Name: Easter chocolate Basque cheesecake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 3 x 250g blocks cream cheese,; at room temperature; 1 cup caster sugar; 300ml thickened cream; 1/4 cup plain flour; 1/4 cup cocoa; 1 tsp coffee powder; 5 free-range eggs; 200g dark chocolate, chopped; Whipped cream, raspberries, assorted chocolate eggs, to serve

If you love a rich, creamy cheesecake with deep chocolate flavour, this one’s for you!

Introducing the one and only chocolate Basque cheesecake created by social media queen, Steph de Sousa! It has a hint of coffee to make the chocolate shine, a super smooth texture, and that signature dark top that makes Basque cheesecakes so irresistible. Finished off with a drizzle of melted chocolate, it’s an Easter recipe that will be a hit on the desserts table!

Ingredients

3 x 250g blocks cream cheese,

at room temperature

1 cup caster sugar

300ml thickened cream

1/4 cup plain flour

1/4 cup cocoa

1 tsp coffee powder

5 free-range eggs

200g dark chocolate, chopped

Whipped cream, raspberries, assorted chocolate eggs, to serve

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. Double line a 20cm springform pan with baking paper.

Step 2

Place cream cheese and sugar in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add cream, flour, cocoa, coffee and eggs. Pulse until smooth.

Step 3

Pour mixture into prepared pan, bake 45–60 minutes. The top will look dark and almost burnt, and the middle will be wobbly.

Step 4

Turn off oven and let the cheesecake cool inside for 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, leave to cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate overnight to set.

Step 5

Just before serving, melt chocolate in the microwave in 30-second bursts, until melted and smooth. Pile cheesecake with cream, raspberries, drizzle with melted chocolate and decorate with
Easter eggs.

chocolate basque cheesecake with easter eggs — *(Photography: Tim Roberts, styling: Michele Cranston, recipe: Steph de Sousa)*

What is the difference between Basque cheesecake and normal cheesecake?

A normal cheesecake has a biscuit crumb as the crust to hold the smooth, cheesecake centre while a Basque cheesecake does not have a crust. Basque cheesecakes are cooked until the top is completely burnt and doesn’t have any added layers. The texture is more souffle-like, making it lighter than your regular dense cheesecake.

What is so special about Basque cheesecake?

Basque cheesecakes have a fancy reputation because of its light and airy centre, remaining jiggly and loose. It has a more sophisticated look.

What is the flavour of Basque cheesecake?

A basque cheesecake has a slightly bitter, tangy undertone because of its burnt top, mixed with the flavour of the cheesecake. In this instance, a rich creamy chocolate.

Steph De Sousa

Steph de Sousa is a social media sensation who loves sharing her passion for food with the world! After entering the MasterChef kitchen a few times, she's built a large following on Instagram amassing 3 million people and she has her own TV show, The Frugal Foodie on 10.