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The name makes it sound quite historic to me, but Basque Cheesecake was created in 1990 by chef Santiago Rivera of La Viña in San Sebastian, Spain.
The recipe is often used with Shavuot, a major Jewish festival which starts on Sunday 16th May and ends Tuesday 18th May. Falling 50 days after the second day of Passover, it was originally a harvest festival but now commemorates the giving of the Law (the Torah). Prior to that the Israelites were not allowed to eat dairy products as they were considered a part of a live animal. Cheesecake is traditionally eaten on Shavuot to commemorate being allowed to eat dairy.
Ingredients:
600g full fat cream cheese
300g double cream
120g sugar
40g plain flour
40g runny honey
4 eggs
Pinch of salt
Method:
Preheat oven to 200⁰C. Grease and line an 18-inch quick release springform cake tin, (you can use a 20-inch tin for a shallower cake). Be generous with the parchment paper, it needs to stick up above the edges.
Place the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl and beat until the sugar is mixed in, then add the eggs one at a time, beating in between each. Once all the eggs are incorporated add the cream, honey and salt and beat again for another minute.
Turn the speed down to low and gradually add in the flour, then turn the speed back up and beat for a final minute. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for appx 40-45mins (less if the cake tin is larger). The cake will be puffed up and have a slightly burnt appearance, and will be slightly wobbly in the centre. Once the cake is ready, take out the oven and let cool. The cake will sink a few centimetres as it cools.
Enjoy.
Gaby Van Clarke
