Recipe
by debJump to recipe, comments
While I do not think that the internet necessarily needs another recipe for burnt Basque cheesecake, it turns out I did. And since you’re stuck with me for as long as you’re here, pull up a chair, because we can’t get enough of this one.
What is burnt basque cheesecake? Also called San Sebastian cheesecake, it’s been around since the late 80s when it was created by a cook named Santiago Rivera at his restaurant and pintxo bar, La Viña, in San Sebastián, Spain. There are a whole bunch of things that set it apart from American-style cheesecakes, the biggest is that there’s no graham crust. In an interview, Rivera explained that when you bite into it, the cookie “prevents the cream cheese part from dissolving” — he wanted it to be more like chocolate mousse “so the flavor goes straight from the fork to your palate to your brain, instantaneously.”
Not only does the cheesecake have no crust, it’s often served closer to room temperature, so it tastes less dense. It’s slightly flan-like due to the addition of heavy cream. And it is baked at a higher temperature so it gets a scorched and caramelized top that contrasts gorgeously with the creamy interior. Oh and this is the most blessed thing — no water bath. Cracks? Sinking centers? Here the rusticity is intentional.
So what did I need from basque cheesecake that wasn’t already out there?
Believe me, I was tempted to add a cherry syrup or sherry-infused whipped cream finish but we’ve found we like the cheesecake best adornment- and frippery-free, exactly like this. Which also means you’re going to make it twice as often. We can’t stop.
Video
Easy Basque Cheesecake
- Servings: 8 to 10
- Source: Smitten Kitchen
- 2/3 cup (130 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (45 grams) cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pound cream cheese (2 8-ounce/227-gram packages) [see Note at end]
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract plus 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice
- 1 cup (235 ml) heavy cream
Heat oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a loaf pan (see Note at the end about size) with one big piece of parchment paper pressed into the corners and up the sides. I leave the excess paper extended up over the rim, which also helps protect you against overflow. Place loaf pan on a rimmed baking sheet, just in case there’s overflow (but I’ve never had any).
In a food processor or high-speed blender: Blend the sugar, cornstarch, and salt into the empty workbowl to combine. (Make sure the lid is on or the cornstarch will escape in a cloud of dust.) Cut the cold cream cheese into large chunks and add to the sugar mixture and blend until completely combined and the cream cheese is soft, scraping down the bowl once or twice. Add eggs, one at a time, and blend to combine then scrape down the sides of the workbowl (yes, each time). With the third egg, add the vanilla and lemon juice too before blending and scraping down the sides one more time. Add the cream and blend to evenly combine.
With a handmixer: Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add softened cream cheese and beat to combine, scraping down the bowl a few times as you do to make sure there’s no unmixed cream cheese. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to combine and scraping down the bowl between each. With the third egg, add the vanilla and lemon juice too before blending and scraping down the bowl one more time. Pour in the cream, beating on low speed until combined.
All methods: Pour into prepared pan, making sure it all lands inside the parchment paper sling. Transfer to oven and bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until puffed, deeply golden brown, and moderately jiggly when the pan is shimmied.
To finish and serve: Transfer cake in loaf pan to a cooling rack and cool at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours or transfer to the fridge and cool for one hour. The cheesecake can be served cool or at room temperature; the latter is traditional but both are delicious.
Use parchment paper to lift and remove cheesecake from loaf pan and transfer to a plate. Cut into just shy of 1-inch slices.
Do ahead: Leftover basque cheesecake keeps in the fridge for 5 to 7 days.
