Basque Cheesecake
Mamey, TCHO White Chocolate Ganache, Almond-Anise Crumble, Passion Fruit Gel
Pastry Chef Ana De Sa Martins of Stubborn Seed | Miami
Adapted by StarChefs | March 2025 | Photo: Will Blunt
INGREDIENTS
Cheesecake:
Yield: 1 cheesecake
400 grams cream cheese
200 grams granulated sugar
350 grams mamey pulp
200 grams egg whites
200 grams heavy cream
100 grams egg yolk
10 grams Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean paste
White Chocolate Ganache:
Yield: 1 quart
240 grams TCHO Choco Blanco 35% white chocolate
12 grams glucose
720 grams heavy cream
2.4 grams gelatin sheets, bloomed
1 Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean, scraped
Passion Fruit Gel:
Yield: 1 piping bag
200 grams granulated sugar
16 grams agar agar
1 kilogram passion fruit purée
1 Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean
Almond-Anise Crumble:
Yield: 1 quart
400 grams chopped raw almonds
400 grams granulated sugar
400 grams butter
240 grams all-purpose flour
160 grams TCHO Choco Blanco 35% white chocolate, melted
8 grams kosher salt
1 tablespoon star anise seeds
To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 serving
Edible flowers
METHOD
For the Cheesecake:
Heat oven to 480°F. Grease an 8-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper. Set aside. In a large food processor, add cream cheese and sugar. Process until smooth and sugar has fully dissolved. Add mamey and pulse to combine. Add remaining ingredients and mix until well combined. Strain mixture into prepared pan. Bake 27 minutes, or until edges are set and middle of cheesecake jiggles slightly. Let cool. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
For the White Chocolate Ganache:
Place chocolate in a nonreactive container and set aside. In a pot over medium-high heat, bring glucose and 240 grams heavy cream to a boil. Add gelatin and stir until fully dissolved. Pour mixture over chocolate. Using a Vitamix Commercial immersion blender, blend until smooth. Add vanilla and remaining 480 grams heavy cream. Blend until incorporated. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight.
For the Passion Fruit Gel:
In a mixing bowl, whisk to combine sugar and agar agar. Set aside. In a pot over medium-high heat, bring passion fruit purée and vanilla to a boil. Whisk in sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Strain mixture into a nonreactive container set over an ice bath. Let cool until set. Transfer mixture to a Vitamix Commercial blender and purée on high speed until smooth. Strain into a piping bag, ensuring there are no air bubbles. Refrigerate.
For the Almond-Anise Crumble:
Heat oven to 350°F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add all ingredients. Combine until mixture comes together and a soft dough is achieved. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined work surface. Cover dough with another sheet of parchment paper and, using a rolling pin, roll out into an even layer. Transfer to a parchment-lined sheet tray and bake 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until a fine crumble is achieved. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
To Assemble and Serve:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add White Chocolate Ganache. Whip until mixture is light and fluffy. Transfer to a piping bag. Pipe White Chocolate Ganache into desired shape onto a serving plate. Slice Cheesecake and transfer 1 piece to serving plate. Place 2 spoonfuls Almond-Anise Crumble and 2 dots Passion Fruit Gel around Cheesecake. Garnish with flowers.
