Basque Cheesecake with Cherry Port Sauce

Serves 10 to 12

•  2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 2 pounds (four 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, room temperature
• ¾ cup white sugar
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups heavy cream
• ⅓ cup flour

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Butter sides and bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Place parchment paper inside buttered pan; trim so edges extend about 2 inches above pan’s rim. Pleat paper for a better fit, but it doesn’t have to be tidy.

Using a stand mixer or heavy-duty hand mixer, blend cream cheese with white and brown sugars on medium speed about 2 to
3 minutes until velvety smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape bowl and beaters. Add 1 egg at a time, scraping sides at intervals; mixture should be very smooth.

Reduce speed to low. Add salt, vanilla and cream until incorporated, beating 20 seconds more. Turn off mixer. Sift flour evenly over the batter.

Mix at low speed until blended well, about 20 seconds, stopping once to scrape bowl and beaters.

Pour batter into prepared pan; place on rimmed baking sheet. Place on middle baking rack. On lower rack, add cake pan of water to produce moisture.

Bake until very brown on top, about 60 to 65 minutes. It will be jiggly in the center. Remove from oven and cool 1 hour. Unmold the cheesecake and peel away parchment paper. Allow cheesecake to cool entirely.

Slice and serve at room temperature, topped with cherry compote. Or make a day ahead, cover and chill. Top with cherry compote and serve at room temperature.

Cherry compote

Combine 1 cup dried Bing cherries, ¼ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon zest and juice of ½ lemon in saucepan with ¼ to ½ cup water. Simmer 5 minutes; stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons tawny port. Simmer another 5 minutes. Combine 1 tablespoon each cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl, mix till smooth and add to simmering pot, stirring well. Cool before serving.