This unique dessert is a crustless cheesecake with a burnt exterior top that has a delicious caramel note. The filling of this Basque Burnt Cheesecake is mousse-like and creamy and has been described as irresistible!
The Basque Cheesecake was created in 1990 by chef Santiago Rivera of La Viña, a restaurant that opened in San Sebastián—the Basque region’s capital city—over 60 years ago. According to interviews, Rivera was looking to add a dessert menu to his Pintxos restaurant after taking it over from his parents and settled on a custardy cheesecake.
Its blackened top, surrounded by a flutter of burnt parchment paper, hides a center the texture of soft custard. “It breaks all the rules of the porcelain-white, even-textured cheesecake Americans know,” says pastry chef Bea Vo, who’s based in London and has had La Viña’s cheesecake at least a dozen times. “It’s proudly tanned and even burnt in spots, with a rough, pillowy edge and oozy center.”
San Sebastián, also known as Donostia-San Sebastián is a city and municipality located in the Basque Autonomous Community, Spain. It lies on the coast of the Bay of Biscay, 20 km from the France–Spain border. The capital city of the province of Gipuzkoa, the municipality's population is 188,240 as of 2020, with its metropolitan area reaching 436,500 in 2010. Locals call themselves donostiarra, both in Spanish and Basque. It is also a part of Basque Eurocity Bayonne-San Sebastián.
San Sebastián is renowned for its Basque cuisine. San Sebastián and its surrounding area is home to a high concentration of restaurants boasting Michelin stars. It is the city with the second most Michelin stars per capita in the world, only behind Kyoto, Japan. Additionally, based on the 2013 ranking, two of the world's top ten best restaurants can be found here.
It is also the birthplace of Basque gastronomical societies, dating back to 1870. In addition, it boasts the first institution to offer a university degree in Gastronomy, the Basque Culinary Center.
Here is the recipe:
Equipment
9 inch springform pan
Ingredients
3 8-ounce blocks cream cheese room temperature (678g)
1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
¾ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cups heavy cream (360mL)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400F.
Line a 9-inch springform pan with a 12x17-inch sheet of parchment paper, pressing into the bottom and up the sides and letting the excess hang over the edge.
Place another parchment sheet in the pan, overlapping the first, pressing it into the pan to make sure the entire pan is lined with paper. (Don’t worry about creases in the paper. It gives character to this rustic cheesecake!)
Place the pan on a baking sheet.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt on medium-low speed until very smooth, about 3 minutes.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions.
Sift in the flour and beat just until combined.
With the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour in the cream.
Once it’s all added, scrape down the bowl, and beat on low speed until smooth and well combined, about 30 seconds more.
Gently tap the bowl on the counter several times to help remove any potential air bubbles in the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 45 minutes, or until the cheesecake is very puffy and the top is dark brown (somewhere between milk and dark chocolate).
Place the cheesecake on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. (The cake will fall as it cools.)
Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 5 hours or up to 2 days.
When you’re ready to serve, unlock the sides of the springform pan and remove.
Carefully peel back the parchment paper away from the cheesecake before slicing.
Do not take the basque cheesecake out of the springform pan before it thoroughly chills. You want to ensure the cheesecake keeps its shape until it’s done setting.
Here are some pictures from the bake
Have a Great Day !
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