Easy Basque Cheesecake

This Easy Basque Cheesecake Recipe is so easy to do and so delicious that you are in danger of eating the whole thing before anyone gets to try it.

Basque cheesecake may be viewed in some circles as the gourmet version of cheesecake, but it’s actually easier than the traditional cheesecake. There is no crust, no water bath and no need to worry about the top cracking. It’s a dream dessert: low maintenance, tastes even better when made in advance and impressive. 

What is a Basque Cheesecake

The Basque Cheesecake orginated in 1990 in La Viña, a modest pintxo bar in San Sebastián, Spain’s Basque region. Many versions have been created ever since, but a basque cheesecake is always slightly sweet, caramelized and very light and airy.

A Basque Cheesecake is not like a regular cheesecake in a few ways. First it does not have the traditional crust. In fact, it does not have a crust. What sets this cheesecake apart from others is its burnt top, contrasted by a creamy luscious custard interior. It seems almost counter intuitive but the burnt crust gives just the right balance to the creamy inside. It’s a simple batter made up of just cream cheese, eggs, sugar and some cream, however it comes together in a special way in the oven. Trust us, this is a must try recipe!

We love this recipe because it falls under the “show stopper” category. It’s so elegant and delicious that no one will believe how easy it actually is. This can be pulled out on a special night in like New Year’s Eve or Valentine’s Day, and we bet you that it will even come by request on birthdays.

Our recipe is full proof, all we ask is that you trust us when we say we are baking her at 425 and the burnt looking crust will be delicious.

Our Tips for Making this Easy Basque Cheesecake

Making the perfect Basque Cheesecake is an easy task, but there are a few things that you must do in order to ensure it comes out right. Here are a few of those major things:

What Pan to Use and How to Prepare It:

The Pan: The first and most important tip we can offer is to invest in a Spring Foam Pan. If you don’t have one, they really aren’t that expensive. You can even pick one up at your local super market when shopping for the ingredients. However if you want to just check this off your to-do list you can find one HERE at Amazon. We recommend using a 9-inch spring form pan ideally, but you can use and 10-inch or 8-inch as well. 

Preparing the Pan: The best way to prepare the springform pan is to butter it, then line with parchment paper and butter it again. This means you will need two sheets of parchment paper to properly line the pan. You can place one vertically and the other horizontally. The parchment paper should only be about 1 to 2 inches above the rim of the pan. This will help the batter rise up. The remaining parchment can be trimmed. Once the paper is in the pan you want to grease it again. This will ensure the batter doesn’t stick to the paper. 

Other Crucial Tips

Here we are using cornstarch instead of flour. Most recipes use flour, which thickens the batter but can give a bit of a gritty taste. We tested it several times and cornstarch is the best bet. It will help the cheesecake set but there is no after taste. 

When stirring in the eggs it is essential that you do it one at a time. This will allow each egg to gently stir into the mixture, and will help you achieve that really creamy interior that we are looking for.

Bake the cheesecake with confidence. Or should we say remove it with confidence. You will be tempted to give it a few more minutes for fear it is raw inside but you want to remove it from the oven when it is still jiggly in the center. Remember there is carry-over cooking. This means the cheesecake will continue to cook with residual heat from the oven. It may look underbaked but it’s not. It’s just right- trust us!!!

Unlike most baked goods that are baked until “golden brown” this is a dessert you want to bake until brown.  The crust adds to the complex flavor. Just keep in mind you don’t want to take it too far. The inside needs to stay creamy. 

Cool it properly. Once it comes out of the oven cool over a wire rack. After a couple hours put it in the fridge. This will help it set up.

Serve it “del tiempo” as they say or room temperature. Unlike most cheesecakes that are served straight from the fridge, this one benefits from being served at room temp. 

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