The humble Basque Cheesecake is trending all over the world with chefs from San Francisco, Singapore, Japan, Turkey NY, etc. We are so excited to bring you this trendy decadent dessert that comes from the Basque region in Spain. In the US is called a burnt cheesecake or burnt basque cheesecake because of its dark burnt-looking exterior crust, with caramel notes.
The New York Times called the Basque Cheesecake a top food trend for 2021, and we were immediately intrigued to know how this dessert recipe from Spain became famous worldwide.
The basque cheesecake is a crustless cheesecake with a dark caramelized top that’s really rich, decadent, mousse-like, and full of deep flavor. Traditional New York cheesecake is cooked in a water bath to prevent burning and cracking in contrast to the burnt basque cheesecake, which is cooked at a higher temperature to allow the top to darken, and cracks don't matter because the more rustic the better. You will fall in love with this crustless, fluffy, creamy cheesecake with a dark outside that may look burnt, but has a beautifully caramelized flavor instead...hence the name burnt cheesecake!
Not Our Usual Recipe...
This recipe is not like the ones we typically post, we usually go for healthier, lighter recipes but we had to make an exception! Even though we are no longer living in Spain, we were raised in Barcelona and we feel proud that this brilliant Spanish recipe is intriguing chefs all over the world. Plus...you’ve got to indulge in a really rich dessert once in a while, right? The most amazing thing is the simplicity of its ingredients, and what a spectacular, homemade, rustic dessert this basque cheesecake is. We just know you’ll love it!
What is Basque Cheesecake?
Basque Cheesecake is like traditional cheesecake’s cool, rebellious older sister. It’s a little bit cracked, burnt, and impossible to mess up. This Tarta de Queso was first made in 1990 by Santiago Rivera, the chef of the La Viña in San Sebastian, a restaurant located in the Basque region of Spain (known for restaurants and delicious food!). Chefs all over the world have recreated this delicious cheesecake, and while some come close, they’re never quite as good as the original. That means we need a field trip to Spain, right?!
The Original Basque Cheesecake Recipe ( Tarta de Queso Vasca)
If you choose to make the original recipe, here it is. Our cheesecake recipe below is a modified version of Chef Rivera's original Basque cheesecake recipe. It wouldn't be right or respectful to copy it exactly.
Chef Santiago Rivera shared his exact recipe, but not the secret to his method in the local Basque newspaper El Diario Vasco.
The ingredients of the original recipe shared by chef Santiago Rivera are: 1Kg cream cheese, 400 grams sugar, 7 eggs, ½ liter of heavy cream, 1 spoonful of flour.
Basque Style Cheesecake in a Springform Pan
We used a 9” springform lined with parchment paper for this recipe. We use a springform because of the height of the sides! This cheesecake rises quite a bit and the combination of the springform’s tall sides and the parchment paper keeps it from overflowing. You can also use a 10” springform, but keep in mind that your cheesecake won’t be as tall, and be sure to reduce the cooking time from 55 to 45 minutes.
Tips on How to Make the Best Basque Cheesecake
- Plan your baking! We recommend making this cheesecake one day in advance so it will have plenty of time to set in the refrigerator.
- Check the temperature of your ingredients - Eggs and cream cheese should be at room temperature, while heavy cream should be cold and fresh out of the refrigerator.
- Mix with caution - Mix everything at a low speed to avoid getting too much air in the batter. Mix until no cream cheese lumps remain! We want it smooth as can be!
- Patience - You will let the cheesecake sit in the oven for a full hour after baking. When you turn the heat off, your cheesecake will look jiggly in the middle. That’s okay! Let the cheesecake cool completely before placing it in the refrigerator overnight.
- Time to eat - Enjoy your Basque Cheesecake at room temperature! That means pulling it out of the refrigerator about an hour before serving and letting it come up in temperature.
