How to Make Basque Burnt Cheesecake

Today I’m sharing how to make a Basque Burnt Cheesecake. If you love cheesecake, then you need to make this recipe. It’s somewhere between a complicated fancy cheesecake that requires a water bath and a no-bake cheesecake.

So if you love cheesecake like I do AND you love simple recipes, then this is the one for you. Let’s jump in!

Let’s Talk Cheesecake

I don’t remember eating cheesecake as a child. At least I don’t remember eating good cheesecake. It just wasn’t one of the recipes that the bakers in my family made.

But as an adult, I remember discovering The Cheesecake Factory. My daughter and I would walk into the restaurant, stare at the case of beautiful cheesecakes and begin dreaming immediately about which cheesecake we would order at the end of the meal.

We loved cheesecake so much that we would order our meal from the appetizer menu just to make sure that we had plenty of room left to enjoy a piece of cheesecake.

Baking Cheesecake at Home

Years ago, our family even began making cheesecake at home. My favorite recipe was by Emeril Lagasse and it’s amazing. Of course, Emeril didn’t join us in our kitchen and it didn’t always turn out. You have to be sure to wrap the cheesecake just right before placing it in a water bath. This is a bit fussy for me.

We may have also underbaked the cheesecake a few times and were left with just the outer parts of the cheesecake to eat. BTW, it was amazing. So if you don’t mind fussy recipes and you’re a bit more patient than me, then by all means…give it a try. I’ve linked the recipe here. All the best!

But, if you’re wanting a cheesecake recipe that is amazing AND simple, the Basque Burnt Cheesecake is the one for you!

Let’s Bake a Basque Burnt Cheesecake

I recently discovered the Basque Burnt Cheesecake. I had never eaten one before baking it myself and let me tell you, I’m hooked. It’s easy and it’s delicious.

Ok, let me tell you how to make a Burnt Basque Cheesecake. Hint: No water bath required.

Getting Started

To begin, let’s get organized. Below you will find an overview of what is needed to make Basque Burnt Cheesecake: Ingredients, Kitchen Tools and Basic Steps. If you rather skip to the Recipe Card, go for it and jump ahead.

Ingredients for Basque Burnt Cheesecake

• 2 lb. cream cheese (4-8 ounce blocks)
• 1 1/4 cups sugar (some recipes call for 1 1/2 cups sugar)
• 6 large eggs
• 2 cups heavy cream (the good stuff)
• 1 tsp. kosher salt (not the same as table salt)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract (again, use the good stuff)
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• plus butter to grease your springform pan

Kitchen Tools You May Need

• 10″ Springform pan
• Jelly-roll pan (baking sheet with edges)
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Stand mixer or Hand held mixer
• Flour sifter
• Kitchen utensils-knife, pastry spatula, spoon
• Parchment paper baking sheets
• Cooling rack

Basic Steps

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Grease springform pan with butter
3. Line springform pan with parchment paper, overlap 2 sheets (12″x16″) paper and allow paper to stick up about 2 inches above the edge of the pan, create folds/pleats in the paper as needed
4. Cream room temperature cream cheese and sugar together using your stand mixer or handheld mixer
5. After the sugar is completely dissolved, add one egg at a time, beating between each egg
6. Sift flour directly on top of the mixture. Combine.
7. Add cream, salt and vanilla extract. Combine.
8. Pour cheesecake batter into your lined springform pan.
9. Bake at 400 degrees for 60 to 65 minutes. Cheesecake will be a rich golden brown. Do not overcook. The cheesecake will still jiggle in the center.
10. Remove from oven, cool slightly and remove the outer springform pan side mold.
11. Allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.
12. Peel away parchment from sides of cheesecake and serve at room temperature.

The Recipe Card

Let’s Make a Basque Burnt Cheesecake

To get started baking there are two things that I always do first: preheat the oven and pull out all of my ingredients. Both the eggs and cream cheese need to be room temperature before starting your recipe, so plan accordingly.