Notes:
Previously
6 months ago: Brown Butter Brown Sugar Shortbread
1 year ago: Sliced Egg Sandwich
2 years ago: Summer Ricotta with Grilled Vegetables
3 years ago: Perfect, Forever Cornbread
4 years ago: Beach Bean Salad
5 year ago: Raspberry Crumble Tart Bars
6 years ago: Ice Cream Cake Roll
7 years ago: Strawberry Graham Icebox Cake and Broccoli Rubble Farro Salad
8 years ago: Almond-Rhubarb Picnic Bars
9 years ago: Toasted Marshmallow Milkshake, Fake Shack Burger, and Swirled Berry Yogurt Popsicles
10 years ago: Carrot Salad with Tahini and Crispy Chickpeas
11 years ago: Greek Salad with Lemon and Oregano and Two Classic Sangrias
12 years ago: Vidalia Onion Soup with Wild Rice and Tzatziki Potato Salad
13 years ago: Classic Cobb Salad, Lime Yogurt Cake with Blackberry Sauce and Blue Cheese Scallion Drop Biscuits
14 years ago: Asparagus, Lemon and Goat Cheese Pasta and Raspberry Buttermilk Cake
15 years ago: Martha’s Mac-and-Cheese, Crisp Salted Oatmeal White Chocolate Cookies
16 years ago: Cherry Cornmeal Upside-Down Cake
17 years ago: Homemade Oreos and Cellophane Noodle and Roast Pork Salad
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All CommentsI Made This!Questions
Bentley
I can’t wait to try this, I tried a recipe that overbaked before it was well tanned so it was both blond and too firm and turned me off basque cheesecake for awhile. This tho, I trust, makes it worth another shot!
Bentley
Also, have been on an sk video binge, really enjoying them!
Perfect timing with this recipe. I’ve been looking lately at making another one of these. I’ve also been looking at doing a smaller version, so this checks all the boxes. I can’t wait to give this one a go.
Jacqueline
I love how easy this recipe appears to be and want to try it. Can the lemon juice be optional if you have someone who does not like that flavor?
Laura
I feel like in this recipe, the lemon isn’t going to make it taste lemony, it’s just going to enhance the tanginess of the cream cheese and provide a good balance of flavor with the sweetness.
deb
You can skip it but I really love the lemon-vanilla combo here. It’s not lemony.
Kate
How long does this keep in the fridge? Thank you!
deb
I’d say 5 to 7 days.
Amy
Practically speaking, it wouldn’t last 24 hours in my fridge without being eaten :D
Alexa Halpern
Thank you for this. Been dying to make a Basque cheesecake, was always put off by the size. This will be perfect and love the cream cheese trick!
Laura
How long should one let this cool before slicing?
deb
Sorry, about to add missing instructions. You can cool it to room temperature in an hour or two and serve it. Or you can chill it in the fridge for an hour. You can serve it cold or at room temperature; the latter is traditional but either works.
Christa Saile
Hi Deb, I’m in Germany and don’t like cream cheese to much. Would this work with quark or is it to watery? I hope, you know what I meen.
deb
I didn’t test it with quark so I cannot say for sure, but I know cheesecake is often made with quark in countries that use it, so it would probably work. Whether it needs more thickener or baking time, not sure.
Allie
Just in time for Shavuot!
Kelsey
What would be a good substitute for cornstarch? Tapioca flour, maybe? I love the idea of something silky-starchy rather than flour but I am sensitive to corn and 1/3c is probably more than is a good idea for me.
Halle
I have the same question. If we used regular flour like a standard basque cheesecake, how much would the substitution be?
deb
I didn’t test it with all flour, only partial flour, partial cornstarch. However, I’d probably use 1/4 cup flour instead.
deb
I didn’t test it with tapioca flour, so I cannot say for sure, but I’d use less, maybe a lot less, if swapping.
Tigerlily
I had tapioca starch turn my blueberry rhubarb pie into a solid gummy unit. Be careful.
Iris
Potato starch is probably a good substitute for the cornstarch. I’ve been using them interchangeably depending on which I had.
jjjeanie
what about arrowroot? I believe you can sub 1 for 1 for cornstarch, though I’ve never tried, as we have no food limitations around here (except I can’t eat black pepper and my bro. hates cilantro . . . )
Karri
I’ve made burnt basque cheesecake many times with tapioca starch. The version that makes the huge cheesecake has 1/3 cup flour that I subbed volume for volume. Therefore, with this being 1/4th the other size, I would probably not use more than 3 TB of tapioca starch.
