When it comes to baking, “don’t burn it” is generally a pretty good rule to stick by. Unless you’re making this northern Spanish speciality, that is.
Burnt Basque cheesecake, while perhaps not in the same aesthetic league as other, more Instagrammable desserts (it is burnt after all), is trending nonetheless, standing as a beguiling and addictive alternative to the classic New York Style.
Creamy on the inside and caramelized on the outside, this Basque Burnt Cheesecake is easier than it looks to make at home. Baked at a high temperature, the cheesecake’s iconic rich dark top is a showstopper! Follow my tips and tricks for a foolproof recipe.
Basque Cheesecake or Basque Burnt Cheesecake was created in 1990 by a chef named Santiago Rivera of a restaurant called La Viña in San Sebastian, Spain. If you’re interested, read this article or this article that explains how this cake was invented and became popular.
BASQUE BURNT CHEESECAKE
Ingredients
- 2 blocks Cream Cheese
- 1/2 cup Heavy/All Purpose Cream
- 1 cup White Sugar
- 1 tsp butter For greasing the pan
- 1/2 cup Yogurt or Sour Cream
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 pcs Whole Eggs
- 2 pcs Eggyolks
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch/Cake flour
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven @ 200C
- Make sure all ingredients are in room temp
- In a mixing bowl, place the cream cheese and slice it first into 4 to easily whisk it later
- Beat the cream cheese until creamy
- Pour in the sugar, yogurt, heavy cream and vanilla extract and whisk again until creamy
- Put the cornstarch, eggs and egg yolks and beat until incorporated
- Grease the round pan with butter and place 2 pcs of parchment paper
- Make sure parchment comes at least 2" above top of pan on all sides. Because the parchment needs to be pleated and creased in some areas to fit in pan
- Pour the batter into the pan and give the tin a sharp bang on the worktop to remove any air bubbles
- Baked for 35mins and the cheesecake should still have jiggly texture once cooked
- Chill in the fridge for at least 4hours
- Serve and enjoy!
