Burnt Basque Cheesecake

Name: Burnt Basque Cheesecake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Ingredients: 550 gm Cream cheese; 190 gm Castor sugar; 3 Eggs; 250 ml Whipping cream; 1 tsp Vanilla; 30 gm Flour; Pinch of salt

This is the easiest cheesecake recipe you will ever make. With no special equipment needed, you are required to burn the cheesecake, it is meant to crack on the top and has this luscious creamy center.

When I made this recipe for the first time my mum absolutely loved it. She is very picky about cakes and she have never been a fan of cheesecakes but this one is a definite exception. My mum has been to San Sebastián in Spain but hasn’t tried the cheesecake there. She didn’t know about it when she travelled as it wasn’t as popular then. Hence when I told her this cheesecake hails from there she felt it was destiny. Now, whether it was destiny or not – I know she certainly whipped the plate clean.

The cake originates from the Basque region which is situation on the border of France and Spain. It is influenced by both cultures however this cake primarily stems from San Sebastián and it is fairly new in the culinary world, just a little over 3 decades or so. The reason this cake is so popular needs no introduction is because it defies all the odds of a classic cheesecake. To make a classic cheesecake we need a water bath to bake the cake, the tin must be spring form, there has to be a biscuit base, we must bake it low and slow, it shouldn’t have any color, it should be smooth and must be completely cooled.

Whereas the Basque cheesecake is baked in scorching hot oven, it is meant to get burnt, the darker the outside the better it is, the inside should be underbaked and it will sink which is perfect. No fancy equipment is needed to make this cake, we don’t need a spring form tin, we just need a lot of baking paper. No water bath is needed to make this cheesecake as well. Making it a fuss free recipe but extremely delicious and satisfying. As it is mothers day, it seemed only fitting to make this recipe in an ode to my mum for all the selfless things she does on a daily basis.

What ingredients do you need to make this Burnt Basque Cheesecake?

The ingredients to make this cake is so simple, we start we full fat cream cheese – ideally you want to use Philadelphia cream cheese. We need whole eggs, castor sugar, whipping cream, vanilla, and a little flour to bind it all together. I personally like adding a pinch of salt as this helps balance out the dairy and the sweetness. You could also do a little sea salt flakes on the top once it is baked and sliced. Some recipes suggest using sherry or some liqueur, you could add any you like but not more than 1 tablespoon. Also you could use orange/lemon zest in the batter before baking. As the ingredient list is small, the recipe doesn’t have substitutes. All of the ingredients play an important role in making the cake creamy and delicious.

What equipment do you need to make this Burnt Basque Cheesecake?

I have made this recipe with a large mixing bowl and whisk. You can use a stand mixer or electric mixer but we don’t need to beat a lot of air into the batter. Also I have used a spring form tin to bake this cake but I have also made the recipe in a regular 9 inch round tin and it has worked perfectly. We need baking paper to give this cake its cracked rustic side look. You can use an 8 inch or 9 inch round tin to make this cake.

How to make this Burnt Basque Cheesecake?

We start by ensuring the oven is preheated to 200℃. In a spring form tin brush a little oil/butter on the sides. Line the tin with two large sheets of baking paper. Make sure the paper is overlapping each other and crates these rustic folds, set aside. All your ingredients must be at room temperature before you begin. In a large mixing bowl we add the cream cheese and whisk for a few minutes until creamy and soft. Add the sugar and beat again until semi dissolved. We add the eggs one at a time and whisk well. Add the flavorings such as vanilla and meat again. Add the whipping cream and whisk it in slowly as we want to ensure there are no lumps. Add the flour but sift it in. Fold together and pour the batter into the prepared tin. Bake for 40-45 mins unit the top is colored, the sides are set and the center is very jiggly.

If you are using a manual oven, put the griller on as well (which is usually on the top) as this will give it its burnt color while it bakes from the bottom. Once you’ve got the color you need you can turn the griller off. And continue baking until done. Once the cake is baked, remove it from the oven and it must cool down for at least 3 hours before slicing and serving. If you slice into it while it is still hot, the center will run out. Hence we need to let this cool before we slice it. I also make it the night before and let it cool over night before slicing the next day.

To serve this cake, I like dusting a little cinnamon on the top or grate some fresh lemon zest as well. You could serve it with fresh berries and some hot black coffee.

How long can you store this Burnt Basque Cheesecake?

Once the cake is baked it won’t last in your fridge for long as you will keep eating it but it will last in an air tight container for 4 days. I would recommend consuming it within 2 days for the best texture.

Now that we have understood how to make this Burnt Basque Cheesecake let us get baking. Happy Mothers Day Ma!