Cream room temperature cream cheese Mix cream cheese until smooth Add Lemon Juice and Lemon Zest Add eggs one at a time Add Heavy Cream and mix well Scrape the sides of the mixing bowl Check for lumps Keep mixing until no lumps remain Fill batter in lined springform pan The Basque cheesecake will rise like a soufflé It will then collapse, which is normal
More Dessert Recipes
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Crema Catalana: Spain’s Creme Brulee
- Vegan Chocolate Truffles
- Easy Vegan Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie
- Summery Stone Fruit Galette
- Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes with Irish Cream Frosting
- Semolina Apple Cake
- Chocolate & Raspberry Tart
- Orange Blossom Raspberry Vegan Cupcakes
- Cashew Ice Cream Bonbons
Basque Cheesecake
- Prep Time: 20
- Resting time in the oven and the fridge: 12 hours
- Cook Time: 55
- Total Time: 13 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 12 slices 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This must-try burnt basque cheesecake is impossible to mess up and has a rustic exterior with a rich, creamy, decadent texture. If you’ve never made a cheesecake before, this is the one to start with!
Ingredients
- 32 ounces cream cheese (4-8ounce packs) at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- zest of one lemon
- ¼ cup flour, sifted
- 6 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 cups heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a 9" springform pan with two crisscrossed pieces of parchment paper, making sure there is an overhang of 2"
- Place the cream cheese in a stand mixer bowl with the paddle attachment. Mix on low ( maximum#2 speed if you're using a Kitchen Aid mixer), scraping down the sides
- Once the cream cheese is smooth and creamy, add the sugar and salt, and mix until smooth, scraping down the sides
- Add the vanilla extract, lemon juice, lemon zest and sifted flour and continue mixing until creamy
- With the mixer on, add the eggs, one at a time until they're well incorporated into the batter. Add the heavy cream and continue mixing
- Using a rubber spatula, check the batter for any cream cheese lumps. If you find any, keep mixing until the batter is smooth
- Pour the batter into the lined springform pan (it will come up to the rim). Make sure to pull the sides of the parchment up, to allow the cheesecake to rise, and to prevent the batter from spilling out
- Bake for 55 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in for one hour to cool (it will be jiggly in the middle and will look underdone, but that's how it is supposed to be)
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven ( it may still feel jiggly in the middle) and let it cool completely on the counter. Refrigerate overnight
- Remove the cheesecake from the pan after it has set overnight in the refrigerator. In Spain this cheesecake (tarta de queso), is enjoyed at room temperature, so make sure to take it out of the fridge at least 1 hour before serving
Notes
- Plan on making the cheesecake at least 1 day ahead of time, to allow the cheesecake to properly set
- Use a 9" 0r 10" springform pan with removable sides and line it with parchment paper with a 2" overhang. Do not skip this step or try to bake the cheesecake in a regular round baking pan. You need the tall sides of the springform pan.
- Mix all the ingredients at low speed to avoid getting too much air into the batter
- The cheesecake will be jiggly when done baking and that's OK. It will set later on. You do not want to overbake it.
- The cheesecake will rise like a souflé, and then it will collapse. It's supposed to do that.
- Do not remove the sides of the springform pan until the cheesecake has set in the fridge overnight.
- Category: dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Spain
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 374
- Sugar: 28
- Sodium: 334
- Fat: 26
- Saturated Fat: 15.3
- Unsaturated Fat: 7.8
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 31.7
- Fiber: .1
- Protein: 4.9
- Cholesterol: 76.4
Keywords: burnt Basque cheesecake, Basque cheesecake, desserts from Spain, Basque style cheesecake,
DID YOU LIKE OUR BASQUE CHEESECAKE RECIPE?
If you enjoyed this recipe. It would help us tremendously if you left us a star rating in the comments below or on the recipe card. Do you have any questions about the recipe or do you need a swap for any of the ingredients? We are here to help, just leave us a question in the comments below.
Elaine says
Looks delicious!! When do you remove the cheesecake from the spring pan? It’s not noted in the recipe or the tips. Thank you!!
Vicky and Ruth says
Remove the cheesecake from the pan after it set overnight in the fridge. We will add that note to the recipe, Thank you for letting us know.
Karen Hamilton says
Have 4 packages of cream cheese sitting in the fridge waiting to try this for Shavuot...but oh my, the typos in the recipe!!!
Please feel free to contact me if you need a proofreader or copy editor.
Vicky and Ruth says
Great! Let us know how you like it. Thank you for pointing out the typos, we are fixing them.