If you like cheesecakes, you certainly have tried a Basque Cheesecake, right? Super creamy, quick to prepare and simply marvelous! These cheesecakes are typically served »naked« – means without anything added. Well… this Basque Cheesecake with Apple Compote is the exception to that rule. Loads of apple compote on top. We love it here. It’s a great addition to an already fantastic cheesecake.
We’re big fans of cheesecake in every shape or form. When prepared correctly, a Basque Cheesecake is extremely creamy and delicious. Once you start, it’s hard to stop eating. Really. We’ve all been there, right?! That’s why these cakes are sometimes a bit dangerous.
Because we like this type of cheesecake so much, but don’t want to eat too much sugar, we always reduce the sugar in the recipes quite a bit. Usually by half, in contrast to the usual amounts in other recipes. In terms of flavor, this is absolutely fine because a reduced-sugar cheesecake is still sweet enough, especially with an apple compote on top.
The disadvantage of less sugar in the batter is less browning. Basque Cheesecakes (aka. Burnt Cheesecakes) are known for their dark, sometimes burnt surface. When there is less sugar in the batter, there is, of course, less sugar to caramelize and to brown. The cream cheese alone takes a lot longer to brown. You actually don’t want the cream cheese to burn, you want the sugar to caramelize.
Long story short, almost all of our Basque Cheesecakes do not have the typical super dark surface. The cakes get some color around the edges, because there the heat comes from the top and the side. In the center, though, our Basque Cheesecakes are all a bit »pale«, you could say. It doesn’t bother us, but cakes from other bakers are usually a little darker. You can create more browning when you place the cake closer to the upper heating element (towards the end of the baking time), but you have to be careful here to not completely burn the cake… or the baking paper. We’ve had the paper go up in flames several times already.
Anyway. Super dark surface or not, it doesn’t really matter here tbh. The cake is topped with apple compote. You won’t be able to see the surface of the cake anyway. It doesn’t matter if the cake is as pale as Snow White or has cracks all over – everything is hidden under the apples.
Speaking of the apple compote… you can prepare this up to 3 days in advance and store it in the fridge. We like to make a little more and use leftovers for other purposes. Apple compote is perfect for oatmeal or muesli in the morning, perfect to fill cupcakes or muffins or on the side with a fluffy Kaiserschmarrn. We love to add apple compote pretty much everywhere. That’s why there is a container with it in the fridge almost all the time.
If you like Basque Cheesecakes as much as we do here, you will certainly also enjoy our other recipes – there are quite a few of them here on the blog. Two of them should be mentioned especially, because they are so extremely delicious. For all chocoholics, this Basque Chocolate Cheesecake is a must-bake. It’s super creamy and chocolaty. So good! If you are into blueberries, you should try this extra-flavorful Blueberry Basque Cheesecake. Also, an absolute showstopper!
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
For the basque cheesecake:
17.6 oz. (500g) cream cheese
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
1/3 cup (40g) cornstarch*
1/4 tsp. salt
3 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla bean paste*
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
For the apple topping:
2-3 medium-sized apples (approx. 14 oz./400g)
1-2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch*
1 tsp. ground cinnamon*
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste* (optional)
1 tbsp. lemon juice
3-4 tbsp. water
some chopped nuts or toasted sliced almonds
Für den Kuchen:
500g Frischkäse (Doppelrahmstufe)
100g Zucker
40g Speisestärke*
1/4 TL Salz
3 Eier (L)
2 TL Vanillepaste*
240ml Schlagsahne
Für das Apfelkompott:
2-3 mittelgroße Äpfel (etwa 400g)
1-2 EL brauner Zucker
1 EL Speisestärke*
1 TL Zimt*
1 TL Vanillepaste* (optional)
1 EL Zitronensaft
3-4 EL Wasser
einige gehackte Nüsse oder geröstete gehobelte Mandeln
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F). Line a 9×5-inch loaf tin* with baking parchment. Make sure the paper is a little higher than the edges of the loaf tin. The cheesecake batter tends to rise a bit (and collapse later), so you want to make sure it stays where it should and does not overflow. Place the loaf tin on a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
2. Add the cream cheese to a large bowl and mix it to soften it a bit. Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a second bowl until well combined. Add to the large bowl and mix into the cream cheese. Let sit for 5 minutes, so the sugar has a chance to dissolve.
3. Add the eggs one after another to the bowl and mix well after each addition. Add the vanilla bean paste and mix well. Finally, add the heavy cream and mix in. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared loaf tin – make sure the baking parchment stays where it should. Place the baking sheet with the loaf tin on top in the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 40-45 minutes. If your oven is not distributing the heat well (like mine), you can place the cake closer to the top heating element for the last 10-15 minutes to get more browning. You want the top of the cheesecake to have a nice golden brown color. The cheesecake should still wobble a little when you move the tin. Take out of the oven and let cool down completely inside the loaf tin. When completely cooled, place the cake in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours or overnight.
4. Peel, core and dice the apples for the compote. Add them to a small saucepan. Mix brown sugar, cornstarch, and ground cinnamon and add to the apples. Add the vanilla bean paste (optional), lemon juice, and water. Let the apples cook for 4-6 minutes while stirring constantly. You want the apples to be slightly softer, but not mushy. The liquid in the saucepan should have thickened nicely and coat the apples. Remove from the heat and let cool down.
