This 6-inch mini basque cheesecake is the perfect dessert for two! Flecked with bits of vanilla bean, it’s so creamy and delicious.
Hello, hi! I am positively ecstatic to share this recipe.
If you’ve never had burnt basque cheesecake before, you are in for a treat my friend. Do you know what the best part of a basque cheesecake is? Better than its super creamy interior and its caramelized, burnt exterior? It’s way, way easier to make than a regular cheesecake.
Table of Contents
What is Basque Cheesecake?
Basque cheesecake is a popular dessert originally developed from the restaurant La Viña in San Sebastian, Spain. It’s likely gained popularity for two reasons: (1) it’s absolutely delicious and (2) it breaks all of the rules of a traditional cheesecake.
A burnt basque cheesecake encompasses the following qualities:
- Visually, the cheesecake has a burnished caramel exterior, a self-formed crust if you will.
- Texturally, it has a luxuriously smooth interior. The center of the cake, if done correctly, has an oozing, brie-like texture. As you move from the center of the cake outward, the texture becomes firmer, while still remaining creamy.
- And what about taste? The cheesecake is light and slightly tangy from the cream cheese, with a very pure creamy, milky flavor. The outer “crust” has a caramelized flavor with bitter notes. The original recipe does not even have vanilla, though I like to add it for a subtle aroma.
Chef Santiago Rivera, the creator of the cheesecake, shared his recipe publicly. While it features just a few simple ingredients, there’s a lot that comes down to technique and knowing your oven. We’ll talk more about that later on.
A High Oven Temperature and a Short Bake Time Ensures a Deliciously Creamy Result
What makes this recipe special?
- A mini burnt basque cheesecake baked in a 6-inch cake pan yields 2 very generous servings and 4 smaller servings, so you can enjoy this for a small dinner party or special date night. You can even make it for yourself as a delicious treat to devour throughout the week.
- I conducted extensive recipe tests playing around with oven temperature, ingredient ratios, and batter technique to make this easy and as close to the original as possible.
- A short bake and a high oven temperature yields a burnished exterior with a creamy, gooey interior.
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The Challenges of Developing A Mini Basque Cheesecake
This cheesecake is most often made in a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan with a height that’s closer to 3 inches. Because of the tall height (and large volume of batter), it typically requires closer to an hour of baking at a temperature between 400°F and 450°F. For example, when I developed a large pumpkin basque cheesecake, I found it took between 45 and 55 minutes at 425°F.
The benefit of making the full-sized cheesecake is that a larger height (3 inches tall) to width (9-inches to 10-inches) ratio leads to more uneven heat distribution. With a basque cheesecake, this is ideal because the outside cooks more quickly (leading to a browned, caramelized exterior), while the inside takes longer to cook through (leading to a creamy, gooey interior).
How to Achieve The Perfect Texture On a Basque Cheesecake
With a mini cheesecake in a 6-inch x 2-inch cake pan, you’re dealing with significantly less batter and a shorter cake. Here, the cheesecake takes a lot less time to cook because it’s much smaller. And, because it has a smaller height (2 inches tall) to width (6-inches) ratio, it’s likely to cook more evenly. As a result, I developed a few techniques that promote faster browning of the exterior without overcooking the middle.
Bake at a High Temperature
When I began developing the recipe, I immediately realized I would need to bake the cheesecake at a higher temperature to give the outside a bit of a head start to brown more quickly.
Think of it like searing a piece of meat. When searing a steak, you crank up your heat to high to nicely char the outside. Over time, the heat from the pan travels from the outside to the inside, cooking the inside of the steak to a medium rare. With a basque cheesecake, you’re essentially trying to achieve the same effect — a browned exterior and a “medium rare”, soft and creamy interior.
Bake on the Top Rack
When I’m looking for a crispy top, like when I want to brown the top of my lasagna, pizza, or focaccia, I always shift the baking sheet to the top rack. Why?
