The Burnt Basque Cheesecake takes everything you thought you knew about cheesecake recipe etiquette and flips it on its head – it wants to get burnt, has a dark exterior, and is cooked at a high heat without a water bath! And you know what else? It is positively delicious.
I can’t trust myself around cheesecake. It’s my (delicious) kryptonite. If there’s cheesecake in the house, I will have cheesecake for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. When I first heard of Burnt Basque Cheesecake, I knew I had to try it straight away.
And you won’t be at all surprised to learn that I loved it.
Honestly – I enjoyed this cheesecake a little bit too much. At one point (likely, somewhere around slice number 5 of “test batch” number 3), I thought I should throw all my spoons out the window. Just to make sure that I didn’t eat cheesecake until I exploded.
But I know myself better than that.
I would’ve continued to eat using my hands.
So, I kept the spoon.
(What? I’m a natural problem solver.)
Jump to:
What is a Burnt Basque Cheesecake?
Based on the original recipe created in La Vina restaurant (San Sebastien, Spain) in the 1970s, the Basque Cheesecake is the bad boy of the cheesecake world – burnt, cracked, and with a bitter edge. Don’t worry though, under its hardened exterior, it still has a soft-centre with all the creamy deliciousness you’d expect from a cheesecake. Oh, and there’s no crust.
Okay, it’s not technically “burnt” – that was a misrepresentation based on popular belief. The dessert is caramelised with a brown exterior, it was often called a Basque burnt cheesecake for this reason.
Flavour-wise, it is often compared to crème brulee for its contrasting flavours (oh-so-slightly bitter on the outside, sweet on the inside). Unlike crème brulee, the outside is not made of sugar, so tasting the ‘burnt edges’ by themselves is not a sweet experience. However, take a proper spoonful, and you’ll find yourself soon having another. And another. And anot–, you get the picture!
And just in case you prefer it, here’s the link to my Burnt Basque Cheesecake recipe video on Youtube.
Why is it called Basque cheesecake?
Quite simply because it was first developed in the Basque region of Spain. It is typically credited to Chef Santiago Rivera of La Viña restaurant.
Ingredients
There aren’t any especially fancy ingredients required to make this Spanish cheesecake. The original recipe include only 5 ingredients:
- Cream Cheese
- Flour
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Whipping Cream
My version of the Basque Cheesecake also includes some vanilla extract and a touch of salt…just because I feel like it tastes better this way.
Substitutions
Do I need to use heavy cream
The cream adds fat to this recipe, and fat brings that indulgent flavour to the cheesecake. As such, you can use whipping cream as well as heavy cream, but swapping it out for milk or something without fat will likely lead to problems.
All purpose vs cake flour
While a lot of cakes benefit greatly from the lighter textures brought about through the use of cake flour, this cheesecake only uses a very small amount of flour. So small that in my tests, it didn’t really make much of a difference.
What kind of cheese to use
Cream cheese only please, bestie. I used standard off-the-shelf Philadelphia, but go ahead and use whatever is accessible to you. The only thing to note is that you should be using regular full-fat cream cheese – avoid any fancy whipped variations, and definitely stay away from low fat or reduced sugar options.
Basque Cheesecake flavour variations
Though I’ve opted to serve it plain in this post (for the sake of authenticity and whatnot), this is a cheesecake that can be dressed if you prefer. A chocolate drizzle, raspberry compote, or if you’re feeling fancy whip up a soft meringue and some lemon curd, and I think you’ll end up with something that’s really quite special. (You’d add any/all of those toppings after the Basque Cheesecake has come back down to room temperature and deflated.)
You can also check out my Chocolate Basque Cheesecake recipe!
Some other options include:
- Serving with fresh berries and whipped cream
- Adding a little lemon zest to your batter
How to make a gooey variation of the Basque Cheesecake
For a gooier version of this burnt cheesecake recipe, reduce the cook time by 5-10 minutes (it’ll depend a bit on your oven and baking dish), and remove 1.5 tablespoons of flour from the recipe. I personally like the denser version more, but feel free to go where the winds take you, bestie.
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More cheesecake recipes to check out
Now, if you’re a cheesecake aficionado like myself, I know that you won’t be content just looking at one cheesecake recipe (though this is one of those simple fool proof recipes that you can keep making over and over again). Here are a few other cheesecake recipes that you might enjoy:
- Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake
- Chocolate-Covered Raspberry Cheesecake
- Japanese Cotton Cheesecake
- Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes
And yes, I’m pretty sure every single one will be a hit!
