Mulled Wine Caramel Basque Cheesecake

Total Time2 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cake

Servings: 12

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Garnishes

½ cup water plus 2 tablespoons, divided
¾ cup granulated sugar, divided (150 grams)
1 large orange
¾ cup cranberries (3 ounces)
2 sprigs rosemary

Mulled wine caramel

1 cup apple cider (250 ml)
¾ cup red wine (187 ml)
1 cup heavy cream (250 ml)
1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
½ cup corn syrup (170 grams)
¼ cup butter (57 grams)
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice

Cheesecake

1 ½ pounds cream cheese, softened at room temperature
8 ounces mascarpone, softened at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
6 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1 ½ cups mulled wine caramel (420 grams)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup all-purpose flour, sifted (37 grams)

Instructions

Make candied orange zest. Peel orange skin with peeler and cut into thin strips. Combine ½ cup water with ¼ cup sugar and orange peel in a medium saucepot. Bring to a simmer over low heat and continue to simmer for 20 minutes or until peel is softened. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Lay orange peel on wire rack and let sit for 15 minutes. Toss with 2 tablespoons sugar until well coated and spread on parchment paper to dry completely.
Make candied cranberries and rosemary. Combine 2 tablespoons water with 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium saucepot. Bring to a simmer over low heat and continue to simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add cranberries, stirring for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to parchment paper. Add rosemary to simple syrup and stir for 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to parchment paper. Let dry for 1 hour. Roll cranberries and rosemary in remaining ¼ cup sugar to coat. Set aside.
Make mulled wine caramel. Combine apple cider and red wine in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and continue to cook until liquid is reduced to ¼ cup.
Combine reduced wine with heavy cream, sugar, corn syrup, butter, and orange zest in a medium pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and continue to cook caramel until temperature reaches 225 degrees F. Remove from heat and stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Transfer to a heat safe bowl and let cool completely.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line the bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Trim parchment paper so that it comes up 2 inches above the pan on all sides. Grease with butter.
Beat cream cheese, mascarpone, and sugar until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating the egg before adding the next. Add heavy cream, 1 ½ cups mulled wine caramel, salt, and vanilla, mixing until well combined. Add sifted flour and mix until smooth.
Pour cheesecake into prepared pan. Bake for 50 minutes - 1 hour or until the edges are set but the center cheesecake is still jiggly. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Garnish mulled wine caramel basque cheesecake with candied orange, cranberries, and rosemary. Serve with warm mulled wine caramel on the side.

Notes

The mulled wine caramel can be made up to 5 days in advance.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Make mulled wine caramel

To make the mulled wine caramel, first, reduce the red wine and apple cider. I chose to combine apple cider with red wine because that's how I make my mulled wine. It also helps balance the flavors so that the caramel doesn't have an overwhelming wine flavor.

Combine the reduced wine and apple cider with corn syrup, sugar, heavy cream, butter, and orange zest in a medium heavy-bottomed pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the temperature reaches 225 degrees F. This would be the time to bring out your handy candy thermometer.

Then, turn off the flames and stir in the warm spices. The caramel won't look as thick while hot, but it will thicken as it cools.

Feel free to make the caramel up to 5 days in advance.

Step 2: Prepare cheesecake batter

While waiting for the caramel to cool, prepare your springform pan. Line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, making sure the paper comes up 2 inches on all sides. Basque cheesecakes are meant to have crinkled edges, so don't worry if your parchment paper isn't perfectly arranged.

Just like regular cheesecakes, we will first beat the cream cheese with mascarpone and sugar until smooth and creamy.

The cream cheese, mascarpone, eggs, and caramel must all be at room temperature to ensure a smooth cheesecake. The caramel should be cooled but not cold. If you made it the day before, take it out of the fridge when you take out the cream cheese and mascarpone.

Add the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating them before adding the next. Then, add the heavy cream, caramel, salt, and vanilla. We're only using 1 ½ cups of the caramel, which should leave you with extra - don't worry, because we're going to serve it with the cheesecake later on.

Stir in the sifted flour and pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared pan.

Step 3: Bake

Bake the mulled wine caramel basque cheesecake for about 50 minutes or until the edges are set. The center of the cheesecake should still be very jiggly. If the cake is fully set, it's overbaked.

Let the dessert cool completely before serving.

Now the garnishes are optional, but I had to complete the holiday cake with the appropriate look. And what could be more perfect than candied orange peel, cranberries, and rosemary? These take at least an hour to dry, so I made them the day before.

Top the cheesecake with the beautiful garnishes and serve it with warm mulled wine caramel on the side. If you want to take it to the next level, you can even serve this cake with mulled wine.

I was over the moon with this basque cheesecake. The cheesecake has a very subtle mulled wine caramel flavor, but it's still present. The pop of the candied cranberries added a fun twist, and the finishing caramel on top was like a chef's kiss. Without a doubt, worth all the calories!

For another festive cheesecake, check out this roasted pear crumble cheesecake!

Make-ahead and storage

Make-ahead: Like all cheesecakes, this one is best if baked the day before serving. You can also prepare the caramel 5 days in advance and the garnishes 2 days in advance.
Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refridgerator for up to 1 week.

Frequently asked questions

Is it necessary to sift the flour for the cheesecake batter?

Sifting the flour ensures a smoother and lump-free texture in the cheesecake batter. It's a good practice for achieving a velvety consistency.

How should I know when the cheesecake is done baking?

The edges should be set, but the center should still be slightly jiggly when you gently shake the pan. The cheesecake will continue to set as it cools.

Can I freeze the cheesecake?

Yes, you can freeze the cheesecake for up to a month. Ensure it's well-wrapped to prevent freezer burn and thaw it in the refrigerator before serving.