Well, hot air rises. So, the top rack is often consistently higher in temperature. The same goes for my mini burnt basque cheesecake. I really want to ensure a brown top, so baking the cheesecake on the top rack increases that likelihood.
Drizzle a Little Heavy Cream to Promote Browning
Just before baking, I like to drizzle a teaspoon or two of heavy cream all over the top to encourage even more browning.
Key Ingredients
These cheesecakes have a short list of ingredients, so each individual ingredient is key to achieving a creamy texture and delicious flavor.
- Philadelphia Cream Cheese: If you live in the US, I highly recommend using Philadelphia cream cheese as it has the ideal texture and flavor for this cheesecake. I have tried other brands, and unfortunately they don’t have the right tanginess. That said, I have heard that the cream cheese used in Spain may be saltier, so I do add a bit more salt to mimic the flavor. Don’t worry, the cheesecake won’t be too salty — it really helps balance the sweetness of the cheesecake and the richness of the cream cheese and heavy cream.
- Heavy Cream: Heavy cream helps provide richness and moisture to the cheesecake batter.
- Sugar: I prefer a slightly sweeter cheesecake than the original recipe. If you want something less sweet, I recommend using about 80% of the sugar (80g).
- Egg: Eggs bring richness to the cheesecake, in addition to offering that custard-like texture and flavor.
- Salt: Don’t skip the salt, here! It helps bring out the vanilla flavors and balances the sweetness.
- Vanilla Paste: Lately, I have been LOVING using vanilla paste (a thick, viscous paste made from vanilla beans) in my desserts in place of extract. I really think the vanilla paste elevates this cheesecake (plus I love the specks of vanilla bean!), but if you don’t have it at home, you can substitute an equal amount of vanilla extract.
- Cornstarch: I hesitated adding cornstarch here, because I’ve tried the recipe many times successfully without flour or cornstarch (and the original recipe doesn’t have any). However, Nicola Lamb’s Kitchen Projects taught me that a thickener helps keep the cheesecake structurally sound especially after the first day. So I add *just* a tad of cornstarch to the batter. Make sure to whisk the cornstarch with a bit of batter until completely smooth, then add that cornstarch-batter mixture to the batter to prevent any lumps!
How to Make This Mini Burnt Basque Cheesecake
The whole thing comes together in less than 20 minutes of active time, but there is a bit of prep and chill time so you’ll need to plan ahead.
Ready to get started? Here’s how to make this gorgeous dessert!
- Preheat the oven:
Set a rack in the top-third of the oven and position another rack right below it. Make sure the cheesecake pan can fit in the lower rack — if it’s too cramped, adjust the rack to one position lower.
Preheat the oven to 500°F/260°C.
Note: I don’t have a convection oven, so these temperatures are all for conventional ovens. - Prep your pan:
Spray a 6-inch cake pan with non-stick cooking spray (or grease with butter). Then line the pan with a 12-inch square piece of parchment paper, so that the paper covers the entire bottom of the pan and sides of the pan AND comes up at least two inches above the sides of the pan. It’s totally fine and very normal if it creases and appears uneven. - In a stand mixer (or using a handheld electric mixer), beat the cream cheese with the paddle attachment for 2 minutes until it’s creamy and smooth.
- Add in the sugar, and beat the whole thing for a few minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Switch to hand mixing and add the eggs:
At this point, I actually like to switch to hand mixing if I’m using the stand mixer to prevent overbeating the batter. Personally, I find it easier to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula (versus having the Kitchenaid paddle do this). Here, I recommend alternating between your whisk to mix everything and using a spatula to scrape everything down.
Add both eggs, then whisk until smooth and creamy. - Pour in the salt, cream, and vanilla paste, and whisk that all together.
