Chocolate Basque Cheesecake

A perfect seasonal Showstopper from Joy Wilson aka Joy the Baker

ROSIE: Joy Wilson is a force to be reckoned with. Most well known as JoytheBaker on social media, which grew from her incredibly successful and longstanding (since 2008!!! ) blog of the same name. Joy is one of the original big bloggers, shes been writing since the birth of online food media and now we are so lucky to have her here on Substack sharing more of her wonderfully comforting yet refined recipes for subscribers of Baked In. I feel really honoured to have Joy appear in the Dinner Party’s hallowed halls with a recipe you simply MUST make this festive season; her Chocolate Basque Cheesecake.

JOY: Hi, I’m Joy Wilson, but I’m known on the internet Joy the Baker. I’m a self-taught baker, cookbook author, and the kind of person who thinks a cake can fix just about anything. For the past 15 years, I’ve been teaching people how from my little seat on the internet with loads of browned butter butter and zero intimidation.

Whether we’re baking for our best friends, our future in-laws, or just ourselves (been there, done that, ate three slices), I’ve got a recipe that hits. Because dessert is meant to feel like a warm hug - with a few burnt edges. And if anything goes sideways, we’ll just call it “rustic”.

Thanks so much for letting me peek my head into Dinner Party with a cheesecake offering. Now, this cheesecake recipe doesn’t just whisper decadence, it truly shouts it from the rooftops, in a smoky dark chocolate voice. Please meet one of my back-pocket, show-stopper desserts: Burnt Chocolate Basque Cheesecake. There’s as much chocolate as there is drama with this beauty and all that’s required is a bowl, crinkled parchment, and the good spatula (because we all have what we consider The Good Spatula in our kitchens).

The top of this cheesecake bakes up intentionally scorched which is nothing to fear. That burn is caramelised magic that balances all the lush, deep chocolate underneath. The texture is custardy-meets-mousse. The vibe is a total dinner party flex, especially since the effort is shockingly minimal. I like to make this cheesecake the day before a dinner party, when I’m likely fussing around the kitchen doing other tasks like chopping onions for mise and setting the dishes and flatware out in stacks and piles. This cheesecake is best when just slightly underbaked and left to cool to room temperature and rest in the fridge overnight.

Serve it chilled with a cloud of barely whipped cream, a pile of the best seasonal fruit you can get your hands on, and a glass of red wine or a decaf espresso. It’s a luxury. It’s a dream of a cheesecake.

Burnt Chocolate Basque Cheesecake

Makes one 6-inch round cake that serves 6 people

For the Cheesecake Filling:

• 450 g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature

• 200 g 70% dark chocolate, chopped

• 100 g granulated sugar

• 1 heaping tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted if clumpy

• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder, sifted if clumpy

• Pinch of fine sea salt

• 3 large eggs, at room temperature

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 240 ml double cream
  

For the Whipped Cream:

• 240 ml double cream

• 2 teaspoons icing sugar

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Top with fresh fruit like figs, currants, pink-inside apples, persimmons, pomegranate seeds, raspberries or pears. Really anything that feels lovely.

1. Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Pan
   Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 230°C.
   Line a 6-inch round cake tin with 3-inch tall sides with a sheet of parchment paper. Crinkle and press the paper firmly into the edges of the pan, allowing a few inches to hang over the sides—this will help you lift the cheesecake out later.

2. Melt the Chocolate
   In a small heatproof bowl, melt the chopped chocolate in the microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring between each interval until smooth and glossy. Set aside to cool slightly.

   

3. Make the Batter
   In a large mixing bowl, use electric hand beaters to beat the cream cheese until completely smooth and spread around the bowl. Add the granulated sugar and beat until well combined and fluffy. Beat in the cocoa powder (sifted if it has stubborn lumps) and espresso powder, making sure the mixture is smooth and free of lumps.

4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the melted chocolate until fully incorporated. Add the heavy cream in two additions, beating after each to create a luscious, pourable batter

   

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5. Bake the Cheesecake
   Pour the thick batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until the top is deeply browned (almost burnt, on purpose!), the edges are puffed, and the center has just the slightest wobble.

6. Cool Slowly, Then Chill
   Turn the oven off. Wedge a wooden spoon wrapped in a kitchen towel into the oven door to prop it open slightly. Let the cheesecake rest in the warm oven for 20 minutes—this helps prevent cracks from sudden temperature change.

7. Carefully remove the cheesecake from the oven and transfer it directly to the refrigerator. Chill uncovered for at least 4 hours, or overnight for the best texture.

8. Make the Whipped Cream
   In a medium bowl, use clean electric hand beaters to whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until soft peaks form. Transfer to a smaller bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.