Created in the early 1990’s by Santiago Rivera in his pintxos bar La Viña, the Burnt Basque Cheesecake became a global dessert icon.
Much like Italy’s tiramisu, the Burnt Basque Cheesecake is a beautiful reminder of how a single dish born in one small corner of the world can transcend borders, finding a place in kitchens and on menus practically everywhere.
The Burnt Basque Cheesecake is a winner on two fronts. While it is far simpler to make than a traditional cheesecake, it delivers on flavour that is anything but simple. A deeply caramelised, almost charred exterior gives way to the ultimate creamy and custard like centre.
Getting my hands on the recipe for the original Burnt Basque Cheesecake came about after my bestie walked the Camino de Santiago. He was under strict instruction to have as many pieces of cheesecake possible while in San Sebastián. Imagine my delight when he sent the link to this recipe with the words : “I got you the original recipe!”.
There was no way I was going to mess with the recipe. I followed it step by step and it was delicious. There are many Basque Burnt Cheesecake recipes out there with a multitude of variations but I think this one is pretty much perfect and worth making time and time again with no need for variation.
I hope you enjoy this recipe for Bar La Vina’s Burnt Basque Cheesecake. If you’ve made it, do share it with me by tagging and following @heinstirred on Instagram. It is always a treat to see the recipes made and enjoyed.
My pottery shop, Sul Clay, is being restocked as I unpack the kiln each week after firing. There are cups, deep plates and brand new pedestal bowls on the way. Do have a look and sign up to subscribe for updates and news. What started as a weekend pottery hobby, born from my search for beautiful props for my photography work, has grown into a second career. When I’m not behind the camera, I’m in the pottery studio making. Shipping is available within the UAE, and international shipping is done with Emirates Post but I do need to obtain a quote first.
Bar La Viña's Burnt Basque Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 570 g cream cheese Philadelphia style and at room temperature
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 230 g sugar
- 10 g flour
- 285 ml cream 35% fat
- 1 loose bottomed cake tin of 18 cm in diameter
- 2 square sheets of parchment paper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 ºC
- Put the cream cheese in a bowl and add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition
- Add the sugar and whisk until combined
- Add the flour and whisk until combined
- Finally, add the cream and whisk until combined
- Scrunch the sheets of parchment paper and soak it in a little water then stretch the sheet with your hands, shaking it a little to remove any excess water and place it in the cake tin at a right angle from each other
- Then pour the cheesecake mixture into the tin
- Bake at 200 ºC for 40 minutes
- If before 40 minutes you see the cake is browning excessively, loosely cover the surface with aluminium foil to prevent it from burning
- On the contrary, if after 40 minutes the cake is pale, place under the grill of the oven until the surface is nicely browned
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it rest for 2 hours
- Unmould carefully, remove the parchment paper and serve
Notes
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