What should you worry about while making this recipe
This is one of the best things about the Burnt Basque Cheesecake. It’s pretty much technique-free. You don’t need to worry about overmixing, or delicately decorating. Heck, it’ll even forgive you if you get the ingredient measurements ever-so-slightly wrong. It’s quite possibly the least stressful cheesecake you’ll ever make.
…Unless you forget to butter your parchment paper. Or *ahem* forget to stock up on parchment paper the day you plan to bake and take photos of this recipe like a certain blogger.
I don’t mean me.
I would never. NEVER, I tell you!
Nope, definitely not me.
Helpful tools
The links below are affiliate links. This means that if you choose to purchase using them, I will receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you!). And that would be a wonderful way to show your support for Chocolates & Chai. Thank you.
- A 10-inch springform pan is perfect for this recipe.
- Parchment paper (so you don’t forget like a certain blogger we know)
If you tried this recipe, please do comment below and let me know what you think! Otherwise, tell me all about what kind of cheesecake you like. What’s your favourite? What’s your least favourite? I want to know!
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Print📖 Recipe
Burnt Basque Cheesecake
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 delicious “burnt” cheesecake 1x
Description
The Burnt Basque Cheesecake is the antihero of cheesecake recipes – burnt, caramelised brown, and still oh-so-yummy! (Did I mention it’s also super easy to make?)
Ingredients
- 750g cream cheese, softened
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour, sifted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 395 degrees F. Butter a 10-inch springform pan, and line with a buttered sheet of parchment paper (ensure that the parchment rises at least 2-inches above the pan on all sides).
- Using an electric mixer on medium-low, beat cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until very smooth. (Make sure to scrape down all the cheese stuck to the sides of the bowl!)
- Increase speed to medium, and add eggs – one at a time. Add cream, salt, and vanilla extract; beat until completely combined. Add flour and beat on low-speed until completely combined, and the batter is smooth.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes. It should have golden-brown top, but still be quite jiggly in the centre when it’s time to remove.
- Remove from the oven, and allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature – it’s natural for it to deflate from its puffed appearance! Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Enjoy!
Notes
Pro Tip – Place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet. (A little leakage is always a possibility given how fluid this batter is.)
Pro Tip – Increase the oven temperature to 420 degrees F for the last 10 minutes of baking to give it a little extra oomph!
While you can get by with a standard baking dish, I really recommend using a springform pan for this recipe. When I first tested this recipe, I did so using a standard pan – when I tried to use the parchment to create a papery airlift, the cheesecake broke (cheesecakes, by their very nature, are fairly delicate after all). And I would hate for that to happen to you!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Spanish
Keywords: Burnt Basque Cheesecake, Basque Cheesecake, Cheesecake Recipes
Jo Vanderwolf
I love that it is a *no fail* technique cheesecake! I might actually be able to make it without ruining it! Pinning to make later. It looks delicious 🙂
★★★★★
Riz
Hey Jo! I hope you enjoy it (and I’m SURE you’ll do an amazing job!). Thank you for pinning!!
Bernice Hill
Awesome!! I, too have been lusting after this cheesecake. It is on my ‘to make’ list…but right now I’m on version number 3 of another cake LOL. Nobody here is complaining. I bet your version is absolutely delicious!
★★★★★
Riz
Lol! Thanks Bernice!!! Looking forward to hearing about the final version of your cake! 🙂
Kristen
I have never tried this type of cheesecake, but I am I a huge cheesecake lover, as is my fiancé. I will definitively give this a shot.
★★★★★
Riz
Thanks for passing by, Kristen! I hope you both enjoy the cheesecake recipe!!!
Riz Jeanne
Hi, I only have 9in spring form pan. By how long should I bake it? Thanks! 🙂
Riz
Hey Riz! I think you should be okay following the instructions as they are…you could lower the temperature ever so slightly, if you wanted to.
Chef Sous Chef
I love the simplicity of the ingredients in this cheesecake. It’s amazing how a slight change in cooking technique can impose such a unique and wonderful flavour.
★★★★★
Riz
I agree! It’s almost like baking is a sort of modern day alchemy!
Briana
Hi Riz! I have “one of those” questions. I am planning to make this for a get together next week and found out one person is gluten free. Do you think this would work if I substitute almond flour for the all-purpose?
Thank you!
