Easy Basque Burnt Cheesecake

5 from 94 votes

This super easy Basque Burnt Cheesecake recipe comes together in 5 minutes using 5 simple ingredients yet has an unbelievable texture and taste. It's the best cheesecake I have ever had!

Prep Time10

Cook Time50

Waiting time4

Total Time5

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Servings:

Calories: 562kcal

Author: Katalin Nagy

Equipment

Ingredients

670 g Cream cheese e.g., full-fat Philadelphia, at room temperature
200 g Granulated sugar
4 Eggs at room temperature
300 g Heavy Cream at room temperature, 36% fat
30 g All purpose flour

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Prepare an 8-inch / 20 cm Spring form pan loosely lined with 2 square pieces of parchment paper. Ensure the papers stick up about 2 inches / 5 cm over the edges to hold the cheesecake as it rises.
Preheat the oven to 220C / 430F (no fan).
Put the room-temperature cream cheese into a bowl and slowly add the sugar and flour while mixing on low speed with an electric hand mixer (or in a stand mixer).
Slowly add the room-temperature eggs to the mixture one by one while continuing to mix at low speed. Do not whip the ingredients.
Finally, slowly pour in the room-temperature cream.
Pour the batter into the prepared 8-inch / 20 cm Spring form pan.
Bake the cheesecake for about 40 minutes, checking after 30 minutes. It is ready when the top part is puffed up, the edge looks baked, and the middle is jiggly but not raw.
Let the cheesecake cool in the pan to room temperature. Then, refrigerate it for at least 4 hours to set completely before removing the springform and serving.
Store leftover burnt cheesecake covered in the fridge and consume within 1-2 days.

Notes

Ingredient notes

Weigh all ingredients using a digital scale for precision.
Take the ingredients out of the fridge before you make this recipe so that they are all at room temperature.
Use full-fat cream cheese and full-fat heavy cream.
The small quantity of the flour is not a typo.
Some popular questions are why the recipe does not contain vanilla and what to serve the cheesecake with. I intentionally don´t include vanilla or provide sauce recommendations. The Basque burnt cheesecake is incredibly delicious and unique because of its creamy center, caramelized top, and perfectly balanced flavors that combine richness with a hint of smokiness. Try eating it on its own and enjoy the depth of flavors.

Technique notes

All ovens vary, so make sure you're baking at the right temperature by using a Digital oven thermometer.
Most recipes add the flour at the end—which is how I've done it for years—but after testing it in several ways, I found that the batter is too liquid at that stage to incorporate the flour smoothly, so I now recommend adding it at the beginning, as shown in the recipe.
The cheesecake should be puffed when it is done, the top should be caramelized, the side should be baked, and the center should still be slightly jiggly.
Do not rush to remove the springform; the cheesecake needs to chill for a minimum of 4 hours in the fridge to set first.

Nutrition