5. Remove the cheesecake from the tin by lifting it out with the baking parchment. Place the cake on a serving plate and spoon the apple compote on top. Sprinkle with some chopped nuts or sliced almonds (optional) and serve.
1. Den Ofen auf 230°C (450°F) Ober-/Unterhitze vorheizen. Eine 23x12cm Kastenform* mit Backpapier auslegen. Man sollte hier darauf achten, dass das Backpapier rundum etwas über den Rand der Backform übersteht. Der Teig geht ein wenig auf (und fällt später wieder zusammen) – damit nichts überläuft, sollte man die Backform mit dem Backpapier etwas erhöhen. Die Form auf ein Backblech setzen und zur Seite stellen.
2. Den Frischkäse in eine große Schüssel geben und glatt rühren. Zucker, Stärke und Salz vermischen, zum Frischkäse dazugeben und unterrühren. Alles etwa 5 Minuten stehen lassen, damit sich der Zucker ein wenig auflösen kann.
3. Die Eier einzeln zur Schüssel dazugeben und jeweils gut unterrühren. Vanillepaste und Schlagsahne dazugeben und unterrühren. Den Teig jetzt in die vorbereitete Form füllen – aufpassen, dass das Backpapier dabei nicht verrutscht. Die Backform mitsamt Backblech in die Mitte des vorgeheizten Ofens schieben und dann etwa 40-45 Minuten backen. Wenn der Ofen die Hitze nicht so gut verteilt wie er soll (ist bei mir der Fall), kann man den Käsekuchen die letzten 10-15 Minuten eine Schiene höher einschieben, näher zum Heizelement – das garantiert eine stärkere Bräunung. Ein Baskischer Käsekuchen hat im Idealfall eine recht dunkle Oberfläche. Den Kuchen aus dem Ofen herausnehmen – in der Mitte sollte die Käsekuchenmasse noch ein wenig wackeln, wenn man an der Form rüttelt. In der Form komplett abkühlen lassen, dann noch einmal mindestens 2-3 Stunden (oder über Nacht) in den Kühlschrank stellen.
4. Die Äpfel für das Kompott schälen, entkernen und in Würfel schneiden. Braunen Zucker, Stärke und Zimt vermischen und zu den Äpfeln geben. Vanillepaste (optional), Zitronensaft und das Wasser dazugeben. Die Äpfel unter ständigem Rühren etwa 4-6 Minuten köcheln lassen. Die Apfelstücke sollen etwas weicher sein, aber nicht matschig werden. Wenn die Flüssigkeit im Topf schön eingedickt hat, werden die Äpfel damit überzogen sein. Vom Herd ziehen und abkühlen lassen.
5. Den Käsekuchen mithilfe des Backpapiers aus der Form heben und auf eine Servierplatte setzen. Das Apfelkompott darauf verteilen und mit einigen gehackten Nüssen oder gehobelten Mandeln bestreuen (optional). Servieren und genießen!
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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Easy Basque Cheesecake with Apple Topping
- Prep Time: 00:25
- Cook Time: 00:45
- Total Time: 06:00
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Cheesecakes
- Method: -
- Cuisine: International
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Everyone loves Basque Cheesecake – I bet you will love this version with apple topping as well. The perfect sweet treat in fall/autumn.
Ingredients
For the basque cheesecake:
17.6 oz. (500g) cream cheese
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
1/3 cup (40g) cornstarch*
1/4 tsp. salt
3 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla bean paste*
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
For the apple topping:
2-3 medium-sized apples (approx. 14 oz./400g)
1-2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch*
1 tsp. ground cinnamon*
1 tsp. vanilla bean paste* (optional)
1 tbsp. lemon juice
3-4 tbsp. water
some chopped nuts or toasted sliced almonds
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F). Line a 9×5-inch loaf tin* with baking parchment. Make sure the paper is a little higher than the edges of the loaf tin. The cheesecake batter tends to rise a bit (and collapse later), so you want to make sure it stays where it should and does not overflow. Place the loaf tin on a rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
2. Add the cream cheese to a large bowl and mix it to soften it a bit. Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a second bowl until well combined. Add to the large bowl and mix into the cream cheese. Let sit for 5 minutes, so the sugar has a chance to dissolve.
3. Add the eggs one after another to the bowl and mix well after each addition. Add the vanilla bean paste and mix well. Finally, add the heavy cream and mix in. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared loaf tin – make sure the baking parchment stays where it should. Place the baking sheet with the loaf tin on top in the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 40-45 minutes. If your oven is not distributing the heat well (like mine), you can place the cake closer to the top heating element for the last 10-15 minutes to get more browning. You want the top of the cheesecake to have a nice golden brown color. The cheesecake should still wobble a little when you move the tin. Take out of the oven and let cool down completely inside the loaf tin. When completely cooled, place the cake in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours or overnight.
4. Peel, core and dice the apples for the compote. Add them to a small saucepan. Mix brown sugar, cornstarch, and ground cinnamon and add to the apples. Add the vanilla bean paste (optional), lemon juice, and water. Let the apples cook for 4-6 minutes while stirring constantly. You want the apples to be slightly softer, but not mushy. The liquid in the saucepan should have thickened nicely and coat the apples. Remove from the heat and let cool down.
5. Remove the cheesecake from the tin by lifting it out with the baking parchment. Place the cake on a serving plate and spoon the apple compote on top. Sprinkle with some chopped nuts or sliced almonds (optional) and serve.
Notes
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