Karri
Sorry – half the portion of the original not 1/4
XinYi
Looks stunning. If I don’t have a food processor or a blender, would this work using a hand mixer from start to finish please?
deb
Yes, there are handmixer instructions. The cream cheese will need to be at room temperature.
Kalh
This sounds delicious and yours is my family’s favorite food blog. But I feel compelled to tell you about JONCAKE in Barcelona. The best cheesecake–not hyperbole. If there is a chance to travel to Spain in order to try it, we highly recommend doing so. And if there is any way to get a copycat recipe that would be wonder of wonders. The cake is so smooth, mystifyingly good.
Here is the website: https://www.joncake.es/en
Thank you again for the above recipe. We are looking forward to trying it soon! Warm regards.
Mayre
“With a handmixer: Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add softened cream cheese and beat to combine, scraping down the bowl a few times as you do to make sure there’s no unmixed cream cheese. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to combine and scraping down the bowl between each. With the third egg, add the vanilla and lemon juice too before blending and scraping down the bowl one more time. Pour in the cream, beating on low speed until combined.”
Muffinstravelwell
Your mention of optional muffins made me curious and thinking about the next potluck I attend. Do you have instructions for just making this in muffin form?
Diane
I would also like to make a cupcake version… I’m going to try the recipe and just bake it in my silicone muffin tray and see how it goes 😬
Sulla B.
Diane- if you have a chance, I would love an update after you experiment! (I’m particularly interested in what your bake time looked like!). I just got my first set of silicone muffin trays and am smitten. 😍
R
For some reason, I’ve been refreshing Smitten Kitchen a lot recently, hoping for something new and sweet to make. Little did I know that the perfect recipe would pop up this morning, like the answer to a question I didn’t even know I asked. Love basque cheesecake and can’t wait to try this out!
Fascinating that you don’t separate the eggs in this recipe. My Shavuot go-to is a Dorie Greenspan recipe with goat cheese – so less sweet, and the batter takes minutes to prepare. But even that recipe calls for beating and folding it the whites.
Carswell
Oh Em Gee – I’m going to give this a whirl in the next couple of days. I have hesitated making other recipes because they are too much for what I want – a loaf pan size is perfect.
Daniel Conaway
Tempted to try this with a (scraped) vanilla BEAN — which would roughly equate to 1 T of vanilla extract … pretty sure that “extra vanilla” would not hurt much!
Grace
What brand of parchment paper do you use? Mine never seems quite big enough to reach the corners and overlap the edges of the pan. Thanks!
Ellen
I’m making this for Father’s day because cheesecake is my husband’s favorite, and this is the perfect size without bringing on cheesecake overload. I am so thankful it’s written as a gluten free recipe, too. Just marvelous!
Catherine
Who needs a cherry topping, when you can have a nice glass of red wine with this? Definitely will be trying this, as I have made and loved basque cheesecake in the past, but agree with you on the excessive quantities/volume of the typical springform situation.
Leah
Basque cheesecake has become my go-to for holiday gatherings. I’m interested in trying this, but I actually do need the full-size version. Would I just double everything for that?
deb
I didn’t test this as a full-sized cake but yes, 2x or 2.5x will give you more of a standard large one.
Carla Aukett
My loaf pan is glass instead of metal. Will this still work?
deb
Should be fine. Sometimes I bake in a glass pan at 25 degrees less but I think you’ll be fine here.
