I have a confession to make. I have eaten 3 whole cheesecakes in the last two weeks alone. Granted, they were all small batch cheesecakes, but really, it essentially amounts to me eating one cheesecake, all by myself. I know we’re in the middle of summer and everyone is trying to work off their quarantine 15 but here I am, still soft and plump and not quite ready to stop stress eating sweets.
Okay, I lie. I am totally ready to stop stress eating sweets. In fact, I have been looking into the Mediterranean diet. It sounds good! It sounds more sane than keto (which I flirt with still, on occasion) because you can eat loads of vegetables and whole grains. I’m thinking of experimenting with some Mediterranean diet recipes on the blog so if you’re into that, please leave a comment below. Or tell me what your favorite recipes are – I’m excited to learn.
But you’re not here for the diet recipes so let’s talk about this Basque burnt cheesecake. I love it because it’s made in a mini loaf pan so you can take slices off of it like a loaf cake. It makes it feel like less of a dessert and more like one of those morning cakes that masquerade as “bread”. You know, lemon loaf and banana bread and the like. Which, let’s face it, are kind of just lemon cake and banana cake but in a different form factor.
I love the loaf form factor so it’s no surprise that I love this small batch Basque cheesecake. It’s just a tiny bit different than the other Basque cheesecake recipe on the blog. I wanted to play around with the proportions and bit and try using cornstarch instead of flour for a completely gluten-free cheesecake.
This lil cheesecake loaf was sweet and creamy with a hint of burnt caramel from the burnished top. I loved it and now it’s a part of me forever :)
PS – If you haven’t heard of Basque cheesecake, please read my original post here!
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese 1 package, 226 grams, very soft
- 60 grams sugar 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 35 grams heavy cream 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
Instructions
- Line a small loaf pan (6×3 inches or a pan that fits 2 cups liquid) with baking paper. Heat the oven to 450°F.
- Beat together the cream cheese and sugar until very smooth and fluffy, making sure all the sugar is dissolved. If you’re super particular, melt the cream cheese along with the sugar in a bowl over a double boiler. Add the egg and beat until smooth.
- In another bowl, add the cornstarch and tiny bit of cream, whisking until smooth, ensuring that the cornstarch doesn’t lump up. Slowly stream in the remaining cream, whisking until very smooth.
- Slowly pour the cream and cornstarch mix into the cheese mix. Mix well to ensure everything is combined.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the top is very dark and charred but the middle still has a bit of a jiggle. Broil for a couple of minutes to get extra char if desired. Let cool on a wire rack until room temperature. Remove from the tin, slice, and enjoy!
Thank you. I made these in cupcake mold and it turned out perfect! Since I’m on keto, I used stevia and a bit of xanthan gum. Tastes amazing!
Hi, can i use whipping cream if dont have heavy cream
hi fatimah,
yes, whipping cream works!
I tried out cake with the above recipe.The cake was very soft and tasty.Thank you.
Hello! Can i use this recipe for muffin size? Thank you in advance! ❤️
hi rachelle,
yes, bake them at the same temp and start checking if they’re done at around 12 minutes!
Hi can i check whether can i substitute sugar with honey?
hi shamala,
i haven’t tried with honey but i think it would work!
Hi dear, my friends comment the cheesecake hv no fragrant, can help to advise what brands of cream cheese shld i use or should i mix with some parmesan cheese.
hi liana,
i always use philadelphia cream cheese and if you like, you can add some vanilla :)
Hi, I am keen to try this in either chocolate or matcha flavour :) How much cocoa powder / matcha powder would you suggest I add without compromising on the cheesecake’s texture? Thanks!
hi!
hmm, i haven’t tried so i can’t say with confidence, but i think 1 tablespoon of matcha or cocoa would work!
Hi! Super easy and delicious recipe. Quick question, can I make this ahead of time and just keep it in the fridge like 1-2 days in advance? Will the flavor change at all/should I take it out a couple hours before serving?
you can make it ahead of time the flavor won’t change. i like eating it cold from the fridge but if you want it to have a softer texture, take it out a couple hours before serving :)
Just made this. So easy! I made it in a super small round tin I bought from Daiso. Besides adding a pinch of salt and baking in my ninja air fryer/oven at 400° I followed the recipe to a T. Air fryers are smaller and stronger than regular ovens so I usually adjust the temp. It was perfect.
i tried this today and its soo good. I found that it tastes best after sitting in the fridge for a bit.