Pumpkin Basque Burnt Cheesecake
A crustless pumpkin Basque burnt cheesecake with a deep mahogany top and a silky, spiced custard center. No crust, no water bath, big drama.
Servings 12 servings
Ingredients
For the Cheesecake
- 24 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar packed
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup pure pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with two sheets of parchment, pressing it in and letting it stand well above the rim.
Blend the Batter
- Beat the room-temperature cream cheese with the granulated and brown sugars until completely smooth.
- Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the pumpkin, heavy cream, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, vanilla, and salt until silky. Do not overmix.
Bake
- Pour the batter into the lined pan. Bake at 450 degrees F for 50 to 55 minutes, until the top is deeply browned and the center still jiggles noticeably.
Cool and Chill
- Cool completely in the pan on the counter. Chill at least 4 hours or overnight, then bring back toward room temperature before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Room-temp cream cheese: Cold cream cheese leaves lumps that will not blend out.
- Pull it jiggly: A firm center out of the oven means a dry cake once cooled. It sets as it chills.
- Serve just below room temperature: Cold from the fridge mutes the custardy texture.