The heavenly indulgent and unique Basque Burnt Cheesecake has its roots in a quaint bar nestled within the charming streets of San Sebastián in the culturally rich Basque region of Spain. Learn about the fascinating history of this dessert by exploring this article on CN Traveller. My love of cheesecake runs deep, and I am particularly partial to a great baked cheesecake, so the concept of the Basque Burnt Cheesecake and its lack of base/crust, has always captured my imagination and titillated my tastebuds. I always imagined that such an iconic dessert would be difficult to make, yet it’s remarkably quick and easy to prepare.
Being not only Italian, but a lover of the rich cheese-in-name only that is mascarpone, I was curious to discover whether I could make this indulgent dessert with cream cheese and mascarpone, instead of cream cheese and cream. I do love a good cooking experiment, and I must say, the result exceeded my wildest dreams! I find myself wondering … would there be anything wrong with making this every weekend? 😉
This recipe, inspired by the Basque Burnt Cheesecake, encapsulates everything that indulgent comfort food should be. From the divine aroma of caramel wafting through the air as it bakes and later cools, to the lush, creamy texture that melts in your mouth, and the deep, rich multi-layered vanilla and caramel flavour that tantalises your tastebuds with each bite, who could possibly resist such a decadent treat?
Indulgent Creamy Mascarpone Basque Burnt Cheesecake
Description
This is a deliciously rich and creamy baked cheesecake inspired by Basque Burnt Cheesecake. The burning lends this cake a rich caramel flavour that will make it irresistible!
Despite its iconic nature, the Basque Burnt Cheesecake is actually remarkably quick and easy to make! The hardest part is waiting for it to cool down while your kitchen smells like heaven.
Ingredients
Method
Preparation
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Prepare the baking tin
Pre-heat the oven to 220°C (fan).
Line a 23cm springform baking tin with two large pieces of baking/greaseproof paper, so they overlap at a 90° angle (approximately). They need to generously overhang the sides of the baking tin. Don't worry too much about the creases - they add to the charm of this delicious cheesecake!
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Mix together the ingredients
Lightly whisk together the cream cheese, mascarpone, sugar and vanilla.
Break and lightly beat the eggs, then add them to the cheese mixture, along wiht the cornflour. Whisk only enough to combine the ingredients well, as you need to avoid air bubbles forming, if possible.
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Pour the mix into the baking tin
Pour the mixed ingredients into the baking tin. Tap the tin a few times on the worktop to get rid of any air bubbles, then place it into the pre-heated oven.
Cooking & cooling
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Bake the cake
Bake the cheesecake for 30 minutes.
When it is ready, it will be quite burnt on top and will have fluffed up and risen, a bit like a soufflé. Take it out of the oven, leaving it to cool fully in the tin.
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Cool the cake
As the cake cools, it will collapse in the centre - this is meant to happen.
Once it is completely cool, place it in the fridge for at least a few hours, or overnight.
Once it is completely cold at fridge temperature, you can carefully remove it from the tin and peel off the baking paper, placing the cake on a plate for serving. I recommend, however, leaving it to warm to room temperature before serving, as it will be much creamier!
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Enjoy!
Slice and eat - I dare you to try and make it last more than a day! ;)
(It will keep a couple of days in the fridge)
