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Prep time
20 minutes
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Cook time
30 minutes
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Serves
10
Author Notes
I recently discovered the beauty of Basque cheesecakes, which are nowhere near as daunting as making a regular baked cheesecake because there is no need for a water bath. They are usually flavored with vanilla, but here, coffee, amaretto, and a hint of maple syrup create a mellow, slightly earthy and caramelized flavor profile. And because I want the coffee and amaretto in this recipe to really shine, we will be dividing the cheesecake mix in half and flavoring them both separately, before swirling them together. With individual bursts of coffee and almond flavors running throughout, this couldn't be more delicious. —Food52
Test Kitchen Notes
Excerpted from Flavor Kitchen: Vibrant Recipes with Creative Twists by Crystelle Pereira with Clarkson Potter. Copyright © 2023 Octopus Publishing Group. —Food52
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Amaretto Coffee Basque Cheesecake From Crystelle Pereira
Ingredients
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2 tablespoons
instant coffee or espresso powder
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2 tablespoons
hot water
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1/3 cup
(2 ½ ounces) maple syrup
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2 2/3 cups
(1 pound 5 ounces) cream cheese
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1 teaspoon
fine sea salt
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6 tablespoons
(2 ½ ounces) golden superfine sugar
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5 1/2 tablespoons
(2 ½ ounces) light soft brown sugar
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4
extra-large eggs
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2/3 cup
(5 ounces) sour cream
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1/2 cup
(3 ½ ounces) heavy cream
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1 tablespoon
vanilla bean paste
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3 tablespoons
amaretto
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1/2 teaspoon
almond extract
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2 1/2 tablespoons
(¾ ounce) all-purpose flour
Directions
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Heat the oven to 520°F/250°C.
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In a small pan, dissolve the coffee in the hot water and stirring the maple syrup. Place over low heat and stir together for about 4 minutes, until thickened. Once thick, take off the heat, transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool.
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Using a stand mixer or a large bowl with an electric whisk, mix the cream cheese and salt together with both sugars. Beat for about 3 minutes until smooth.
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Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing in between each addition and scraping down the sides as needed, until combined.Add the sour cream and heavy cream and whisk lightly until smooth and just combined. Then, sift the flour into the batter, adding it bit by bit and folding until fully combined.
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Weigh out 9 ounces of the batter into a separate bowl. To this, add the vanilla bean paste, amaretto, and almond extract and mix well to combine.
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To the remaining batter, add the cooled coffee-maple syrup mix and whisk to combine.
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Double line a 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper: rotate the second sheet 90 degrees. The paper should be taller than the pan.
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Pour the coffee batter into the pan first. Then, pour the almond batter over the top in a circular motion, starting from the outside and going in toward the center. Use a frosting spatula to swirl the two batters together and finally lightly tap the pan to remove any air bubbles.
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Place the pan in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top has browned and there is still a wobble in the center—it will continue to cook in the residual heat of the pan.
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Set aside at room temperature until cool, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight, until set. Slice, serve, and enjoy! The cheesecake is great on its own, but I also like it with a small drizzle of maple syrup to complement all the flavors
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