Discover the Secret to Perfect Burnt Basque Cheesecake | Irresistible Dessert

The Burnt Basque cheesecake has taken the world by storm. It is unlike any other you have tasted before.

It also known as the San Sebastián cheesecake originating from the Basque region between the borders of France and Spain. A few years ago I went to San Sebastián on a family trip but unfortunately I never tasted this dessert. I went for the tapas.

Since then this cheesecake has been on my mind and in my kitchen. I have tried many recipes with very few good results, but after trying this recipe it became my favourite. I could almost say that this could be the best Burnt cheesecake recipe ever, but make sure you follow carefully the oven temperature and the cooking time.

This cheesecake has very few ingredients, nothing more than cream cheese, eggs, cream, sugar and a very little flour. There are no flavourings like vanilla or lemon. The high temperature of the oven in which it is cooked makes a black golden brown crust but the interior remains jiggly. The result is a rustic cheesecake, creamy and light.

It is totally foolproof!

Ingredients

• 750 grams cream cheese
• 210 grams regular sugar
• 440 grams double cream
• 45 grams sour cream
• 5 eggs
• 35 grams flour, sifted

Method

• Cut enough parchment paper to line your baking tin.
• Crunch up the parchment paper with your hands, by doing this you can create the signature rustic sides on the cheesecake. Push the parchment into the tin, pressing into the corners and making sure plenty of paper is sticking out above the rim.
• Heat the oven to 200C fan-forced oven or 220C conventional oven.
• Beat the cream cheese until smooth then add the sugar and mix until it has dissolved.
• Then add the eggs, the cream, and the sour cream, mix until it is smooth. I personally like to use a handheld electric beater to do this.

• With a spatula incorporate the sifted flour until the mixture is lump free.

• Pour the mixture into the lined cake tin scrapping out every bit of cheesecake mixture with a spatula.
• Give the tin a sharp bang on the worktop to remove any air bubbles.

• Bake it for 32 minutes or until the top is deep golden brown. Let it burn a little.
• I Bake this cheesecake for 32 minutes exactly in a fan-forced oven but if you use a conventional oven it will be 37 minutes.

• The way to know that the cheesecake is ready is when the centre is wobbly. The wobbly centre will firm up once is refrigerated.
• Let the cheesecake cool for a couple of hours. Then refrigerate it overnight.
• Serve the cheesecake on the baking paper to give it a rustic look.

Tips

• This cheesecake doesn’t need any sort of sauce on top or on the side to serve, it is delicious and creamy on its own.
• Sometimes the cheesecake will crack on the top but do not worry, as it cools down the cracks will disappear.
• It can be made days in advance but make sure that it is cold before you put it in the refrigerator to avoid condensation on top of the cheesecake.