I could go off about the virus, working from home, the unpredictability and strangeness of it all. But that’s not a blog post I want to read right now. We’re hearing enough of that from podcasts/news/social media/every single person ever, and it’s a lot.

What I would read right now is how to make a bomb, burnt mahogany-topped, lush liquidy soft cheesecake. And that’s what this Basque “burnt” cheesecake is all about.

If you haven’t heard of a Basque cheesecake, it’s a type of cheesecake that hails from Northern Spain, and it’s my new favorite way to eat cheesecake—and y’all KNOW that cheesecake is my all-time favorite dessert ever. Unlike other recipes, this version bakes the cake on high heat for less than 30 minutes. The middle still looks so jiggly you’d think it’s doing a dance, but just wait. After a good chill sesh in the fridge, it oozes with rich, creamy flavor.

I also made this Basque “burnt” cheesecake for a practical reason—I cannot find all-purpose flour or bread flour ANYWHERE. All the large grocery stores are overrun with everyone stocking up (and making bread I guess??). I’m determined to use this work-from-home time to hone my cooking skills, both savory and sweet, but since I have to currently ration my flour until I find more, I wanted to make a dessert that doesn’t require any. As luck would have it, I got to make my favorite dessert.

Wishing everyone lots of good cooking for the next few weeks. If you can grab a few bricks of cream cheese, you can find comfort in this delicious orb of a cake.