- Make the cornstarch mixture:
In a small bowl, add the cornstarch. Slowly pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the bowl, whisking frequently, until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps. If you do see any lumps, keep whisking (or use your fingers to smash and smooth them out). Add the cornstarch mixture back into the batter and whisk until everything is super smooth and homogeneous. There shouldn’t be any lumps or streaks of cream cheese. - Pour the batter:
Pour the batter into the pan. If any of the batter splatters onto the sides of the parchment, wipe it clean with a napkin (otherwise it’ll burn). Drizzle the heavy cream over the top. - Bake!
Bake the cheesecake in the oven for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the center of the cheesecake measures 150°F (66°C). Don’t have a thermometer? Here’s what you should be looking for:
1. The cheesecake should be at least golden-brown on top, ideally dark brown.
2. The cheesecake will still be quite wobbly in the center (this is what gives it a really cream texture!) but set at the edges.
If your cheesecake is cooked through, but the top isn’t brown enough, you can put it under the broiler for a minute (this only works if you have a top broiler). To do so, first remove the cheesecake from the oven. If you have any tall pieces of parchment sticking up the sides (more than 2 to 3 inches), trim them with scissors to prevent them from burning.
Switch the oven to ‘BROILER’ on high. Once you see the broiler element is on, place it in the lower rack of the oven that we positioned. Broil in 30-second increments up to 2 minutes until nicely browned. - Cool and chill the basque cheesecake:
Cool the cheesecake on a wire rack for at least one hour until it no longer feels hot. Chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving.
Tips and Tricks
After lots of testing, here are my tried and true tips and tricks!
- Use a scale: For the most accurate results, use a kitchen scale.
- Use room temperature ingredients: The cream cheese really needs to be at room temperature or you will get lumps in the batter which is less than ideal. To quickly warm cream cheese to room temperature, place the unwrapped block on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 10 to 15 seconds until it warms up. I also use room temperature eggs to be safe, too!
- Remove any lumps: For the smoothest texture, you will want to remove any lumps in the batter. In addition to using room temperature ingredients, make sure to frequently scrape down the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl to incorporate any streaks of cream cheese.
- Don ‘t overbeat the batter: Over mixing the batter can cause the cheesecake to crack. You still want a smooth and creamy batter — but don’t feel like it needs to be super airy! I also recommend switching from a stand mixer to hand mixing halfway through to reduce the chances of overbeating.
- Get to know your oven: This is the most important rule for basque cheesecakes. All of our ovens behave differently, especially if your oven runs hot or cold. Visual cues and a thermometer will help you adjust the temperature or position of your cheesecake as needed to ensure a perfect result. For example, if you find that your cheesecake is browning too quickly, move it to a lower rack. If it’s not browning enough, you can leave it in for longer as long as it hasn’t reached an internal temperature of 150°F (66°C).
- Broil, if you must! If your cheesecake is already cooked in the center (it has reached the internal temperature listed above), you can move it to the lower positioned rack and broil it for 30 seconds to a minute to finish browning the top.
- Accept that all bakes are unique: Even at La Viña, the basque cheesecakes come out differently bake to bake. Below, you can see two completely different bakes I had with the same batter. The left side baked at 500F for 18 minutes and then broiled for a minute; the right side baked at 500F for 15 minutes and then broiled for a minute. Both were delicious 🙂
Storage Instructions
Leftover cheesecake keeps, covered, in the refrigerator for up to four days.
How to Serve This 6-Inch Basque Cheesecake
You can serve the cheesecake chilled or at room temperature (this is the preferred serving temperature.
To serve at room temperature, remove the cheesecake from the fridge and warm to room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
You can either enjoy directly from the pan and scoop bites of cheesecake with a couple of spoons.
Or, you can remove the cheesecake from the pan by carefully lifting up the parchment from the pan. Transfer to a serving plate and unpeel the parchment from the cheesecake. Slice and serve.
This cheesecake is delicious as is on its own, and I don’t recommend any toppings here. However, it is often enjoyed with a glass of sherry wine!
