Easy Basque Burnt Cheesecake Recipe

Basque Burnt Cheesecake is a delightful and delicious burnt cheesecake. This Burnt Basque Cheesecake recipe has a fantastic combination of textures, and it’s creamy from the inside, almost custard-like, and caramelized from the outside. This recipe is so easy and hassle-free, even for beginners. Follow my tips, and the video guide, and read the FAQs mentioned below to make this fabulous dessert!

Basque Cheesecake

If you hear about Basque Burnt Cheesecake for the first time, you must be wondering how a burnt cheesecake recipe is famous? Let me tell you that you are not alone. When I first saw the Basque burnt cheesecake image, I thought it is an overbaked regular cheesecake.

I was so wrong! Reading more about burnt Basque cheesecake made me realize a technique used to achieve different textures. My sister asked me to try making it, and I am glad that I did.

Basque burnt cheesecake is easy to make, and with only five ingredients, I made the most amazing cheesecake ever. Although, to be honest, my first time was a failure, I baked the cheesecake in an eight-inch baking pan, and it came out fir and flat, yet the flavor was outstanding. I then decide to perfect it because if Basque cheesecake tastes so good when failed, it must be heavenly when baked right!

What is Basque Burnt Cheesecake? And how does it taste?

Although it is known as burnt cheesecake, it is an underbaked cheesecake. Chef Santiago Rivera created Basque burnt cheesecake. You can read more about him in this article. Thank you, Chef Santiago, for this valuable gift!

• The burnt cheesecake has a creamy custard-like texture in the middle and gets a little firm after chilling overnight. There is no crust in this cheesecake, and it does not need one!
• The cheesecake is prepared in few minutes, and all you need is five ingredients; although I like to add vanilla, the original recipe and the Japanese style of it leave any flavoring out.
• The baking time is much less than your usual cheesecake. However, the Basque Burnt Cheesecake will come out jiggly with a burnt top and slight burns on the edges.
• Some like to serve it after it reaches room temperature. However, it’s best to refrigerate the cheesecake overnight.  

Ingredients to make Basque Cheesecake

As I have mentioned above, the original burnt cheesecake recipe calls for five ingredients only, but many, including myself, add vanilla to cut the eggy taste, but you can leave it out if you wish. This recipe’s ingredients won’t change but what differs is the quantity of it.

Eggs – Use large eggs. Most of the recipes I came across ask for large eggs. Make sure that the eggs are at room temperature.

Cream Cheese – I always use Philadelphia cream cheese, but you can use another brand like Kiri. Avoid low-fat cream cheese; the Basque cheesecake will come out pasty, and do not use whipped cream cheese, or it will not hold well, and the texture will be grainy. Whipped cream cheese has less fat; hence when exposed to heat, it dries out.  

Flour – All recipes call for cake flour, but I always use all-purpose flour; I never noticed any difference in taste or texture, but if you like to use cake flour, go ahead.

Sugar – I have used fine caster sugar; if you have granulated sugar, add it to a grinder and pulse a few times to get a finer texture. Fine sugar dissolves quickly and prevents from over mixing the batter.

Heavy whipping cream – Go for the real deal, do not use half and half or low-fat cream.

Vanilla – You can use vanilla to give a familiar flavor to the burnt cheesecake. However, you can use orange or lemon zest instead.

How to make Burnt Cheesecake?

You can use a stand mixer or even a hand mixer to mix the batter, but you can use a silicone spatula and a whisk instead. If you have all the ingredients at room temperature, you will find them coming together in no time. However, using a stand mixer or hand mixer will develop more air bubbles in the batter.

1. Preheat the oven to the temperature mentioned in the recipe card below, and remember most ovens take at least 20 minutes to reach the desired temperature.
2. Beat the cream cheese to make sure there are no lumps in it.
3. Add the sugar and mix until the sugar dissolves.
4. Sift the flour and add it to the cream cheese; mix for a few seconds.
5. In a different bowl, beat the eggs with vanilla, and then add them to the batter and whisk until combined.
6. Finally, add the whipping cream and mix for a few seconds.
7. Pour in a 6-inch baking pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven, let the burnt cheesecake cool, then chill for few hours.

How to prepare the baking pan?

Because the batter is liquid, I used two layers of parchment paper. Unlike lining most baking pans for cake, do not cut a circle; place it at the bottom of the pan, and then line the edges of the pan with another piece of parchment paper.

How can I control the texture of the burnt cheesecake?

Many people prefer the Basque burnt cheesecake to be creamy in the middle, while others like to have a little firmness. But both textures are easily achievable.

To have a creamier custard texture in the middle of the cheesecake, bake the batter for a lesser time, so, in this recipe, to achieve that, bake the burnt cheesecake for 25 minutes.

If you like creamy yet a little firm texture, bake the cheesecake for 30 to 40 minutes.

Keep in mind that the cheesecake will keep on cooking even after you take it out of the oven. Because of the high temperature, it was exposed to; the baking pan will stay hot for more than an hour.

Can I use a different size pan?

Yes, if you have a deep 8-inch pan, then you should double this basque burnt cheesecake recipe to achieve the height and texture; otherwise, if you use this recipe as is in an 8-inch pan, the result will be a flat cheesecake, well, it will still taste amazing, but will not have the right texture.

Can I bake burnt cheesecake in a gas oven?

Yes! But from my experience, there are a few things that you must keep in mind. First, if you are baking in a gas oven without a fan, the top of the cheesecake will not burn. The basque burnt cheesecake will rise and will bake fine, and you will get the right texture, but it will come out with a firm pale top!

To get the burnt effect in a gas oven, after baking the cheesecake for 25 minutes, turn on the burner on top, and keep an eye on the cheesecake. It will get dark brown quickly.

The Basque burnt cheesecake cake is still wobbly in the middle after baking?

It is a good sign! If the middle came out firm or sunk while baking, this means that you have overbaked it. The temperature in the oven is very high, and despite taking the cheesecake out of the oven, it will continue to cook from the heat captured inside the batter.  

Can I serve the cheesecake after it cools?

You can serve the cheesecake after it cools completely, and before chilling, it will taste more like cream caramel and custard at that point which is heavenly!

Tips for making a fantastic Basque burnt cheesecake recipe

• Do not use whipped cream cheese instead of cream cheese; it will ruin the texture of the cheesecake.
• Keep the eggs and other ingredients at room temperature.
• Once you place the cheesecake in the oven, do not open the door unless to take it out, or the heat will escape, and your dessert will be ruined.
• Place the baking pan over a baking sheet in case the batter leaked out of the pan.
• Use other flavorings like orange zest or lemon zest instead of vanilla extract.
• You can reduce the taste of the eggs by removing the chalaza, which is white and is attached to the egg yolk.
• Preheat the oven; the oven needs to be hot when you place the cheesecake batter in it.
• Let the cheesecake cool on a cooling rack. When it reaches room temperature, refrigerate it.
• When slicing the cheesecake, make sure to wipe the knife clean after each cut.

How to store Burnt Basque Cheesecake?

When the burnt cheesecake reaches room temperature, place it in a Ziplock bag and refrigerate it for up to 5 days.

Although I do not recommend freezing this dessert because dairy products do not maintain the same texture after thawing, you can cut the Basque cheesecake into slices and wrap each individually with a plastic wrap and then place it in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Other cheesecake recipes you will love

Pumpkin cheesecake.

Vanilla cheesecake with butterscotch sauce.

📖 Recipe