1. Preheat the oven to 410°F (210°C) convection heat. Lightly grease an 8-inch baking tin with a loose bottom* and line it with baking parchment – a round piece for the bottom and a long strip along the edges. The baking paper along the edges should overlap the edge of the baking tin by a few inches. The cheesecake will rise quite a bit. Set aside.

2. Add the cream cheese, sugar, and salt to a large bowl and mix to combine. Work with a simple whisk or rubber spatula. You want everything well blended, but no air trapped inside the mixture. Add the eggs one at a time and stir until well combined. Whisk the flour with some heavy cream and vanilla extract until smooth, then add to the large bowl along with the remaining heavy cream and stir to combine. Let the mixture sit for about 5 minutes, then stir again.

3. Pour the cheesecake mixture into the prepared baking tin and smooth out the top. Distribute the mandarin oranges evenly on top of the cheesecake mixture and then bake it on top of a baking sheet in the center of the oven for about 40-45 minutes. The edges of the cheesecake should have firmed up and possibly gotten a decent amount of color. In the center, the cheesecake should still jiggle slightly when you tap the baking tin.

4. Remove the Basque cheesecake from the oven and loosen it from the baking paper with a sharp knife, so the top of the cheesecake can contract undisturbed. If your mandarin oranges released some liquid, remove it carefully with a bit of kitchen paper. Check several times because it might appear again. Let the cake cool down completely inside the baking tin, then place it in the fridge overnight so it can set completely.