Basque cheesecake with candied walnuts and figs
Method
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1. Preheat the oven to 250°C and line a 24cm spring form cake tin with a double layer of baking paper so the excess overhangs by at least 5cm, keeping it rustic and crinkled (this gives the Basque its signature rustic finish around the edges)
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2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the beater attachment, or in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, cornflour, vanilla and a pinch of salt until completely smooth and homogenous, scraping down the sides with a spatula as needed
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3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides after each addition
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4. Gently beat in the double cream until combined, being careful not to overwhip it. The mixture should be slightly thicker than double cream
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5. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for about 20 minutes, until the top is darkly caramelised but the centre still has a wobble – you can bake for an additional 2-3 minutes if needed. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 1 hour at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or ideally overnight
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6. For the candied walnuts, preheat the oven to 200°C and set up a non-stick baking mat on a heatproof surface or line a baking sheet with baking paper
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7. Place the sugar and water in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Heat until the sugar dissolves then cook to an amber caramel colour
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8. Meanwhile, roast the walnuts until beginning to turn golden brown
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9. Quickly add the hot walnuts (the nuts being hot helps to prevent the sugar seizing) and quickly stir to coat the nuts in the caramel. Tip onto the non-stick baking mat and separate with a fork into an even later. Sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt and allow to cool completely – the caramel will harden as it cools
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10. 30 minutes before serving, bring the cheesecake out of the fridge to come up to room temperature
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11. Place the figs in a bowl with the icing sugar and lemon juice and stir to combine. Set aside to macerate for at least 30 minutes
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12. To serve, slice the cheesecake with a hot knife and transfer to serving plates. Serve the candied walnuts and macerated figs alongside