Candied orange burnt basque cheesecake

Begin by making the candied orange slices. Fill a large pot with water and bring it to the boil. Add in the finely sliced oranges then boil for two minutes 

Remove the orange slices from the pot and discard the water. Refill the same pot with water and bring it back to a boil. Boil the orange slices for another 2 minutes, then strain out the water again 

Next, to the same empty pot, add in the sugar and water. Bring to a simmer and stir until the sugar has completely dissolved. Add in the orange slices, and simmer for around 45 minutes, stirring occasionally 

Once the rinds of the orange slices are almost translucent, remove them from the pot and transfer them to a cooling rack set over parchment paper. Let them sit for 6–12 hours until mostly dried 

Coat the slices in caster sugar then store in an airtight container until needed 

To make the cheesecake, begin by preheating the oven to 200°C 

Line a cake tin with parchment paper making sure the paper comes to at least 5 cm above the sides of the pan to allow room for rising 

In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until the sugar has completely dissolved. Add in the eggs, vanilla bean paste and flour then whisk until smooth. Add in the orange zest then, to avoid sticking, toss the chopped up candied orange pieces in a little flour. Add them into the batter then mix well 

Pour the batter into the lined cake tin, then bake for around 50 minutes or until browned on the top but slightly soft in the centre 

Let the cheesecake cool in the oven with the door slightly ajar for around an hour, then transfer to the fridge to set overnight 

Remove the parchment paper, then top the cheesecake with a handful of the remaining candied orange slices, slice and serve