Cocotte Blueberry Basque Cheesecakes

These Cocotte Blueberry Basque Cheesecakes are the perfect single-serve dessert, all baked in a mini cocotte.

These Cocotte Blueberry Basque Cheesecakes are delightful desserts have their origins in La Viña, a renowned restaurant in the beautiful Basque region of Spain. Unlike traditional cheesecakes, which are often baked at lower temperatures, Basque cheesecakes are cooked at a high temperature. This method creates a stunningly browned exterior that’s slightly wrinkled on the sides, while the center puffs up like a light and airy soufflé.

One of the unique characteristics of Basque cheesecakes is that they typically don’t have a crust. However, we decided to take a creative twist by adding a thin puff pastry shell. This not only makes it easier to remove the cheesecake from the cocotte but also introduces a delightful contrast in texture, with the flaky, buttery pastry complementing the creamy filling perfectly.

To elevate our mini cheesecakes even further, we’re topping them with a luscious blueberry compote. This fruity addition not only enhances the flavor but also adds a vibrant pop of color, making these treats a feast for the eyes as well as the palate.

This recipe is apart of an ongoing series with Le Creuset where we reimagine recipes using their mini cocottes. This recipe reimagines how we make a single-serve, Basque cheesecake, served in a mini cocotte.

If you’re looking for other fun ways to use a mini cocotte, be sure to check out the other recipes in this “Make It Mini” series.

• Desserts

Cocotte Blueberry Basque Cheesecakes

These Cocotte Blueberry Basque Cheesecakes are the perfect single-serve dessert, all baked in a mini cocotte.

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Ingredients

Serves 2 Cocottes

1x2x3x

• ▢ Puff pastry
• ▢ Cooking spray
• ▢ 1 8 oz pack of cream cheese at room temperature
• ▢ ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 7 tbsp heavy cream
• ▢ 1 egg at room temperature
• ▢ 1 tsp flour
• ▢ ¾ tbsp cornstarch
• ▢ ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ Pinch of salt
• ▢ A few blueberries per cocotte

The blueberry compote:

• ▢ ¾ cup fresh blueberries
• ▢ Zest of 1 lemon + 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ▢ 3 tbsp sugar
• ▢ 1 tsp honey

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 450. Spray cocottes with cooking spray and roll out puff pastry into a thin layer. Blanket overtop each cocotte and press into the sides in an even layer. Trim any excess pastry off the top. Transfer to the fridge while you make the batter.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until creamy and combined. Add egg, cream and vanilla and mix on low until combined. Add cornstarch and flour and mix again until batter is smooth.
• Pour into each of your cocottes until just above the top. Add blueberries, making sure some or all sink into the batter. The more that stay on top will create cracks in your cheesecake (not a big deal but will change the surface a little bit).
• Bake for 7 min, then turn in the oven and back for another 7 min. Bump heat up to 475 and bake for an additional 3 min. The top should be nicely browned. Cake might still seem undercooked, but once it cools it will firm up a bit.
• While cakes are baking make your blueberry compote by adding blueberries, sugar, honey and lemon to a saucepan. Cook on medium/low heat stirring often (about 10-15 min). The fruit should breakdown and the sauce will thicken when it cools slightly. Serve like that or use an immersion blender (or food processor) to blend further. Remove cakes from cocottes and let them cool. Top with compote right before serving. Enjoy!

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