Vanilla Bean Basque Cheesecake with Salted Caramel

Method

1. Take the cream cheese, mascarpone, eggs and cream out 1 hour ahead so they reach room temperature (about 20°C). Split the vanilla pod lengthwise with the tip of a knife and scrape out the seeds.

2. Crumple a sheet of baking paper into a ball, open it out and press it neatly into a 12 cm round pan so it stands 5 cm above the rim.

3. In a tall jug, put the cream cheese, mascarpone, sugar, vanilla seeds and salt and blend with a stick blender held at the bottom for 1 min, until glossy. Blend in the eggs one at a time, then add the cream and cornstarch and blend just until smooth. Keep the blade at the bottom the whole time; lifting it pulls in air. Pass the batter through a fine sieve.

   Add in this stepCream cheese, full-fat block (room temperature) 200 gMascarpone (room temperature) 50 gSugar 75 gVanilla pod (or 1 tsp vanilla extract) ½Salt 1 pinchEggs (room temperature) 2Heavy cream (at least 35% fat) 100 mlCornstarch 5 g

4. Preheat the oven thoroughly to 240°C for 20 min (top and bottom heat). Meanwhile, let the batter rest and tap the jug on the counter a few times so bubbles rise and pop. Fewer bubbles mean a silkier cut face.

   oven

5. Pour the batter into the pan and bake on the middle shelf of the oven at 240°C for 18 min. Take it out when the top is past mahogany and charred in places, and a probe thermometer pushed halfway down into the very centre reads 60–65°C. The middle should wobble widely when you shake the pan.

   oven

6. Make the caramel: put the sugar and water in a small 14 cm saucepan and cook over medium heat for 4 min without stirring, just swirling the pan now and then, until deep amber. Turn down to low heat, pour in the warm cream a little at a time while whisking (it will bubble up violently, so be careful), then whisk in the butter and flaky salt for 1 min until smooth.

   Add in this stepSugar (for the caramel) 40 gWater (for the caramel) 1 tbspHeavy cream, warmed (for the caramel) 40 mlButter (for the caramel) 10 gFlaky sea salt (for the caramel) 1 pinch

   medium heat→low heat

7. Cool the cake in its pan for 1 hour, then cover and refrigerate overnight (at least 8 hours). Take it out 30 minutes before serving and cut with a knife dipped in hot water and wiped between each slice. Warm the caramel and spoon it over.