Basque Cheesecake with Pear Compote

Basque cheesecake with a deeply browned top and creamy center, served with lemon-simmered pear compote. An easy oven-baked dessert for sharing.

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 55 min · Yield: 10 · Method: Oven

Ingredients

• 24 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1.5 cups heavy cream
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 medium pears
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp water

Cooking instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with two overlapping sheets of parchment, leaving the paper rising several inches above the rim. (about 5 min) — 425°F
2. Beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each. Mix in the heavy cream, then the flour, until the batter is uniform. (about 8 min)
3. Pour the batter into the lined pan and bake until the top is deeply browned and the edges are set while the center still jiggles slightly, 50 to 55 minutes. (about 55 min) — 425°F
4. Peel, core, and dice the pears. Simmer them with the lemon juice and water in a saucepan over medium heat until tender but still lightly textured, 8 to 10 minutes. (about 10 min) — Medium heat
5. Cool the cheesecake in the pan for 1 hour, then chill it for at least 3 hours. Cool the pear compote completely, then spoon it over slices before serving. (about 180 min)