Basque Cheesecake

A recipe which defies all the rules of conventional cheesecake baking

If you have a presence on social media, you would have no doubt seen the Basque Burnt Cheesecake featured on many bakers pages. Initially created by the iconic La Vina, this cheesecake defies the rules of conventional cheesecake making. For a more traditional cheesecake recipe, try out my lemon cheesecake recipe.

We were lucky enough to try the Basque Burnt Cheesecake from La Vina and completely loved it. The flavour profile is quite simple, the texture completely silky and the look quite ordinary and very rustic. The original version is served warm, and almost molten in the center. Whilst I did like this version, I do prefer my cheesecake to be completely set.

This recipe has an incredibly custardy texture, primarily enhanced by the vanilla bean paste, vanilla seeds and the custard powder in the recipe. It is vitally important that your cream cheese is at room temperature, to avoid lumps in your cheesecake batter. The recipe itself only requires about 10 minutes of prep time, and the oven does the rest of the work. Do not be alarmed by the temperature at which this cheesecake bakes, you want the top to get dark and caramelized.

If you make this recipe, please share it with me by tagging me on Instagram @adventureswithsugar or on Facebook at Adventures with Sugar.

For the Basque Burnt Cheesecake

The initial recipe is designed for a 23cm springform tin. The quantities provided in brackets can be baked in an 18cm round, springform tin. You could also use a 20cm, but will likely end up with a less tall cheesecake and the baking time will need to be adjusted.

• 1.2kg full fat cream cheese (600g), room temperature
• 460g caster sugar (230g)
• 1 tablespoon flour ( 1.5 teaspoons)
• 1.5 tablespoon custard powder/cornflour ( 2.25 teaspoons)
• 1 vanilla bean, split
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (0.5 teaspoon)
• 100g sour cream (50g)
• 8 large eggs (4 large eggs)
• 500ml whipping cream (250ml)

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚ Celsius. Use two large square pieces of baking paper, to line a 23cm tin. Scrunch up the paper, and rustically line the tin (see pictures). Allow the pieces of paper to overlap and to crinkle around the edges.
2. Beat the cream cheese until smooth, around 5 minutes. Then add in the sugar and continue to beat for a further 4 minutes.
3. Do the remaining steps by hand.
4. Add in the sour cream and fold into the cream cheese mixture.
5. Add in the flour, custard powder, the vanilla bean paste and the seeds from the vanilla pod and gently combine.
6. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and whisk to incorporate. Add in the next egg only once the previous one is fully incorporated.
7. Pour in the whipping cream (do not whip the cream before adding it to the cheesecake batter) and gently whisk to combine.
8. Pour the cheesecake batter into the cake tin and bake at 180˚ celsius for 10 minutes, then increase the oven to 200˚ celsius and bake for a further 50 – 60 minutes. If you are halving the batter and baking it in an 18cm springform tin, bake the cake at 180˚ celsius for 10 minutes, then increase the oven to 200˚ celsius and bake for a further 35 – 45 minutes.
9. The cake is done when the top has darkened, the cheesecake has puffed up and is still slightly wobbly in the middle.
10. The cake will set and collapse in the middle as it cools, this is normal.
11. If you find that the cake is getting too black and almost charring on the edges, you can cover it with a piece of foil and continue to bake until done.
12. The cake can be served from the fridge, but the creamy texture is best highlighted when you serve it at room temperature.

Recipe by adventureswithsugar.com