This is the best ice cream flavour you will ever taste! Chunks of deliciously toasty Basque Cheesecake swirled in an old-fashioned creamy, Italian Vanilla Gelato. A very impressive dessert - my Burnt Basque Cheesecake Gelato is a tried and tested recipe guaranteed to be a success. It is also ridiculously easy to make and can be made days or even weeks in advance for a special occasion.
An Italian Gelato with chunks of Burnt Basque Cheesecake
We were recently at an ice-cream parlour and my son chose a Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream scoop for his cone. It was then that I had a thought - "Why doesn't someone make an ice cream with bits of Burnt Basque Cheesecake in it?" I would totally eat that! Wouldn't you?
That was the inspiration for this recipe which turned out to be the best-darned gelato I have ever tasted in my life. You will be amazed at how simple the recipe really is. Two classic recipes mixed together - an old-fashioned Italian Vanilla Gelato and a Spanish Burnt Basque Cheesecake.
Why make this Burnt Basque Cheesecake Gelato and what equipment will you need?
Firstly, I have triple-tested this recipe which means it is a solid recipe that will not fail you. And secondly, it is incredibly straightforward to make. You can also make the cheesecake and gelato on different days and you can assemble the dessert and freeze it days or even weeks in advance. That makes this an absolute winner in my eyes! I can't wait to make it again for a special dinner or gathering with friends.
To make this glorious Burnt Basque Cheesecake Gelato, you will need
- A good stand-mixer
- An ice-cream maker with a freezable bowl
- A heavy-bottomed saucepan
- A mixing bowl and couple of wooden spoons
I recently put my new Kenwood Titanium Chef Patissier XL Stand Mixer to the test. It is a beautiful appliance and has a sturdy construction. Not only is it gorgeous to look at, but the bowls and the whisk are also one of the best amongst all the stand mixers I have used. What has me really excited about this stand mixer is the built-in weighing scale. Can you imagine just adding the ingredients to the mixing bowl and the correct weight measurements pop up on screen? Gamechanger! It also has a warming bowl that melts chocolate and proves bread dough. How convenient is that?
To make my dessert, I mixed the Burnt Basque Cheesecake batter in this stand mixer and used the Kenwood Frozen Dessert Maker attachment (ice cream bowl) to churn my old-fashioned gelato. Once the gelato was churned, I added scoops of it to my gelato storage bowl. Then I dropped chunks of the baked cheesecake on top of the semi-soft gelato and gently mixed it. I froze the gelato overnight. The next morning, when I scooped the gelato I got this incredibly delicious mix of creamy gelato swirled with tangy chunks of burnt Basque cheesecake. Absolutely divine!
Tips to help you make the perfect Cheesecake Gelato
- Cream Cheese - Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature before you mix it, to avoid any lumps. Ensure that the cake batter is mixed until smooth and fluffy.
- Heavy Cream - Use heavy cream (or thickened cream) that has a fat percentage in the range of 36%-45% for both the cheesecake and the gelato. This adds a beautiful creaminess to the cheesecake and helps set the gelato perfectly.
- Chilling Times - Chilling times are very important for this recipe. The baked Burnt Basque Cheesecake has to be chilled for at least 10 hours. So does the gelato mix before you churn it. And finally, the finished and assembled gelato needs to freeze overnight or for at least 10 hours before you serve it.
Recipe FAQs
It tastes like a creamy vanilla ice cream with chunks of tart, slightly sour, velvety cheesecake and a hint of bitter toastiness from the burnt top.
your cheesecake batter was lumpy because you didn't soften your cream cheese enough by bringing it to room temperature. If your batter has already been whisked and is still lumpy, add it to the jug of a blender and briefly blend it for 10-15 seconds until smooth.
To make your gelato, heat the milk at a low temperature bringing it to a very gentle boil and never over 85°C (185°F). Always be stirring with a wooden or silicone spoon to avoid burning.
After your milk and cream mixture has been cooked to the right temperature, it needs to be cooled to room temperature. If your milk-cream mixture is still hot, it will curdle your eggs, so remember to cool it to room temperature. Add a quarter of this still warm mixture to your egg and sugar mixture and mix swiftly until smooth and glossy. Then add the remaining mixture and mix thoroughly with a spoon.
Recipe
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Ingredients
For The Cheesecake
- 500 g cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 300 g raw sugar
- 375 ml thickened cream
- 4 eggs
- 2 tablespoons (25 g) plain flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
For The Gelato
- 150 ml raw sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 350 ml full cream milk
- 250 ml heavy cream
- Pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
To Make The Cheesecake
- Preheat oven to 230°C. Line a 7.5inch X 3 inch round cake tin with baking paper.
- Add all ingredients for the cheesecake to the bowl of the stand mixer.
- Whisk at a speed of “5” for a minute or slightly longer until the cheesecake batter is smooth, voluminous and glossy.
- Ensure there are no lumps and whisk a little longer if you need to.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for approximately 30-32 minutes until browned on top. Turn off the heat and rest in the oven for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from oven. The cheesecake should have a good wobble around the middle when you gently shake the tin.
- Cool completely and then refrigerate for at least 5 hours.
To Make The Gelato
- Place the Kenwood Ice Cream Bowl attachment in the freezer for 10-12 hours.
- Place sugar and egg yolks in the bowl of the stand mixer and whisk at a speed of “5” for 10 minutes until pale, creamy and smooth.
- Heat milk, cream and salt in a small heavy bottomed saucepan on medium. Bring to a gentle boil while stirring constantly to avoid burning. Remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes.
- Add a quarter of the cooled milk to the egg and sugar mixture. Mix swiftly with a silicone spoon until smooth and glossy.
- Add the vanilla extract. Mix well.
- Add the remaining milk to the egg and sugar mixture and mix well using the silicone spoon.
- Chill the gelato mixture in the fridge for 10-12 hours.
- Attach the frozen dessert maker attachment and the ice cream bowl from the freezer to the stand mixer. Pour the gelato mixture in the bowl and process at “MIN” speed for 40 minutes until you get a creamy gelato.
- Scoop gelato into a shallow tin container. Add spoonfuls of the burnt basque cheesecake to the top of the gelato. Mix gently to evenly spread the cheesecake in the gelato. Cover your container with several layers of foil and freeze in the freezer overnight.
- When ready to serve, soften the gelato at room temperature for 5 minutes. Scoop and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer - This post has been sponsored by my friends at Kenwood Australia. Opinion and musings are my own.
Hi!! Just wondering if the cheesecake won’t get rock hard after being mixed in the gelato and frozen for many hours?
Or is that why I need to chill it for 10 hours before mixing it in?
I heard once that Gelato Messina here in Australia has a special more gooey recipe for their brownies so they don’t get rock hard after being mixed in their gelato so curious to know if the same applies to cheesecakes and cakes ?
Hi Diana, This cheesecake is super gooey. It is like a traditional Basque with a custard like center and not like traditional cheesecakes that are baked for almost an hour. A Basque cheesecake is best eaten after chilling overnight in the fridge as it helps firm it up a little bit so it doesn't collapse in a molten puddle of custard. Chilling also helps you to get spoonfuls of cake that has some structure when you add it to the gelato. Funnily enough, the cheesecake doesn't get rock hard (in fact, I found it softer than the cookie part in a cookies & crumbs ice cream). If you bring the ice cream out 6-10 minutes before eating, everything is softened to just the right consistency .. creamy and luscious. This one is so loved by everyone!