If you are looking for some drama in your life, the good type of drama, you just cannot go wrong with making this Easy Basque Burnt Cheesecake! Whether it comes to the table in the parchment, ready to be unveiled in front of your family and/or guests, served on a platter, or doled onto plates in the kitchen, one glance is all it takes to know that this cheesecake is different from any other cheesecake you might have ever served.
Easy Basque Burnt Cheesecake
And it only takes one taste to confirm that difference. Basque Cheesecake is super rich and super creamy. Luscious. Custardy. And while Basque Cheesecake, with its dark, caramelized top, is often referred to as Burnt Cheesecake, it’s not burnt at all. The crust just gives a little hint of caramel taste in each bite.
About Easy Basque Burnt Cheesecake:
Basque Cheesecake is the dreamchild of Chef Santiago Rivera Jimenez of Bar Restaurante La Viña in Donostia-San Sebastian. This style of cheesecake has exploded in popularity in the past year or so, and so have the number of recipes and variations. This is the classic, as close to the original as I could get using our American measurements. There is no vanilla in the cheesecake, just the true flavors of the ingredients. You can add a teaspoon or so if you’d like.
I’ve read that this is a cheesecake that needs no adornment; maybe just a few fresh berries. A little drizzle of a dark caramel wouldn’t be out of place, instead. I chose to celebrate spring with one of my fave flowers and sprinkled on a few violets from the yard. We didn’t eat them (although they ARE edible.)
Basque Cheesecake is at its creamiest and best when served at room temperature. I like to make mine the day before, refrigerate, then bring it out of the fridge for an hour or two before serving. You can make it the same day and just let it cool to room temp but it takes several hours and the timing can be unpredictable.
From La Vina Restaurant
Making Easy Basque Burnt Cheesecake:
You’re going to want to make sure your refrigerated ingredients are at room temperature for the best results, the cream cheese, the cream, and the eggs, so they mix together well with no lumps. Cream the sugar and the cream cheese together, then add the whipping cream, then the eggs, one by one, mixing after each. Scrape down occasionally. And don’t mix too much; just mix enough after each egg to barely incorporate it. The final step is to sprinkle a little flour (using a sieve is best) over the top of the batter and then mix in. The batter will be very thin for a cheesecake so don’t be surprised.
Grease your pan with a little butter so the parchment sticks to it and stays in place. The parchment is a must and needs to be well above the pan because the cheesecake is going to rise up like a souffle as it bakes; mine was about three inches above the pan. Pleat the parchment as you place it in the pan; no need to be perfect, just do your best so it stands tall. If you don’t have wide parchment, piece together two sheets, buttering the area where the two overlap.
When the cheesecake is finished, it will be very jiggly and wobbly and dark on the top. It’s almost alarming and you’ll just have to trust. I did find a video on Bon Appetit that shows the method (and they have their own recipe, but obs I like mine more, lol). Take a peek and you’ll see what to look for. Once taken out of the oven, the cheesecake will fall; that’s what it’s supposed to do. Cool to room temperature on a rack (that will take a few hours) then refrigerate. As mentioned above, the cheesecake should be brought to room temperature before serving. The parchment peels off very easily, leaving a fabulous rustic look.
Easy Basque Burnt Cheesecake
Saving Money on Easy Basque Burnt Cheesecake:
When you’re buying items like cream cheese and cream, you can’t go wrong with stocking up on any holiday sales. Cream cheese keeps for weeks and can be frozen, although the texture feels “wet” after it’s thawed. Cream or whipping cream has a high fat content and keeps for weeks as well.
I have a page with links to all the items to look for on sale during most of the big holidays; see it here under Win at the Grocers. Take advantage of those sales.
Easy Basque Burnt Cheesecake
Easy Basque Burnt Cheesecake
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: several hours
- Yield: 8 to 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Basque
Ingredients
- 2 pounds cream cheese
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
- 2 cups cream (I used whipping cream)
- 7 large eggs
- 2 heaping tablespoons flour
Instructions
Bring cream cheese, cream and eggs to room temperature. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and adjust oven rack if needed so there is enough space for the pan and parchment. Butter a 9″ springform pan and place parchment paper inside so the parchment reaches above the pan by about 4 inches.
Add the cream cheese to mixing bowl and beat until creamy. Add sugar (and salt if using) and continue to beat until fully incorporated. Turn mixer on low and add the cream slowly. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until just mixed in after each, stopping to scape down several times. Using a sieve, sprinkle the flour over the top of the mixer and mix on low until just mixed in.
Pour mixture into lined pan, place in oven and bake for about 55 to 60 minutes. The top will be deep brown, the mixture will rise above the pan and it will be very wobbly and jiggly. Remove from oven (the cheesecake will fall) and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate or serve. If refrigerated, bring to room temperature before serving.
Keywords: Basque, Cheesecake, Cream, Cream Cheese, Desserts
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