Fwiw…my granddaughter had the cake at Ernesto’s and the texture was more like the one cooked to 180* on the edge. My DH prefers the 180*,I am okay either way, but my guess would be more peeps would prefer the more conventional cook. The pistachio addition is so good. Next round will be pistachio at 175-180* and then I’ll be done for a while. The fast bake time makes it too easy!
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I bake Basque cheesecake to 145°-150° internal temperature in the center. This is lower than I use for standard custard cheesecakes like NY style, which I like 150-165°.
As with other types of cheesecake (custard types), I never put cornstarch or flour in it.
This particular recipe wouldn’t hold together without the teaspoon of cornstarch, but to each his/her own.
I’m not going to tell you to leave it out as it’s your preference, but it absolutely would, as it’s a custard bound by eggs.
I actually baked a cheesecake with almost these exact proportions not long ago, but I used a single yolk rather than an egg. No starch and no issues with it holding together whatsoever.
Here is pastry chef who actually tested different Basque cheesecakes and her final recipe contains more cream than the one you made and fewer eggs and she still includes no starch because in the taste test the cheesecake without starch won out.
Here is an article on the original La Viña cheesecake along with recipe:
Here is Milk Street’s article on the La Viña recipe and noting that a tablespoon of flour was used but that in their testing they decided it could just be left out entirely:
https://www.177milkstreet.com/2023/09/basque-countrys-burnished-cheesecake
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What a surprise! Perhaps you might take into consideration that your audience knows what a custard is, end of story.
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I luv my cheesecakes and I use flour (mixed in at the very end just before the sour cream).
Many ways to skin a cat ! Room for all!
Please continue boring me.
My life is too exciting.
Thank you.
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I’ll see what else I can turn up!
Lots of people do. Starch is still an unnecessary ingredient in custards like cheesecake that typically was added as insurance against over-baking and now gets featured in a lot of recipes because people assume it’s necessary.
Me pointing out that I never use it is apparently an issue, but not others saying they do when I already pointed out that you’re free to do as you please, but the claim that it’s needed to help a cheesecake set is false.
I can talk about how not a single cheesecake in culinary school contained starch as we went through making custards, but of course doing that will then be me appealing to authority, so really, what’s the point?
Once again, do what you want, but cheesecakes don’t require starch to set and for myself and many who have tested, the use of starch doesn’t improve them.
We started using our “Lagering Fridge” as a Proofing Box rigged up with a Temp. Controller from the Farm Store and an old Pelonis Ceramic Heater.
Works great! Much better Rises and Structure!
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Mine come out perfect every time… so, if it ain’t broke…
If anything cheesecake tastes better without flour, or any starch.
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Yes, for various reasons, and I think one that doesn’t get brought up much is that cheesecake is cooked to a fairly low temperature and ingredients like cornstarch are very heat-resistant and usually brought to a boil to fully hydrate. I actually make a Basque cheesecake and a couple of other cheesecakes with a pastry cream base sometimes and they’re delicious since in a pastry cream any starch has to be fully hydrated and cooked, so it’s not the same as simply putting in raw starch.
I sincerely regret having posted the Basque cheesecake which has now become a contest.
Why don’t we drop this silly conversation.
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Gave one to a baker friend who just texted - “the cookie was amazing!” I can’t stop eating them!
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They look so good!!!
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Not something you need to apologize for.
There are more preferences and techniques than there are bakers (or cooks).
I, for one, am grateful for everything you share and inspiration derived from it, in addition to your generosity with tips and encouragement for those of us who are far less prolific.
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Is there a link for the pistachio recipe? Looks amazing.
Well…they all look amazing!
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Well, I got the tortilla at Jose Andres’ specialty tortilla stall in Hudson yards and sent it back to be cooked more because there are custardy eggs and then there are completely-undercooked-running-onto-my-plate eggs, so I think I’m going to be a bit closer to your husband on preferred center texture here
Curious if you follow her instruction to put the still-warm cheesecake right into the fridge to stop carryover cooking?
Also whether you are mixing by hand given the comments about air bubbles (for 1 egg it’s easy enough, but I’m usually worried about a homogenous custard mix even in quiche, and as I recall Keller’s deep quiche actually calls for blending the custard extensively for that reason — I know cheesecake is different, but I’m just thinking aloud).
