add in toasted walnuts and finish mixing.

Cheesecake Swirl

  • Mix together softened cream cheese, egg, sugar, and salt until blended smooth. Make sure there are no lumps.

Assembly

  • Pour the pumpkin bar mixture into baking sheet/dish and ensure it is leveled.
  • Drizzle cheesecake swirl over the pumpkin bar into lines.
  • Using a spatula/spoon/chopstick/utensil of choice, cut lines through the cheesecake and pumpkin batters to "swirl" the two together. Don't go overboard otherwise it will turn into a mixture.
  • Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes, until bars have puffed up, cheesecake has set, and toothpick comes out clean.

Some other pumpkin recipes: Pumpkin Soup, Pumpkin Pull Apart Bread, Pumpkin Panang Curry with Spinach and Paneer