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Basque-Style Cheesecake
Created in the 1990s by Spanish chef Santiago Rivera, Basque cheesecake, or tarta de queso vasca, has garnered global acclaim for its blistered, “burnt” surface and creamy-smooth center. The crustless cake bakes in a parchment-lined pan in a hot oven—no water bath needed—until the center is just barely set. Room-temperature dairy is key for ensuring a lump-free batter, but then thoroughly chilling the batter (at least 6 hours) before baking allows the cake to spend enough time in a hot oven to achieve dramatic coloring without overcooking. After much trial and error, we found that the style of springform pan makes a huge difference in how the cake bakes. For a pan with a light-colored finish, bake at 450°F; for a dark-colored pan, such as nonstick, 425°F is best. Start checking doneness after 40 minutes; a digital thermometer is best for testing the temperature. The cake keeps well in the refrigerator for at least three days. Basque cheesecake sometimes is served at room temperature, but we prefer it with a bit of a chill.
12 to 16
Servings
Tip
Don’t begin making the batter until the cream cheese, eggs and crème fraîche are at room temperature. Also, be sure to use the paddle attachment, not the whisk, to avoid incorporating excess air into the batter. Finally, don’t be alarmed by how jiggly the cheesecake is when it comes out of the oven. As it cools and chills, it will set up beautifully.
1 hour
20 minutes active, plus cooling and chilling
Ingredients
-
4
large eggs, plus 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
-
321
grams (1½ cups) white sugar
Directions
-
01In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the whole eggs and yolks. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the sugar, lemon zest and salt on low until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the cream cheese and beat on medium-low until no lumps remain, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the bowl and paddle attachment a few times. With the mixer on low, slowly add the beaten eggs in 4 or 5 additions, occasionally scraping the bowl and mixing after each addition until fully incorporated, 15 to 20 seconds, before adding more. Scrape the bowl. With the mixer on low, add the crème fraîche a spoonful at a time. Detach the bowl from the mixer and stir with a silicone spatula, making sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.
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November 14, 2023
Muchas gracias
I prepared this cheesecake for a recent pintxos party. It was a huge hit. I visited La Vina earlier this year…twice! San Sebastián is such a lovely place. I really enjoyed this recipe. I would also recommend serving it along with some Pedro Ximenez sherry. Thanks again Milk Street team.
April 24, 2024
Basque cheesecake is a win
I have tried 2 basque cheesecake recipes and this one wins. The lemon adds a very subtle yet wonderful surprise. I made the recipe as printed. Some have added vanilla. I feel that the recipe is great as is and wouldn't change a thing. I would however not recommend baking ANY basque cheesecake in an oven that you are not familiar with because the brown top can burn in short order.
April 16, 2024
Delicious!
Made with paella for a Spanish influenced night. My oven clearly ran a bit hot and I checked at the 40 min mark and the cheesecake had gone significantly over the temperature mark (I used a gold touch springform from Williams Sonoma) and heated oven to 450. Next time I will reduce to 425 for the “darker” pan and will check temp a bit earlier. I added a tsp of vanilla paste for flavor and served with a berry sauce. My entire dinner party loved it. I look forward to trying again and cooking it (properly) to the right temp. :)
April 12, 2024
Amazing - game changer
This recipe fixes everything that's typically wrong w a cheesecake - dry crust, dense cake, uneven baking potential. It leaves is smooth, light, moist...just the great things you really want in a cheesecake. Baking method/time were perfect. Presentation wows guests b/c it's different from expectations. It brought cheesecake back into the repertoire.
April 8, 2024
Amazing!
Fantastic cake. It got eaten so quickly that I had to make another one. I used the lemon zest and also a couple teaspoons of vanilla. Can I make this in advance and freeze it?
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