Cracked, dented and burnt to perfection, Basque cheesecake isn't your average cheesecake.
Basque Cheesecake
Updated on Nov. 11, 2024
If you’re a lover of indulgent, creamy cheesecake and sweet, caramelized creme brulee, then you need to put Basque cheesecake at the top of your baking bucket list. We’ve been drooling over this unique dessert for a while now and felt it was high time that we put it to the test.
What is Basque cheesecake?
Burnt, cracked and uneven are not typically words you’d want to use to describe a traditional cheesecake recipe. However, if you’re talking about a burnt Basque cheesecake recipe, those are the exact attributes you want to achieve.
Originating in San Sebastian, Spain, Basque burnt cheesecake was invented by Chef Santiago Rivera in 1990. While burnt cheesecake may look like a happy accident, the resulting cheesecake (cracks and all) was an intentional creation born out of countless hours of experimentation.
Today, foodies everywhere travel to La Viña to get a taste of the original burnt Basque cheesecake. But if a trip to Spain isn’t in your future, you can make a wonderful homemade version of this burnt Basque cheesecake recipe.
Ingredients for Basque Cheesecake
- Cream cheese: For the best cheesecake filling, start with room-temperature cream cheese to help your batter mix up perfectly smooth. It’s one of our cheesecake tips you don’t want to forget!
- Sugar: The cheesecake’s filling is sweetened with granulated sugar. Sugar is also sprinkled on top of the cheesecake just before it goes in the oven to help with browning for the signature Basque burnt cheesecake look. It’s not too far off from a classic creme brulee!
- Eggs: Five whole eggs set up the cheesecake’s slightly custardy filling. The extra egg yolk adds more richness to the filling and gives it a beautiful, soft golden hue.
- Heavy whipping cream: We thin out the filling just a touch with a bit of heavy whipping cream. Don’t use any other cream or milk with a lower fat percentage—if you do, your Basque cheesecake recipe won’t be as rich and delicious.
- All-purpose flour: The cheesecake is thickened with just a few tablespoons all-purpose flour.
- Vanilla extract: While vanilla extract works perfectly well here, vanilla paste gives the cheesecake those gorgeous black vanilla flecks.
Directions
Step 1: Prep the pan
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with two overlapping pieces of parchment. Set aside.
Editor’s Tip: You can bake a cheesecake without a springform pan, but it will take some extra parchment.
Step 2: Beat the cream cheese and sugar
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or with an electric hand mixer), cream together the cream cheese and 1-1/2 cups sugar on medium speed until the sugar is dissolved and no lumps remain.
Step 3: Add the eggs
Add the whole eggs and the egg yolk, one at a time, beating after each addition until incorporated.
Step 4: Finish the cheesecake filling
Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low, and beat in the heavy cream, flour, vanilla and salt. Transfer the filling to the prepared springform pan, spreading the mixture into an even layer.
Dust the top of the cheesecake with 1 tablespoon granulated sugar.
Step 5: Bake the cheesecake
Place the cheesecake on a sheet pan and then transfer it to the preheated oven. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Then, increase the oven temperature to 450° and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes. The extra blast of high heat will help the cheesecake get that perfectly “burnt” caramelized top.
Editor’s Tip: If your cheesecake is getting too dark on top, tent the top loosely with foil. You want the cheesecake to be caramelized on top so it has a lovely toasted caramel flavor but not so severely burnt that it tastes of bitter sugar.
Step 6: Remove it from the oven
When the Basque cheesecake is fully baked, remove it from the oven and let it cool completely to room temperature on a wire rack. Note that the cheesecake will deflate and fall considerably as it cools. This is supposed to happen!
Unlatch the clasp of the springform pan and remove the outer ring. Gently peel back the layers of parchment and then use a sharp knife to cut into slices. Basque cheesecake tastes best when served at room temperature.
Editor’s Tip: This cheesecake is ready when the edges appear set but the center jiggles if you gently shake the pan. You can also test a cheesecake for doneness with an instant-read thermometer. An internal temperature of 150 to 155° means it’s ready.
Recipe Variations
Like classic cheesecake, this Basque cheesecake recipe is easy to customize and make your own. Here are a few of our favorite ways to add flavor to the traditional recipe:
- Pumpkin Spice Basque Cheesecake: Reduce the heavy cream to 3/4 cup and add 3/4 cup pumpkin puree, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves to the batter. Then bake as directed.
