Can I Use An Alternative To Philadelphia For The Basque Cheesecake?

Our answer

Nigella's Basque Burnt Cheesecake With Liquorice Sauce (from COOK, EAT, REPEAT) is a baked cheesecake that is different in style to Nigella's other baked cheesecakes as this one is baked in a hot oven and without a water bath. The result is a cheesecake with a tender and creamy interior and a bunrnished, slightly caramelised crust. Vanilla is not necessarily traditional in this dessert and we don't think it is particularly needed as the cheesecake has a wonderful creamy flavour without the addition of vanilla.

For the cream cheese, Philadelphia is a global brand and fairly consistent. In the UK you may see own brand versions sold as "soft cheese". Whatever brand you use, it is very important that you use the full-fat cream cheese (around 21% fat content) and not a reduced fat (neufchâtel) or low fat version. Reduced and low fat cream cheeses contain a lot more water and also tend to contain added thickeners and stabilisers and they don't always work well in high heat. If you use a reduced or low fat cream cheese then the risk is that the water will be forced out during cooking and you will have a flabby and unappetising cheesecake. Sour cream (or soured cream) tends to have a fat content of between 18% and 20%. Again, we would advise against using a reduced fat sour cream as it is also not particularly stable if exposed to high heat.