Pepper belongs in dessert. This is the recipe we point to when people don't believe us.

Videographer and recipe developer Elanne Boake Jeong built a Basque cheesecake around roasted sweet corn and Kiri Smoke, our cold-smoked Cambodian peppercorn. Sweet and creamy up front, smoke and heat right behind it.

Recipe and photography by Elanne. Watch how she does it here, and read the original post on her Substack.

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Pepper(Corn) Basque Cheesecake

Baking Equipment:

• 6” cheesecake tin
• Sieve
• Blender
• Parchment paper

Ingredients:

• 500g full fat cream cheese, softened
• 2 eggs + 2 yolks, room temperature
• 130g heavy cream, room temperature
• 120g sugar
• 130g sweet corn, puree (2 ears of corn)
• 5g Kiri Smoke black pepper, coarsely ground
• 8g corn starch
• 1g salt

Note: Before starting, make sure your cream cheese, eggs, and heavy cream have sat out at room temperature for about an hour! It is important ingredients aren’t cold, or it will mess with the cook time.

Make:

1. Preheat your oven to 480°F using Convection mode.
2. To start, roast 2 ears of corn, either under a broiler, on the bbq, or over a gas cooktop. Cook until soft and the kernels are slightly charred.

3. Let the cobs cool before removing the kernels with a knife.
4. Transfer the corn to a blender, and blend until smooth.
5. Pass the corn mixture through a sieve to get rid of any corn solids, leaving only the juice.

6. Add the corn puree to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until it starts to bubble. Cook down for about 5 minutes or until reduced.
7. At the end you should have about 130ml of corn puree. Set aside to cool.
8. In a medium bowl, add the blocks of softened cream cheese and 120g of sugar. Use a spatula to mix them together, pressing the spatula against the side of the bowl to get rid of any lumps. Mix until smooth and no chunks of cream cheese remain.
9. If you’re having a hard time, try microwaving this mixture for about 15 seconds and mixing again.
10. Add 8g of sifted corn starch and mix into the cream cheese, making sure no lumps of corn starch are left behind.
11. Add the 130g corn puree, 130g heavy cream and 2 eggs to the bowl. Use a spatula to mix until it just comes together.

12. Lastly, add the ground black pepper, salt and remaining 2 egg yolks. Mix gently until combined. The batter should be very smooth!
13. If by chance your ingredients were not at room temperature before starting, leave the mix to sit on the counter for about 20 minutes before baking.
14. Prepare your 6” baking tin by lining with parchment. This can be easily done by scrunching up your parchment paper and briefly running it under the faucet to get it slightly wet. Squeeze it out, unfold it, and use a towel to dab it dry. It should now fold easily and you can place into your baking tin!
15. While leaving about 1” of overhang, cut off any excess parchment paper.
16. Pour your cheesecake batter into the tin until it’s 1/2” away from the top of the tin. Tap it against the counter to release any air bubbles. Pop any you see on the surface.

Bake:

17. Place it in your 480°F, preheated oven. After 25 minutes, check to see how far along it is.
18. Everyone’s oven is different! Ideally we are looking for a scorched top, while the middle is still wobbly but sides are slightly set. If the top is NOT scorched, switch to Broil mode. Keep an eye on it and finish cooking for about another 2 minutes.
19. If it is getting too dark, and the middle is TOO wobbly, reduce the heat to 425°F and finish the bake.

Serve:

20. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool at room temperature for about 1-2 hours before transferring to the fridge. This allows the cheesecake to have a chance to fully set.
21. Refrigerate for 4-5 hours before serving!
22. Leave it out at room temperature for 20 minutes for an extra smooth mouthfeel. For perfect slices, use a blowtorch to heat your knife before cutting!

Store:

Keep covered and refrigerated. This can be stored in the freezer for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight to consume the following day.