- Cranberry White Chocolate Basque Cheesecake: Mix in 1 cup melted white chocolate and the zest from 1 orange into the filling. Bake as directed, then top it off with your favorite cranberry sauce when serving.
- Pecan Caramel Basque Cheesecake: Swap in brown sugar for the regular granulated sugar in the filling, then bake as directed. Top with homemade caramel sauce and toasted pecans before serving.
- Chocolate Basque Cheesecake with Aquafaba: Yes, you can replace all six eggs in this recipe (including the extra egg yolk) with one of our favorite inexpensive egg substitutes: aquafaba! Whisk 1 cup of aquafaba (you might need two cans of chickpeas) into the batter along with 6 ounces of melted and cooled bittersweet chocolate to mask the chickpea flavor.
How to Store Basque Cheesecake
Once cooled off to room temperature, store burnt Basque cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to five days. You may also freeze the cheesecake (whole or as individual slices) tightly wrapped in two layers of storage wrap and a layer of aluminum foil for up to three months. Defrost the cheesecake overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Can you make Basque cheesecake ahead of time?
Absolutely! Make Basque burnt cheesecake the day before serving and let it hang out in the fridge. An hour before serving, place the cheesecake on the counter to take the chill off. This cheesecake tastes best at room temp!
Basque Cheesecake Tips
What should I serve with Basque cheesecake?
This is one of those rare recipes that we do not suggest serving with any food accompaniments. Basque cheesecake is so full of nuanced flavors that adding a topping even as simple as whipped cream will take away from the full experience.
However, the same rule does not apply to beverages—after-dinner drinks are a must with Basque cheesecake. Sherry, brandy, sweet Riesling or ice wine are exceptional drink pairings for Basque burnt cheesecake.
What is the difference between cheesecake and Basque cheesecake?
A traditional New York cheesecake and a Basque cheesecake have a few differences. The main one is their appearance. A New York cheesecake is finicky and goes through a lot of preventative measures to bake silky, smooth and crack-free. But with a Basque cheesecake, there’s no pressure to make it look perfect. It’s a great cheesecake recipe for beginners because its beauty truly lies in its imperfections. Burnt, craggy and deflated never looked (or tasted) so good!
A New York cheesecake will also have some kind of crust, normally a crunchy graham cracker crust. A Basque cheesecake is crustless since the burnt topping provides a textural contrast to the creamy cheesecake underneath.
How can you substitute eggs in this cheesecake?
Aquafaba is an excellent egg substitute for cheesecakes. We found that 1 cup (16 tablespoons) does the trick in our Basque cheesecake recipe. Since aquafaba lacks the amount of fat that eggs have, the cheesecake won’t be quite as rich. And because aquafaba has a noticeable chickpea flavor, it’s best to use this substitute in a flavored cheesecake. For this Basque cheesecake recipe, adding 6 ounces of melted and cooled bittersweet chocolate to the cheesecake batter when replacing the eggs with aquafaba did the trick.
Watch How to Make Basque Cheesecake
Basque Cheesecake
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
45 min
Yield
1 cheesecake
Ingredients
- 4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
- 1-1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1-1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°. Line a 9-in. springform pan with two overlapping pieces of parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and 1-1/2 cups sugar at medium speed until mixture is smooth. Add whole eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, until incorporated. Reduce mixer speed to medium-low; beat in heavy cream, flour, vanilla extract and salt until smooth. Transfer filling to prepared springform pan, spreading the mixture into an even layer. Dust the top of the cheesecake with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
- Bake 25-30 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450°; bake an additional 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool completely on wire rack. Remove sides of springform pan and peel back layers of parchment paper. Use a sharp knife to cut into slices.
Nutrition Facts
12 pieces: 495 calories, 37g fat (22g saturated fat), 197mg cholesterol, 471mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate (30g sugars, 0 fiber), 8g protein.
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This style of cheesecake originated at La Vina, a cafe in the resort town of San Sebastian in the Basque region of Spain. It's a crustless cheesecake with a rich, gooey interior and a caramelized exterior that is simply divine. A light dusting of sugar on top before baking at a high temperature adds to the deeply browned, caramelized effect. —Lauren Habermehl, Pewaukee, Wisconsin
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