Burnt Basque Cheesecake Toast

Method

1. Preheat the oven (or a toaster oven) to 230°C for 10 min and line a baking tray with baking paper.

   oven

2. In a bowl, mash the soft cream cheese with the sugar using a spoon until smooth and lump-free, then stir in the yolks, cream and cornstarch to make a cream as thick as yogurt.

   Add in this stepCream cheese (room temperature) 120 gSugar 30 gEgg yolks 2Heavy cream 30 mlCornstarch 1 tsp

3. Press the centre of each slice firmly with the back of a spoon to make a hollow about 1.5 cm deep, leaving a 1 cm border. Spread butter thinly over the border and the sides. The border works as a wall that keeps the cream from running off.

   Add in this stepThick white bread (3 cm slices, or brioche) 2Butter (softened) 10 g

4. Fill the hollows with the cheese cream, mounding it slightly in the middle, and space the slices out on the tray.

5. Bake on the upper shelf of the oven at 230°C for 10 min. It's done when the cream is scorched dark brown to black in patches and set at the edges, but still wobbles a little in the centre. If the colour is still pale when the time is up, give it 1–2 more minutes, but watch closely as it burns in seconds.

   oven

6. Leave on the tray for 3 min so the cream settles, then drizzle with honey, add a little flaky salt and eat while warm.

   Add in this stepHoney 2 tspFlaky sea salt 1 pinch