Burnt Basque Cheesecake
BASQUE BURNT CHEESECAKE
Whenever I get to spend Christmas with my family in Spain I don’t cook very much because why would I deny myself the chance to have my Yaya’s food? But my one contribution is always this Basque Cheesecake. This cheesecake is so good, my dad bought himself a springform pan to keep at his house just so I can make this anytime I’m home - and this is coming from the man who still hasn’t replaced the plastic Ikea cups we drank in when I was a toddler. This recipe is a winner and will be sure to impress this holiday season or year round!
My first time having Basque Cheesecake was back in 2017 while visiting San Sebastian with my dad and my sister. San Sebastian is one of our favorite weekend trips to make from Madrid (where my family lives), because not only is it beautiful, the food is absolutely incredible. Now I have always been a cheesecake fan, but this cheesecake blew my mind. It had a dark brown “burnt” exterior, but the interior was one of the creamiest cheesecakes I had ever had. From that day on, I made it my mission to recreate it myself. It took me a few years to perfect the recipe, as I often was overcooking the inside by the time the outside was “burnt”, but after quite a few trials I finally got it right in 2021 and have been making it for Christmas for my family ever since.
What is Burnt Basque Cheesecake?
Burnt Basque Cheesecake, or Basque Cheesecake, or Tarta de Queso Vasco is a creamy, crustless cheesecake with a dark, caramelized top. It originates from the Basque region of Spain in the north, specifically from a restaurant in San Sebastián called La Viña.
The "burnt" look is intentional, giving the top a dark caramelized crust, which contrasts with a super creamy interior. Baking the cheesecake at a high temperature for a short period causes the top to darken, while the inside stays soft and creamy.
Unlike most cheesecakes, Basque cheesecake doesn’t have a crust. Instead, the batter is simply poured into a pan lined with parchment paper, which allows the sides to rise higher than the batter and creates the signature rustic edges when baked.
Once you get the hang of it, this recipe is actually quite easy to make - even easier since it takes just a few ingredients and doesn’t require a crust. I included lots of tips below to ensure your cheesecake comes out perfect, so read through before you start!
Equipment Needed:
You will need a 10” springform pan for this recipe. I like this one because it’s inexpensive, nonstick, and seals tightly.
This recipe works best with a food processor, but since I no longer have one, I use my blender. The main thing with using a blender is you are going to incorporate more air into the mixture than if using a food processor, which creates air bubbles. To remove, after pouring the mixture into the pan, tap to remove any air bubbles or use a kitchen torch to pop them before baking. I have never attempted to make this without any equipment as I assume it would be difficult with the ingredients needing to be cold, but you can mix by hand or using a stand mixer, just start by whipping the cream cheese first before adding the rest of your ingredients.
Parchment paper - not really equipment, but parchment paper is crucial to making Burnt Basque Cheesecake. It keeps the cheesecake from sticking to the pan, and holds it together in the pan while it’s baking since there is no crust. You ideally want the XL parchment paper that is wide enough to cover your pan in one sheet, but if you don’t, you can use two sheets that overlap, just be sure to use butter or oil to seal them to the pan in the areas they overlap. You want about 2-3” of overhang above the pan. You’ll need to pinch and crease the parchment paper to fit the pan properly, which won’t result in a smooth edge. This is fine, as the cheesecake is meant to have a more rustic exterior.
Sheet pan - you want to bake your cheesecake on a sheet pan to catch any potential spillage and ensure even cooking.
Tips before you begin:
You absolutely need to ensure your oven is preheated to 500 degrees for an hour BEFORE you start making your cheesecake. This ensures the oven stays hot enough when you open the door to put the cheesecake in. The high temperature is crucial to ensure the outside gets that deep brown “burnt” color, while still keeping the inside creamy and molten.
When testing this recipe years ago, I found that in order to get the deep brown color I was looking for outside, I was cooking the inside more than I wanted to, which resulted in a less creamy and molten cheesecake. To counter this, I broil the cheesecake for 1 minute or so until it’s a deep brown. While it’s broiling, watch it closely as 10 seconds can turn your cheesecake from the good “burnt” to too burnt.
The cheesecake will still be quite jiggly when you pull it out. It will settle and set as it cools.
Make sure your ingredients are cold before blending, and make sure to place the cheesecake in the oven as soon as you have placed the mixture into the pan. Keeping the ingredients cold helps “burn” the outside without overcooking the inside.
I highly recommend using Philadelphia full fat cream cheese for this as the texture can be altered using other brands. There aren’t a lot of ingredients in this, so you want to use high quality. Also please use full fat, not low fat cream cheese!
A Basque Cheesecake does not have a crust, and I do not put any flour or cornstarch, as it sets with the proper ratio of eggs to cream, making this perfectly gluten free!
This cheesecake absolutely needs to sit for at least 12 hours, ideally overnight. If you don’t give it proper time to chill, the cheesecake won’t be solidified and will result in a soupy mess. The benefit though, is this is the perfect dessert to make ahead, as it lasts in the fridge up to a week.
Now although it’s called Burnt Cheesecake, it doesn’t actually mean burnt (see visual of what you don’t want below). The right kind of burnt we want for this recipe is a deep, dark brown that’s still smooth on the top (see recipe photo).
As you can see, the image on the left is me leaving the cheesecake under the broiler a little too long, result in a cheesecake that was too burnt (it still tasted good, just had to remove the burnt part). You want a deep golden brown like the picture on the right.
Serves 8-10.
Ingredients:
For the Burnt Basque Cheesecake:
6 large eggs, 1 egg yolk
32oz Philadelphia full fat cream cheese
1½ cups white granulated sugar
¾ cup heavy cream + 2 tbsps
2 tsps vanilla bean paste or extract
1 tsp lemon zest
¼ tsp salt
Butter or oil for greasing the pan
Directions:
For the Burnt Basque Cheesecake:
Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 500 degrees fahrenheit for 1 hour. Do not skip this step! The oven needs to be properly preheated to be at the highest temperature possible to ensure it’s hot enough to bake the cheesecake.
Once your oven has been preheated for 1 hour, get started on your cheesecake mixture. Grease your springform pan with butter or oil to allow the parchment paper to stick. Crumple a large piece of parchment paper and place inside the springform pan, leaving about a 2-3” overhang on all sides. Depending on the size of your parchment paper, you may need to use two overlapping sheets, just be sure to close any gaps between the parchment paper with more butter or oil. Add the cheesecake pan to a baking sheet and set aside.
To a blender or food processor, add the cream cheese, eggs, egg yolk, heavy cream, white sugar, vanilla bean paste, lemon zest, and salt. Blend for 2-3 minutes or until completely smooth, then pour into your prepared cheesecake pan. If you use a blender, you may need to tap out any air bubbles.
Immediately transfer the cheesecake to the middle rack of your oven and bake for 27 minutes. It should be a bit golden brown, but don’t worry if it’s not fully dark brown yet as the broiler will get it there.
Broil for about 1 minute on the middle rack, keeping a close eye on it, until it’s a deep brown color. Remove from the oven and place on the counter instead of the stove to ensure the cheesecake does not continue to cook as it cools.
Allow the cheesecake to cool completely before transferring to the fridge uncovered to set overnight, or a minimum of 12 hours.
30 minutes prior to serving, remove from the fridge to allow it to come to room temperature. Slice and serve, and enjoy!