Tiramisu Basque Cheesecake

Name: Tiramisu Basque Cheesecake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp instant coffee powder; 1 tbsp hot water; 150 g castor sugar; 750 g cream cheese; 4 large eggs; 1 tbsp vanilla; 2 drops almond extract; 375 ml whipping cream; 45 g flour; Pinch of salt; 10 lady finger sponge biscuits; 3 tbsp instant coffee powder; 120 ml hot water; 250 g whipping cream; 125 g mascarpone cream; 45 g icing sugar; 1 tbsp vanilla extract; 3 tbsp cocoa powder (for dusting the top)

Rich and delicious Basque cheesecake topped with espresso soaked lady finger sponge biscuits and a mascarpone cream on top. Dusted with cocoa powder for the perfect tiramisu finish, this dessert is such an indulgent treat.

The mastermind of this is recipe is Sam Wilson aka BaldFlavors. On a random afternoon I received a DM on instagram suggesting I try this version of cheesecake, naturally I rose to the challenge with pleasure. Might I add I LOVE a good Basque cheesecake and Tiramisu is my go to comfort dessert so it only seemed fitting to Mary the two together. Low behold one of the best Basque cheesecake recipes I’ve ever baked and eaten was born. And this says a lot because I have eaten my fair share of Basque cheesecakes and baked even more. This recipe is such an indulgent and delicious dessert that you will be craving for more. Don’t get me wrong it is not indulgent in the overly heavy kind of way, no no no – it is light, creamy, luscious and so good. Think coffee cream cheese cloud. Without any delay let us get into the details of this beaut.

What is Basque cheesecake? What is the difference between cheesecake and basque cheesecake? What is the difference between American and Basque cheesecake?

Both the cheesecakes are made with cream cheese but it is the method that varies. Regular cheesecake normally has a graham cracker biscuit base and the cheesecake is baked in a water bath, low and slow. A Basque cheesecake has no crust and is baked in a very high temperature oven to get that blistered look.

Why is Basque cheesecake so popular?

For the obvious reasons, few ingredients, simple method and very few equipment. Not to mention the recipe requires you to actively burn it. It is creamy, rich and very delicious.

What is Basque cheesecake made of?

The dessert is made with cream cheese, whipping cream, eggs, vanilla, sugar, a little flour or corn flour. It has no butter or oil in the cake. Most often than not it is served with fresh fruit, caramel or melted chocolate

What is tiramisu? What is tiramisu made of?

Tiramisu is an Italian dessert that is elegant and rich. It is a layered dessert recipe that is made with lady finger cookies/savoyardi sponge biscuits, espresso or strong black instant coffee, mascarpone cheese, eggs, sugar, whipping cream, coffee liqueur and cocoa powder. This recipe can be made eggless or without alcohol but the ingredients listed above are the authentic ingredients used to make it.

What is tiramisu Basque cheesecake?

A tiramisu Basque cheesecake is basically a coffee Basque cheesecake layered with tiramisu on top. For the tiramisu element I have used lady finger sponge biscuits soaked in strong black coffee, topped with a rich mascarpone cream frosting, dusted with cocoa powder. The best of both worlds combined to create the most indulge dessert.

What ingredients are needed to make a tiramisu Basque cheesecake?

To make the Basque cheesecake we need cream cheese, eggs, castor sugar, vanilla and almond extract, flour, whipping cream and salt. But this is a coffee flavored Basque so we also need instant coffee powder and hot water. For the biscuit layer we need lady finger song biscuits which are classic to tiramisu, you could also use digestive biscuit if you cannot find these, we will also need strong black coffee to soak the biscuits in. For the mascarpone layer we need mascarpone cheese, whipping cream, vanilla and icing sugar. The cheesecake is topped with cocoa powder which has to be unsweetened.

What equipment is needed to make a tiramisu Basque cheesecake?

To make the cheesecake we need a large mixing bowl and whisk. I have used a 9 inch round spring foam tin to bake the cheesecake which is lined with baking paper generously. To make the coffee for soaking the biscuits we need a shallow mixing bowl. For the mascarpone cream you can use a large mixing bowl and electric beater to make it or use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. I have also use an offset spatula to level out the cheesecake but you can use the back of a spoon as well.

How to make tiramisu Basque cheesecake?

For the coffee Basque cheesecake –

Preheat the oven to 220℃, line your 9inch spring foam tin with 3 sheets of baking paper – we want the size of the paper to be larger than the tin. Scrunch the paper into the tin and it should be rustic so don’t over think it. In a large mixing bowl add the instant coffee powder and hot water, whisk until its a smooth paste. Add the room temperature cream cheese, sugar and whisk until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time and mix until combined. Add the vanilla, almond extract, salt and whisk again. Add the whipping cream and whisk until smooth. Add the flour into the batter and gently whisk until combined. Pour into the lined tin, bake for 35-40 mins until the top is dark brown. The center should be wobbly when you shake the tin.

For the biscuit layer –

While the cake is warm, we get on with the biscuit layer. Make the black coffee and dunk the lady finger biscuits into the coffee and top the warm cheesecake with it. Cut pieces to create a full even layer of the soaked biscuit, allow to cool completely in the fridge for a couple of hours.

For the mascarpone layer –

In a mixing bowl add the whipping cream and beat until soft peaks. Add the mascarpone, icing sugar, vanilla and whisk well until stiff peaks. Spread this evenly over the biscuit layer and allow it to set for 30 minutes in the fridge. When ready to serve, dust the top with cocoa powder, remove from the tin, slice and enjoy.

Serving and storing tiramisu Basque cheesecake?

The best way to serve this cheesecake is fridge cold. You can serve it with my espresso martini or better yet, serve it with my iced mocha to keep the caffeine spirits high. It is perfect as a dessert or serve it for brunch as it is a beautiful table center piece. The leftovers can be stored as slices in air tight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. I find it best to have the slices of cheesecake sitting on a piece of baking paper so it is easy to remove from the container when ready to serve.

Looking for more Basque cheesecake recipes?

Now that we have covered how to make this tiramisu Basque cheesecake recipe, you can have a look at the recipe video on my socials but let’s get to it. Don’t forget to follow along for more fun recipe inspiration.

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to share it with me on pinterest & instagram so I can see how it turned out. I’d love nothing more than to chat with you on your cooking/baking.