Looking for some date night recipes to serve with this cheesecake? Try these delicious dinner recipes.
FAQ
A standard cheesecake almost always has a separate crust and batter, and the batter cooks evenly at a lower temperature with the help of a water bath.
A basque cheesecake breaks all of the rules of a standard cheesecake. It bakes at a high temperature, forming a browned, exterior crust from the batter itself. The center of the cheesecake is gooey, while the outer edges are firmer.
You absolutely can! Just keep in mind that a different pan size will require a different amount of batter, so you will need to play around with oven temperatures and timings.
For example, if you use a 6-inch by 3-inch round cake pan, you will need to multiply the recipe by 1.5. Why? The volume of a cake pan is πr²h. So, a 6-inch by 2-inch cake pan is π*(3^2)*2 = 56.54. The volume of a 6-inch by 3-inch cake pan is π* (3^2)*(3) = 84.82. 84.82/56.54 = 1.5.
P.S. In the future, since you end up dividing pi by itself, π* (NEW PAN RADIUS)^2 * NEW PAN HEIGHT / π* (OLD PAN RADIUS)^2 * OLD PAN HEIGHT, you can just remove it from the equation for easier math 🙂
Additionally, because a 3-inch cake pan is deeper, it’s going to take longer to bake in the oven. So I might reduce the oven temperature to 475°F and add 3 to 5 more minutes to the bake time to start.
If your cheesecake is cooked through, but the top isn’t brown enough, you can put it under the broiler for a minute (this only works if you have a top broiler).
To do so, first remove the cheesecake from the oven. If you have any tall pieces of parchment sticking up the sides (more than 2 to 3 inches), trim them with scissors to prevent them from burning or catching fire from the flames of the broiler.
Switch the oven to ‘BROILER’ on high. Once you see the broiler element is on, place it in the lower rack of the oven that we positioned. Broil in 30-second increments up to 2 minutes until nicely browned.
Pour the batter through a fine mesh sieve. Any lumps can be pressed through the sieve and smoothed out with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
The white lumps are likely pieces of cream cheese that didn’t get incorporated into the batter. This usually happens if the cream cheese isn’t at room temperature (or you didn’t scrape the bowl completely and a few pieces of cream cheese remained unmixed).
Definitely underbake! The cheesecake is done when the edges are set but the inside is still quite wobbly. It will look undercooked even if it’s actually finished baking!
Mini Basque Cheesecake Recipe
Equipment
- 1 6-inch x 2-inch metal cake pan
- Instant Read Thermometer, optional
- Stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- Whisk and a flexible spatula
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
- 100 grams granulated white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, use half the amount if using Morton's Kosher Salt, sea salt, or table salt
- 80 grams heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste, or vanilla extract
- 9 grams cornstarch
For baking:
- 10 grams heavy cream
Instructions
- Prep the oven: Set a rack in the top-third of the oven.Preheat oven to 500°F/232°C for at least 30 minutes. Spray a 6-inch cake pan with non-stick cooking spray (or grease with butter). Use a large, 12-inch square of parchment paper to line the bottom and sides of a 6-inch cake pan, ensuring that the parchment comes up at least 2 inches above the the sides of the pan.Note: When the cheesecake bakes, it will rise, so the extra parchment paper will prevent any overflow. Because this is a large amount of parchment paper, it will not sit perfectly flush in the pan and will appear creased and uneven — this is by design.
