Basque Cheesecake with Baked Smoky Pink Rhubarb

• tiempo total: 45 minutes

Ingredientes

560g cream cheese

200g creme fraiche

150ml double cream

180g sugar

1 lime, zested

1 tbsp vanilla essence

1 tbsp cornflour

4 eggs

For the poached rhubarb

500g rhubarb

1 tbsp cardamon pods

50g soft brown sugar

Several generous glugs of Mezcal, or peaty whisky, or tequila

Zest and juice of 2 oranges

Instrucciones

Preheat the oven to 200°C fan/425°F/gas 7. Grease and line a 20-22cm loose-bottomed cake tin with a large piece of parchment paper, ensuring there is enough paper for it to rise well above the top of the tin.

Put the cream cheese in a large bowl and beat until soft. Fold in the creme fraiche and mix till smooth and combined. Add the double cream and use an electric whisk to beat until smooth. Whisk in the sugar.

Fold through the lime zest, the vanilla essence and salt. Next, crack in the eggs one at a time, mixing the first one in before adding the following one. Lastly, sift in the cornflour and mix it very briefly until just incorporated.

Pour the mixture into the lined tin. Bake in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes until dark golden on top and looking slightly burnt. Once cooked, remove and place on a rack to cool.

To make the poached rhubarb, cut the rhubarb into 4-5cm batons and lay in a single layer in an oven proof dish. Remove the peel of the oranges in long thin strips with a knife or a peeler. Sprinkle over the sugar and add the orange peel, Mezcal and orange juice. Toss to combine. Cover with foil and add to the oven for the last 15 minutes of the cheesecake cooking time.

Et voila!