Burnt Basque Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 2.2 lbs Philadelphia cream cheese, 1 kg (works best at room temperature)
• 7 eggs
• 2 cups sugar, 400g — for a slightly less sweet cheesecake, use only 1.5 to 1.75 cups (300–350g)
• 1 tablespoon flour (or potato starch or cornstarch)
• 6.5 fl oz heavy cream, 200ml (about ⅘ of a cup)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 410°F (210°C).
2. Using an electric mixer, whisk, or a metal spoon, combine all the ingredients in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.
3. Line a 10-inch (25 cm) springform pan or round baking pan with enough wax or parchment paper that it extends past the edges. This will help you remove the cheesecake later and prevent sticking. You can use a smaller pan for a taller cheesecake, but you may need to bake longer so the center isn't too runny.
4. Bake on the center rack for 35–50 minutes. The cake will rise quite a bit — don't worry, it will settle once it's out of the oven. For a just-cooked-through cheesecake, bake for 40 minutes. If the top isn't quite burnt enough, turn the heat up for another minute or two, keeping a close eye on it. For a very runny center, remove at 35 minutes.
5. When the cake is deep brown and almost burnt looking, turn the oven off. The center should not be fully set — it will wiggle quite a bit when you move the pan, like Jello.
6. Let it cool gradually on the counter. After an hour or so, transfer to the refrigerator.
7. After a few hours in the refrigerator (overnight is even better), the cheesecake should be chilled enough to cut. Don't remove it from the parchment paper until you're ready to slice and serve — it can start to lose its shape once unwrapped.