Msmoritz
So for not about the size, we bought a 8″ spring form just so we’d have a more manageable size cake for 2 ppl. Totally should have thought of the loaf pan idea, and very thankful you’ve added another recipe to the world
Judith Stewart
I am in San Sebastian and tried La Vina’s cheesecake just today (!), still slightly warm. The remainder is in the fridge for tomorrow. Looking forward to comparing these leftovers to a well- known version I have previously made. (First impression, I prefer the version I made, but I only tried it after an initial refrigeration period). SK’s interpretation may well be on my to-do list.
Vanessa Jo
My loaf pan is still out on the counter from making your blueberry loaf on Saturday. Thanks for saving me a trip down to the basem*nt to put it away!
Karoline Hurd
Haha! I hear ya. I finally bought an extra USA Brand 9×5 because of Deb’s loaf/bread pan recipes for that very reason.
Susan Chin
This looks beautiful! And EASIER than others I’ve read. Love how you bake in the loaf pan, and use cornstarch! Will try this week! Thanks!
Therese Bare
Can I use arrowroot instead of cornstarch?
deb
I didn’t test this with arrowroot, sorry, so I cannot say for sure.
Julie
Yes, I want to make straight away and only have arrowroot in the pantry!
Penny
Heavy cream……blend? Whipping cream?
deb
You can use whipping cream but I prefer heavy if I have the choice because whipping often has other stabilizers or thickeners in it. Either work, though.
Lindsay Z
This is so good! And you’re right, the 2 lbs of cream cheese always kept me from making it.
Min turned out truly perfect.
Sarah
If you were going to make a sherry-infused whipped cream, which one would you use?
deb
I’d make regular lightly sweetened whipped cream, maybe with a little vanilla bean paste, and add 1 to 2 teaspoons sherry.
Sophie
Aw, thanks for making a recipe for the gluten-free crowd!!! Yum,
John
What oven rack should we be using? Upper rack or upper middle?
Can’t wait to try this recipe!deb
I’d start with middle — in my oven, I sometimes move it up if I want more color.
Rachel
I’m planning on making this in the coming days for a big family trip to the beach this weekend. I’ll be doubling the recipe for a traditionally-sized cheesecake but using my Pullman loaf pan so it doesn’t take up all the fridge space. Using a loaf pan is a revelation and I’ll be making this frequently as written for times when I’m not serving 15 people. I’ve made basque cheesecakes in the past and love that this is gluten free so that everyone in my family can enjoy it.
Abby
I find this so fascinating because I live in Europe (Switzerland) and I’ve been to Spain and of course La Viña many times. Never once in Europe have I ever seen scream cheese as you have it in the US (like Philadelphia blocks). Here, only the spreadable Philadelphia tub exists. I’ve searched in San Sebastián as well, in an attempt to figure out what they could be using. I’d love to talk to them at La Viña next time and see if they are using blocks or spread. Most recipes say the spreadable Philadelphia doesn’t work but I am here to tell you it does, just adjust liquid accordingly, so here a little less cream since its more watery than the block!
For what it’s worth, I made this with 250g ricotta + 200g mascarpone instead of 450g cream cheese (food processor, blended it for a bit longer than I would have with just cream cheese because ricotta is naturally less smooth) and it came out very nicely.
The ricotta I used was pretty low in fat; some are distinctly creamier and for those I would use a larger proportion of ricotta to mascarpone. I was aiming for something like the same overall fat content as regular cream cheese.
I also added a little bit more lemon juice than the recipe calls for because I think typical cream cheese is a bit tangier than my ricotta/mascarpone mixture.
(Fan oven, nominal temp of 220degC, haven’t checked how well the actual temperature matches that, 40 minutes; came out a little darker than Deb’s photo, nicely jiggly but so far as I can tell properly cooked through.)
VV
I was thinking of trying out a recipe for Basque cheesecake and found yours! One thing that attracted me to the Basque version is what I saw elsewhere… the incorporation of manchego cheese! Have you ever tried that?
Oks
So excited oi try this!! My recent attempt at Basque cheesecake was such a failure – spilled all over as it wasn’t done in the required time. This one looks solid 😍
Ann Tourk
Can leftovers be frozen?