Preparing to Bake a Basque Burnt Cheesecake

The Basque Burnt Cheesecake cooks relatively quickly at a high temperature, set your oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grease your 10″ springform pan with butter and then place your parchment paper in the pan. This can be a bit tricky. I used two 12″x16″ sheets of pre-cut parchment paper overlapping them criss-cross in the pan allowing the extra paper to stick up from the top of the pan. Create pleats and folds as needed.

Keep in mind that the Basque Burnt Cheesecake has a bit of a rustic look to it when baked. The edges will not be smooth. Also, during the cooking process, the cheesecake rises sometimes beyond the edge of the pan, so the extra parchment paper is necessary.

After preparing your pan, set the pan on a baking sheet with edges (also known as a jelly-roll pan).

Creating & Baking the Cheesecake Mixture

Begin the recipe by creaming together the cream cheese and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. This will take about 2 minutes. Scrape the sides with a baking spatula as needed. I used a stand mixer, but you can also use a hand mixer.

Next, add 1 egg at a time to your cream cheese and sugar mixture. Beat at medium speed until each egg is blended into the mixture (about 15 seconds). As a general rule when baking, crack your eggs into a separate bowl and make sure none of the egg shell has slipped by before adding eggs to a recipe.

After you have added all of the eggs, add the cream, vanilla and salt to your mixture. Beat until well mixed (about 30 seconds).

Next sift your flour directly on top of the mixture. Be sure to turn the beater off first or you will create quite a mess. After sifting the flour, combine with your mixture. Scrape the sides again as needed and mix one final time.

Pour the mixture into the lined springform pan. Even the mixture out and place in your preheated oven. Don’t forget the baking sheet (aka jelly-roll pan), it will save you from any potential mess.

Bake for 60-65 minutes. The cheesecake will be a beautiful dark golden brown when done. Remove from the oven. The center should still be jiggly and will finish setting as it cools.

Cooling and Serving the Cheesecake

Let the cheesecake cool slightly, then remove the outer mold of the springform pan. Move the cheesecake to a baking rack and allow the cheesecake to cool completely. The cheesecake will “fall” as it cools creating a beautiful rustic cheesecake.

After the cheesecake has completely cooled, peel the parchment paper back. Take a few photos of your masterpiece and serve at room temperature.

I also love cheesecake that’s been chilled, so feel free to refrigerate before serving if you prefer.

Tips and Other Ideas

So you’ve decided to make a Basque Baked Cheesecake…you are going to be so happy about your decision! Here are a few tips and ideas.

• Don’t overcook your cheesecake. It’s ok if the center is jiggly at the end of the cooking time. The cheesecake will set as it cools.
• Embrace the rustic look of the Basque Baked Cheesecake. The dark brown exterior beautifully pairs with the creamy bright inside.
• Don’t worry about the rough edges or your cake falling as it cools. These are signature characteristics of the Basque Baked Cheesecake.
• Scrape, scrape and scrape again. As you add each ingredient to your mixture, be sure to scrape your mixture down into the mixing bowl throughout the mixing process.
• Get creative and add lemon zest or other flavors to your cheesecake. You can also add berries, whipped cream or other toppings to the cheesecake just like a traditional cheesecake.
• Use an oven thermometer to test that your oven temperature is correct.
• Use pre-cut parchment baking sheets. So convenient and just the right size.

Fun Facts

The Basque Burnt Cheesecake is a relatively new dessert. It was believed to have originated in Spain in 1990.

The term Basque is used to differentiate the cheesecake from a traditional cheesecake that includes a crust (typically graham cracker). The Basque Burnt Cheesecake does not have a crust, does not use a water bath, and has a dark “burnt” exterior.

Enjoy your Basque Burnt Cheesecake!

Drop me a comment below and let me know if you make this amazing cheesecake. Did you tweak the recipe, add a bit of sugar, a little lemon zest or your own toppings?

In the Mood to Bake another Recipe? Try one of these…

Granny’s Coconut Pound Cake

Homemade Cheddar and Parmesan Biscuits

Strawberry Galette with Honey and Mascarpone

Sugar Cookies Perfect for Teatime

For more ideas from our kitchen, follow me on Instagram.

Happy Baking!

X Penny Pennington Weeks