Basque Burnt Cheesecake

Method

1. 1Temper the ingredients. Leave the cream cheese, eggs, and cream at room temperature for 60 minutes. Cold cheese forms stubborn lumps, and aggressive mixing later would trap too much air.
2. 2Prepare the pan and oven. Heat the oven to 220°C with a rack in the center. Butter a 20 cm springform pan and line it with two overlapping sheets of baking paper, leaving 5 cm above the rim; the tall paper supports the rising batter.
3. 3Mix cheese and sugar. Beat the cream cheese and sugar on low speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl twice, until completely smooth. Keep the mixer slow: this cake needs density, not a foamy cheesecake batter.
4. 4Add the eggs. Beat in one egg at a time for 20 seconds, scraping after the third egg. The mixture should look glossy and pour in a thick ribbon, without visible curds or a cap of bubbles.
5. 5Finish the batter. Whisk the flour into 60 ml of the cream until smooth, then mix in the remaining cream and salt. Pour this into the cheese mixture and stir on low for 45 seconds; strain once if any small lumps remain.
6. 6Bake to a dark top. Pour into the pan, tap it twice on the counter, and bake for 45 minutes at 220°C. The top should be deep mahogany with darker patches, the edge set, and a 10 cm circle in the center should wobble as one piece.
7. 7Cool before slicing. Cool in the pan for 2 hours, then refrigerate for 3 hours so the custard can set. Take it out 30 minutes before serving; a clean warm knife should reveal a creamy center that holds its shape.