I’d think so!
Alycia
I’ve had Basque cheesecake on my “to bake” list for some time and this recipe finally put it in the “baked” category. I used the 450 degree option and mine turned out the same color as the 425 degree version you made, Deb. I’ve only tried the edge piece so far, but it was everything I had hoped for in a Basque cheesecake. Thanks for making a recipe just the right size with just the right amount of effort!
I love how easy this was. I liked the texture best the next day after it had been refrigerated overnight and returned to room temperature. I used the 425-degree oven for 50 minutes and it was not nearly as dark as yours. I’m glad I did take it out at that time or the inside would have been overcooked. I was hoping for the more smooth texture of Basque cheesecake on the inside and this was more like a dense regular cheesecake. If I were to make it again I’d try the option of 450 degrees for 40 minutes to get the burnt outside and more smooth soft inside. I think I also would have preferred the 425 degree version with some sort of tart berry topping, maybe raspberry.
You put your finger on the reason why I never seem to make cheesecake at home! It’s so BIG and rich. Need a whole party for that one.
I like the looks of this cheesecake but I am torn – not wanting to keep the oven that hot that long in the summer but also looks like summer food with some berries on the side. . .
k
If I were you, I’d stick some potatoes or other veg in the oven while the cake baked to make best use of the heat.
John H
This was a disappointment for me. Texture nothing like cheesecakes I have had. Flavor OK but I will not be making again.
Shawn Vanner
A friend brought a piece of this cheesecake today and it was just so amazing. I am going to try and make it keto. Do you think you could omit the cornstarch or is it too much of an integral part of the texture? Was also thinking about using arrowroot powder as a sub?
deb
You should use cornstarch or flour (I’d use 1/4 cup). I haven’t tested it with arrowroot.
Lauren
I was going to try this for a somewhat decadent Father’s Day brunch. Is it too sweet for breakfast?
deb
Honestly, I’d go for it. It’s not very sweet as far as cheesecakes go.
Terri
Is there any reason this wouldn’t work in a 6 cup 9”x4” pain de mie pan?
deb
It should be just fine.
Kate
This was fantastic. I started it at 450, but dropped the temperature to 425 after 25 minutes because it appeared to be browning too quickly. It was perfectly browned (a bit more than the photo) and tender all the way through at 40 minutes. Next time I think I will cook it 425 the whole time, although my instinct is it would have come out just fine at 450. This texture and flavor were excellent. This was the perfect easy, low-key dessert for a small dinner with a couple of friends. The leftovers will be great for breakfast/snacking over the next couple days!
Marta
I love that this is a smaller portion of cheesecake. I wonder if making it from lactose-free dairy would influence the cake. Any thoughts?
Elizabeth
Thank you for continuing your perfect tradition of loafs for summer! In TX I don’t want to turn my oven on but I want baked goods. A loaf pan fits in the toaster oven perfectly. Also the line “a neat rectangle that fits easily in the bottom of a Sephora shopping bag” is why I love this site and have loved it since the beginning!
bek
Delicious, easy, and not too sweet! Made for guests and everyone loved it.
SP
How full is your loaf pan when you pour in? 50%, 75%, or something else? My loaf pan is slightly smaller than yours (7.5×3.5 at bottom, 8.5×4.5 at top), so I am wondering how far I should fill it before I stop and pour the rest in something else. Thanks! Looking forward to this.
k
If you have a kitchen scale, you could calculate the volume of your pan and the volume of Deb’s pan, and pour in the right proportion by weight of batter into your pan.
SP
Thanks for the suggestion.
deb
You can see how full it is in the third photo of this post. I also added a demo video yesterday; it’s above the recipe.
SP
Thanks!
Nisa
I dropped by, saw the lead image, and made it that evening. It’s every bit as delicious as the image suggests! Tangy (but not lemony), super creamy, with the perfect amount of sweetness. Adding this one to my dessert recipe box, which is already all smitten recipes.