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar: To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the cream cheese. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar, then beat on medium speed for 3 minutes until light, fluffy, and doubled in size.Turn the mixer off, then scrape down the sides of the bowl with a flexible spatula and beat for another 10-15 seconds until the mixture is homogeneous.Note: You can also use an electric hand mixer for this!8 ounces Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese, 100 grams granulated white sugar
- Switch to hand mixing: Remove the mixing bowl from the stand mixer and switch to hand mixing to prevent overbeating. Add the eggs, and whisk until combined. Whisk in the salt, heavy cream, and vanilla paste.Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a flexible spatula, then whisk until smooth and creamy.2 large eggs, 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, 80 grams heavy cream, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste
- Add the cornstarch: In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and 1/4 cup of the batter until completely smooth — there should not be any clumps. Add the cornstarch batter back into the mixing bowl, then whisk for about 1 minute until fully incorporated.Scrape down the sides of the bowl one last time — if you see any lumps, continue whisking until smooth.9 grams cornstarch
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Use a spoon to drizzle the heavy cream all over the top of the batter.10 grams heavy cream
- Bake the cheesecake: Transfer the cheesecake to the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the surface of the cheesecake is deep brown and the edges of the cheesecake look set, but the center is still quite jiggly. A thermometer inserted into the center of the cheesecake should register 145°F – 150°F. If your cheesecake is cooked through, but the top isn’t brown enough, you can put it under the broiler for a minute (this only works if you have a top broiler):To do so, first remove the cheesecake from the oven. If you have any tall pieces of parchment sticking up the sides (more than 2 to 3 inches), trim them with scissors to prevent them from burning or catching fire from the flame of the broiler. Switch the oven to ‘BROILER’ on high. Once you see the broiler element is on, place the cheesecake in the lower positioned rack. Broil in 30-second increments up to 2 minutes until nicely browned.Note: It's okay if the top isn't evenly browned; a layer of brown spots is totally fine here!
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and set on a wire cooling rack. Cool for one hour, or until the pan is at room temperature.
- Chill the cheesecake: Transfer to the fridge. Chill for at least 3 hours, uncovered, before slicing and serving.
- Serve: Serve the cheesecake chilled or at room temperature.The preferred serving temperature is room temperature. You will want to remove the cheesecake from the fridge and warm to room temperature for at least 30 minutes. To serve, you can either enjoy directly from the pan and scoop bites of cheesecake with a couple of spoons. Or, you can remove the cheesecake from the pan by carefully lifting up the parchment from the pan. Transfer to a serving plate and unpeel the parchment from the cheesecake. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Use a scale: For the most accurate results, use a kitchen scale.
- Use room temperature ingredients: The cream cheese really needs to be at room temperature or you will get lumps in the batter.
- Remove any lumps: For the smoothest texture, you will want to remove any lumps in the batter. In addition to using room temperature ingredients, make sure to frequently scrape down the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl to incorporate any streaks of cream cheese.
- Don ‘t overbeat the batter: Over mixing the batter can cause the cheesecake to crack! I also recommend switching from a stand mixer to hand mixing halfway through to reduce the chances of overbeating.
- Get to know your oven: This is the most important rule for basque cheesecakes. All of our ovens behave differently, especially if your oven runs hot or cold. Visual cues and a thermometer will help you adjust the temperature or position of your cheesecake as needed to ensure a perfect result. For example, if you find that your cheesecake is browning too quickly, move it to a lower rack. If it’s not browning enough, you can leave it in for longer as long as it hasn’t reached an internal temperature of 150°F (66°C).
- Broil, if you must! If your cheesecake is already cooked in the center (it has reached the internal temperature listed above), you can move it to the lower positioned rack and broil it for 30 seconds to a minute to finish browning the top.
Nutrition
Did you try this recipe? I would love to hear your feedback! Be sure to rate the recipe and leave a comment below.
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Happy eating! Love, KarishmaReferences
https://quescrem.es/en/tips-for-a-perfect-basque-cheesecake/
https://www.simplyrecipes.com/basque-style-pumpkin-cheesecake-recipe-5208678
https://tastecooking.com/spains-burnt-cheesecake-breaks-all-the-rules-and-lord-its-good/
https://www.latimes.com/food/la-fo-burnt-basque-cheesecake-20190321-story.html
https://kitchenprojects.substack.com/p/kitchen-project-31-basque-cheesecake
