FROM Chef Chele’s Kitchen, a project that Chele Gonzales shares with his wife Teri, comes the Basque burnt cheesecake which used to be a secret recipe that the couple would wow family and friends with only on special occasions.

“We know that the Holy Week is a special time for Filipinos as they usually gather and spend quality time together during this break, so we thought about releasing it just in time for that,” said Gonzalez.

The couple’s first baby, the Basque burnt cheesecake is a crustless cheesecake that has a creamy center and an evenly “burnt” top. Unlike the regular cheesecake, this is baked in high heat for a short time, hence the burnt exterior.

Originally from San Sebastian, a culinary mecca in the Basque Country where Chefe Chele trained for 10 years, this cheesecake uses top-shelf cream and European cream cheese for a rich filling that is balanced off by the caramelized “crust.”

Best enjoyed at room temperature for that molten interior, this cheesecake is available by the slice at Enye by Chele Gonzalez in Crimson Mactan starting March 31, and in 6 1/2-inch and 8 1/2-inch cakes at Quest Hotel and Conference Center Cebu starting April 4, 2021.