Barbara
Hi, Deb,
This recipe looks amazing! Sadly, my food processor bit the dust mid-recipe during the cream cheese mixing. Do you have a reliable, sturdy one that passed the cream cheese challenge during recipe testing? Thanks!
deb
I have this Cuisinart. I haven’t tested out the Breville food processor but hear good things about it.
Geoff Stuart
Most other recipes (Cook’s I’ll for example) have us refrigerate the batter before baking. Thoughts?
deb
I have never found it necessary.
Danielle
Perfection! I baked it for 50 min at 425 and I was a little worried at 40 min because it was barely brown, but the last 10 min gave it that gorgeous bronzed top. And did I mention delicious?! It’s my new favorite ‘what should I bring?’. Thank you!
Gina
I was so intimidated by basque cheesecake. But seeing how you have simplified it, I have to give it a try.
Lynn
Made according to recipe except cut back sugar by 20g as I will serve with a “sweetish” blueberry-thyme compote. The cake bronzed up nicely during the last 10 mins. My loaf pan was a bit smaller than Deb’s so I offloaded a couple of ladles into 2 cupcakes. In hindsight, I think I didn’t need to do that. Helpful hint for lining the loaf pan with parchment. Wet the sheet of parchment under the faucet. Scrunch it together well and squeeze out moisture. It is now malleable and easy to line the tin with. I think next time (and there will be a next time) a couple of dollops of Biscoff spread would be great added to the food processor. Then when serving, drizzle with salted caramel or melted Biscoff.
WCM
Has anyone tried using Splenda instead of sugar to keep this a low carb cheesecake?
Megan Zimmer
Will a glass loaf pan work?
Carla Aukett
I asked too and Deb said yes. Just made it and it turned out great!
deb
They’re not my favorite for high-temp baking but since we are going to have this lined with parchment, I think it’s fine here.
can you use lactose free cream cheese or vegan cream cheese in place of regular?
Lita
Can the cake be placed in the fridge overnight in the pan and with the parchment?
Heather
I’m wondering this, too. Mine is in the oven for my mother’s birthday tomorrow. Should I leave it in the pan/parchment paper until tomorrow, or should I remove it from the pan and paper today after it cools?
deb
Go ahead and leave it in the paper and pan, no harm.
Shannon
I let mine cool on a rack for two hours, stuck the whole thing in the fridge overnight and sliced it cold the next day. Turned out perfectly.
deb
Yes, absolutely.
Ana
My almost 5-year-old is a devotee of your YouTube channel ever since we made the Yule log together for the first time two Christmases ago. We were making the “I want chocolate cake” cake cup cakes and in between pressing buttons on the stand mixer he piped up “Deb is making something today?”. So I said I’d ask. What were you making on Sat 15th of June? For Fergus and his mama xxx
deb
In fact, I made a chocolate version of this cake. I just added the details of how you can do the same in the Notes section under the recipe. My MIL did the rest of the cooking: lobster, corn, salads, and grilled vegetables. Oh and steak. She always does the most!
Ana
Aw yay thanks for getting back to me, I’ll tell him, he’ll be so pleased :) <3 our next project is a unicorn carrousel birthday cake with the scaled and stacked 'I want chocolate cake' cake as the base, for one of his best little friends.
Carolyn
This is amazing! I’ve wanted to try a Basque cheesecake for a long time but have been intimidated by the size so this being more manageable is perfect. The texture and taste is excellent. Adding to my keepers file.
Lynn
Ok, I’m that person who changed it up and got a great result! I needed an appetizer for a gathering. I used half cream cheese and half goat cheese. Omitted the sugar, and added a ton of fresh herbs from the garden. It came out great!
Cecily
That sounds delicious! I love the thought of a savory version of this and will be trying that!
‘what herbs did you use?? that sounds great – savoury version.
thanks!deb
What a fun idea!
