Baker and content creator Dan Pasquali is celebrating National Blueberry Cheesecake Day with a decadent twist on the classic dessert. Known online as “Dan’s Bake Lab”, the former Great Australian Bake Off contestant shared his blueberry burnt basque cheesecake recipe on The Morning Show.
Pasquali has built a loyal following for his indulgent sweet and savoury creations, alongside his energetic personality and viral content. On Tuesday, he showed viewers how to make the creamy cheesecake, topped with whipped white chocolate ganache and blueberry compote for the ultimate celebration of the unofficial foodie holiday.
The dessert features a rich cheesecake filling swirled with blueberries and baked until deeply caramelised on top, creating the signature burnt basque texture while remaining soft and velvety in the centre.
Blueberry Burnt Basque Cheesecake
Ingredients (For one 18cm diameter x 8cm tall round tin)
- 500g cream cheese, room temperature
- 260g thickened/whipping cream
- 140g caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 30g cornflour, sifted
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp blueberries (fresh or frozen)
Method
- Preheat a fan-forced oven to 200°C.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the cream cheese and caster sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Add the vanilla extract and salt, mixing until fully incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the sifted cornflour and half of the cream until smooth and lump-free. Add the remaining cream and whisk again. If the mixture is still slightly lumpy, use a stick blender for a silky texture.
- Add the eggs to the cream mixture and whisk gently until combined.
- Slowly pour the cream and egg mixture into the stand mixer bowl and mix on low speed for a few minutes until smooth and velvety. Avoid overmixing.
- Line the cake tin with two overlapping sheets of baking paper, allowing plenty of paper to overhang the edges for that classic Basque cheesecake look.
- Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared tin. Scatter over the blueberries and gently swirl them through the batter with a spatula for a few seconds to create a marbled effect.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until deeply caramelised on top while still slightly wobbly in the centre.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool completely before chilling in the fridge.
Whipped White Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
- 500g whipping cream, divided
- 150g white chocolate, finely chopped
- 3 titanium gelatine leaves
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
Method
- Place 250g of the cream into a saucepan and the remaining 250g into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Lightly whip the cold cream to soft peaks, then place in the fridge until needed.
- Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes until softened.
- Heat the cream in the saucepan until just before boiling point. Remove from the heat and add the chopped white chocolate.
- Stir until completely melted and smooth.
- Squeeze the excess water from the gelatine leaves and stir them into the hot chocolate mixture until dissolved.
- Allow the chocolate mixture to cool slightly for 5–10 minutes.
- Fold the chocolate mixture into the lightly whipped cream until fully combined and smooth.
- Cover with cling wrap touching the surface and chill in the fridge for at least 5–6 hours, or overnight.
Blueberry Compote
Ingredients
- 1½ cups frozen blueberries
- 2 tsp water
- 1/8 cup caster sugar
- 2 tsp lemon juice
Method
- Place the blueberries, water, caster sugar, and lemon juice into a small saucepan.
- Cook over low/medium heat for 5–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries begin to burst and the mixture thickens slightly.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely before using. The compote will continue to thicken as it cools.
Assemble
- Once the cheesecake and ganache are completely chilled, whip the ganache until light and pipeable.
- Pipe the ganache onto the cold cheesecake.
- Spoon over the blueberry compote and decorate as desired.
- Serve chilled and enjoy the creamy, tangy, blueberry goodness.
