Burnt Basque cheesecake

Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 7. Lightly grease the baking tin and line with a large sheet of parchment paper, so that it lines the base and sides, reaching up above the sides of the tin

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down as needed and mixing until combined. Add the salt, vanilla and cream and mix briefly until fully combined. Sift over the flour and mix briefly to combine. Pour into the prepared tin and level out

Bake for about 40 minutes, or until dark, almost burnt. The cheesecake will have quite a wobble at this stage

Leave to cool completely in the tin. You can either let it cool to room temperature, which will result in a softer creamier texture, or you can let it cool at room temperature for an hour before chilling in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours. This will result in a denser texture, a little more like a traditional cheesecake. Whichever way you cool the cheesecake, it will collapse on itself as it sits – that’s to be expected, so don’t worry about it

Remove from the tin and cut into portions to serve. Store covered in the refrigerator for around 3–4 days