Hillary
Video petered out. Can you fix it please. I love a visual tutorial.
deb
It seems to be playing in full for me. It’s short, just 52 seconds.
Laura D
Can almond extract be used instead of vanilla?
Michelle
Omg I’m so excited to try this recipe! I love making Basque cheesecake especially for my gluten free family and friends, but you’re right in that a whole cheesecake is so much!!
Donna Murphy
SO delicious, a keeper, plus super easy. The hardest part was getting the parchment paper to cooperate. The only slight change I made was adding the zest of the lemon I juiced to the batter, and before serving I topped with fresh blackberries and a blackberry coulis. A beautiful, scrumptious and quick dessert! Thank you Deborah!
Kathryn
Made this for Fathers Day and was 1. So easy to put together the day before. 2. Delicious I served with some cherry jam and everyone loved it, even my 6 yr who is generally and ice cream girly for dessert.
Carol
What a fabulous recipe! I had never heard of Basque Cheesecake before making this today. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out so creamy and rich without being overly sweet. I’ll definitely make this again. Thank you!
Sally
My son made this for me and I was very impressed with the texture and almost caramel flavor. He couldn’t find the loaf pan and ended up using the oversized muffin pan. He got 9 muffins and baked at 400 for 40 minutes. He also separated the eggs and whipped the whites.🤷♀️
Krithika
I made this over the weekend and it was, as the name suggests, easy! Also absolutely delicious. I used my stand mixer with cream cheese that was on the counter for a couple of hours on a fairly cold day. There were some lumps when making the batter that I was worried about, but it’s not at all visible in the final product. I also didn’t have enough cream, but subbed in a little milk and reduced the overall amount since milk is thinner. Despite all this, the cheesecake is delicious!!
I baked mine for over an hour. My oven tends to run a little cold, but there was a good amount of jiggle at the hour mark. Not really sure what moderate jiggle means, it felt like the whole top (apart from the browned edge) was jiggling. I was worried it would be underdone, but settled in nicely as it cooled and the texture is just perfect.Shannon
Happy to report that this turned out perfectly at 7500 feet. All of the problems that plague high altitude bakers like baked goods that raise too fast and then fall or tops that brown too quickly and then burn are non issues here. I chose to bake at 425 and 50 minutes at that temperature was exactly right.
Lucia
Thank you for sharing! Also at high altitude. This is going to be my birthday cake!
Kathy
I’ve been wanting to try a Basque cheesecake, but as I think I’ll be e eating most of it, didn’t want to make the traditional round cake. Now I have no excuse to not bake one.
Jenne
This looks great. My mom used to make a German cheesecake with cottage cheese, yeast, and cinnamon. I looked through all of her recipe card boxes and can’t find it anywhere. Have you heard of a cheesecake like this? It was really good and I have been craving it. I just haven’t been able to find a recipe for it. Thank you!
deb
No but I’d love to try it!
Danielle
Is it fine to us a standing mixer?
deb
Yes, but you’ll want to scrape, scrape, scrape it down a lot, especially if you start with cold cream cheese.
Susan
I made this and it was DELICIOUS and SO EASY! I am not a baker and never thought in a million years that I would ever make a cheesecake. But it was literally 5 minutes to make and was perfect. Now my only problem is I might be eating a lot more cheesecake.
Elke
This was yummy. I liked it best the day we made it, but others preferred the texture after refrigeration – to each their own. Like you said, it is great on its own. We had some rhubarb compote to go with it, but it overwhelmed the delicate flavor a bit.
Only gripe (and this might be a me problem) is that my food processor blades got stuck on the “stem” after mixing the starch and sugar. I continued the processing and had to dump the batter out by lifting the entire food processor. I got it unstuck with warm water later, but when I do this again, I might process the cream cheese first, or mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.Antoinette
Deb, Thank you profusely and from the bottom of my baker’s heart, for going the extra mile (kilometre) and including metric weights and Celsius for the recipe. I know what a pain it can be but I am in baker’s bliss. The recipe worked a treat and will become a go to for the sweets-loving partner of mine!