Riz
Hi Briana! I’m afraid I’m going to have to give you “one of those” answers (you know, non-committal). I’ve never tried this, and I have very little experience working with almond flour so I’m afraid I can’t say for sure. In a general sense, I *think* the recipe would still “work”, but I’m guessing there might be small differences in the final outcome – there may be less of an initial rise, or the cake may not be as dense/set as it would with all-purpose flour.
I’d love to hear how it turned out though! And I do hope you all enjoy it!
(Oh, and I’m not sure if it would be a 1:1 swap!)
sheri
The flour amount is so small
Any gf floor if or
Corn starch can be subbed
Results will be fine
Riz
Hi Sheri,
Yes, there isn’t much flour used in this recipe (it is a cheesecake, after all!). I’ve not subbed in any gluten-free flours, or corn starch, so I’m not sure exactly how it would turn out. If you do try it out, let me know how much you used and how it compared to the recipe here!
Riz
Dora
I am about to try the recipe but when do you remove the parchment paper or from the pan? Do you refrigerate the cheesecake in the pan and once chill only remove the paper and pan or do this before you refrigerate it?
Riz
Hey Dora! Definitely after it’s been chilled! (I actually just leave it there entirely to avoid the risk of breaking the cheesecake)
Artem
The base of my cheesecake has alot of oil. Do u know why?
Riz
Hi Artem…I’m afraid I have no idea why that would happen, aside from there being oil leftover in your pan…or maybe your cream cheese had gone off?
Mel Pass
I made this over the weekend. And I can tell you it was excellent. Best recipe there is!!! Thank you!
★★★★★
Riz
I’m so glad to hear that, Mel! And I saw your post this morning on Instagram too!! It looked great, thank you for sharing AND commenting!
Karen Mc Kenna
Mine cracked in the middle while baking. I pulled it after 55 minutes. Will this be OK to serve
Riz
Hi Karen! Oh no! Cheesecake cracks are a pain – though this recipe usually doesn’t crack much, if at all (I talk a bit about cheesecake cracking reasons in my Blueberry Swirl Cheesecake post – some of the info there might be helpful for you 🙂
As long as the cake has cooked through – usually the sides are a bit puffier, and the cheesecake is a bit inflated, it should be totally fine to serve! Cracks are a purely aesthetic issue (I actually think they add character sometimes).
Hope that helps! Happy Holidays!
Basque person
I’m sorry to tell you but… The cake from La Viña isn’t meant to be burnt… It’s just toasty. Ideally it should have an uneven toast like Italian pizzas. With modern ovens it ends up evenly golden. But it shouldn’t have a burnt crust and it definitely shouldn’t have a bitter taste.
Riz
Thanks for commenting,
I think you’ve misunderstood me. I agree the cake shouldn’t actually be BURNT in the sense that it’s charred to a crisp. We say “burnt” mostly because of its colour, and also as a differentiator to how we would bake an American cheesecake, where we’re looking for even colouration (or lack thereof!). “Toasty” is another way to put it, for sure…though I think it makes people think of a different flavour set, and lacks the fun alliteration of burnt. Same deal with the bitterness description – the cake isn’t bitter (to the level of, say, a bitter melon). But the outside is more “bitter” than the un-browned inside. I suppose you could try to describe it as a more “smoky” flavour, but I feel like that would be less accurate.
Hope that clarifies things what I meant!
Debbie S
How would I make a chocolate version of this?
Riz
Hi Debbie,
I’ve got a post for a Chocolate Basque Cheesecake here. Hope that helps!
Esther F.
Hello from Adelaide, Australia! Thanks so much for this recipe! Have made it twice and the second time was today! Yummy! My husband doesn’t like cheesecakes at all (I don’t know which planet he’s from!) and my toddler boy is allergic to Dairy, Eggs and Gluten, so the cake’s all for me. I thought I might have to give half a cake to a friend or something cause there’s no way I’d be able to finish it myself; the first time I made, my mom was here on holiday so it was just us two women who finished the whole cake within a couple of days! Anyway, I found out through Google that you could actually freeze it, for up to a month! So that’s what I’m gonna do, freeze them by slices. Thanks again and I’m looking forward to try your other recipes soon!
★★★★★
Riz
Thanks so much for the lovely comment, Esther! I hope you find some more recipes you enjoy!
Best,
Riz
Kay
I made this one Thursday and served Friday to guests. It was so easy and soooooo good – everyone asked to take some home! I can’t wait to make it again! I was a little nervous as I was using a smaller pan so I baked it for around 65 minutes. Next time I want to try less as it was cooked through – but I’ve had them where they are still quite “undercooked” and they were also super delicious!
★★★★★