Den M.
Deb, Have you taken an instant read internal temp of the finished cake? I see some recipes at 155 and others call for 185. I wanted to use your recipe but would like to know your favorite internal temp for this cake. Thank you.
deb
I’ll check next time — I always forget!
Amy M.
Absolutely loved this recipe! I baked it at the lower temperature for the first 35 minutes and then finished it at the higher temperature for the last 10 minutes. The size was perfect for a small gathering- it made 6 well sized portions. I added macerated strawberries to serve as they are in season. New favorite!
Helen
I love the sound of this easy recipe but I live in England and we only have soft Philadelphia, not blocks. Would this work with what we have here.
Christina
Absolutely delicious! Made a 7 inch round instead of a loaf. Made a sauce from fresh raspberries from the farmers market – perfection! This one will stand the test of time. Thanks Deb!
Lynn
This sounds amazing. Can I use a smaller food processor for the batter. Going to make this this weekend
Michelle
I made this as muffins, at 200C with fan, and it took about 25 minutes to bake. They are absolutely delicious! I’m in the UK so had to use “soft cheese” which is softer than the US bricks of cream cheese, and double cream which is a bit heavier than US whipping cream. The batter was very thin but it still baked up well! Phew.
If I have a convection oven, should you adjust the temperature or baking time differently to achieve the best results for this cheesecake?
Anne Chalupa
Has anyone used an instant read thermometer to check for doneness?
I’d love to have that info to confirm “moderately jiggly”Ashley M
I made thisv for Father’s Day… Well, kinda. I had a 10oz package of goat cheese so I used that in place of the cream cheese and adjusted the amount of the rest of the ingredients. I also only had half & half instead of cream. It still turned out SO good! I will be making this again, hopefully with the right proportions!
Lisa
I made this yesterday, and served it today, from the fridge. Absolutely delicious, and can’t be simpler!
Marika
Is it possible to use ricotta instead of cream cheese?
Mayre
Yum!
Super easy, came together quickly.
Hand mixer with room temperature cream cheese.
Baked for 45 minutes, served slightly cooler than room temperature.
Big hit for Father’s Day but I think all liked it even more day 2.
Will be making the chocolate version next.Kayoko
OMG. This was so good and as easy as you said it would be. Definitely keeping this on a rotation. I am so glad you made a small batch recipe. Thank you Deb!
Tracy Hamilton
Hi Deb,
a decade or so ago my house burnt down in a bushfire here in Australia. We lost everything and life had to start again from scratch including 35 years of recipe collections (both books and family/friend recipes)
One of the first recipes a friend gave me when my brain was empty with sadness was your graham cracker caramel and chocolate slice and I’ve been following you now for what feels like forever. This is the first time I have written as you’re a very busy woman but I have just read your Basque cheesecake is gluten free and I’d like to say thank you. You keep delivering family/user friendly
recipes that I cook A LOT. Have a lovely weekSP
I made this with 2 TB fresh passionfruit juice/puree (unsweetened) instead of lemon juice, and it was very good. Also made a glaze with more juice and some confectioner sugar, to drizzle on top.
The texture after a few hours of cooling was almost spongy, but the next day after refrigeration it was dense and creamy.
Do you have advice on how to make this a chocolate cheesecake?
Thank you for a great recipe that will be a keeper in our house!
SP
Disregard the question about a chocolate version, I see you already answered that. Yay!
katie
Needed this forever, it’s perfect, thank goodness the internet exists so you can be here :)
Laura D
Delicious! I did add lemon zest and made a mango puree to drizzle on top.
Elise
Absolutely delicious! Topped with a simple lemon glaze & fresh blueberries-definitely in my “top 10 best desserts….ever”!
