San Sebastian Cheesecake (Burnt-Basque)

❓ What is San Sebastian Cheesecake?

Due to its burnt appearance this Spanish cheesecake is also known as Burnt Basque Cheesecake, Burnt Cheesecake or Saint Sabastian Cheesecake. It originates from a small Northern town in the Basque region of Spain, created by Chef Santiago Rivera for his bar-restaurant La Viña in San Sebastian.

He iconically through all the common perceptions of an even textured, smooth, dense, New York Style Cheesecake out of the widow. Forget water baths and the fear of a cracked non-perfect top.

Instead, Santiago created an egg and cream cheese forward filling and baked it directly into parchment paper, without a graham-cracker crust. The result is an exceptionally light cheesecake with a slightly under-done centre that's custard-like. The sugar within caramelises on the outside creating the scorched outer crust which imparts an incredible caramelised, créme brûlèe-esque flavour.

There's no doubt that this is an impressive dessert. It's a conversation starter - perfect for a dinner party. You are going to LOVE it!

🧾 Ingredients Needed

Traditionally cheesecake only uses cream cheese, cream, eggs, sugar and flour. I've included vanilla bean paste to compliment the caramel notes or the burnt top. But if you're a purist, leave it out!

• Cream Cheese - The hero ingredient in this burnt basque cheesecake recipe. You need to use full-fat cream cheese to achieve the correct texture, structure, and taste. A low-fat cream cheese has a high water content which won't work. I recommend using Philadelphia Cream Cheese in tub or block form.
• Eggs - 5 whole large eggs are used in this recipe. Sounds a lot but it's what gives the cheesecake taste and custardy texture.
• Cream - The fat content in the cream should be around the 35% mark. If based in the UK use double cream, the US use heavy cream and Australia use thickened cream.
• Sugar - Both granulated or caster sugar can be used but my preference lies with caster sugar as it dissolves better into the cream cheese.
• Flour - I've used plain flour (all-purpose flour) but you can also use cake flour. It helps with the structure once baked and prevents the cheesecake from 'weeping' as it cools down.

👩🏻‍🍳 How to Make

Now's my chance to show you just how simple this burnt cheesecake recipe is to make. I make mine in my stand mixer with the whisk attachment. But you can also use the paddle attachment, use an electric hand mixer, or make it by hand with a whisk.

I've even seen others add all the ingredients to a food processor and whizz it up in one go. I've not tested this - let me know how you go if you try it!

In this post, I've broken down the process with photos so that you can see the texture at every step of the way. You'll also find useful tips to help you to perfect your San Sebastian Cheesecake.

*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions!*

Prepare the Pan

STEP 1. Prepare your pan. Line a 20cm (8-inch) pan with 2 layers of parchment paper. Ensure the paper overhangs the pan by at least 5cm (2 inches) and points upright, as the San Sebastian Cheesecake does puff up in the oven and this helps prevent any overflow (Images 1 & 2). (Notes in FAQ section if you want to bake it in a 23cm (9-inch cake pan).

STEP 2: Preheat the oven to 200C (390F) for a minimum of 20 minutes. If you can preheat it for double that time the better! This helps you get that scorched top.

Bake the San Sebastian Cheesecake

STEP 7. Pour into the tin and bake. Pour all the filling into the prepared tin and level off with an offset spatula (Images 11 & 12). Tap the pan a couple of times to release any air bubbles. Bake for 45-55 minutes until the top is dark brown, the sides are set but the centre is still wobbly (Images 13 & 14 below). You'll think it's under-baked but trust the process!

What if You Don't Get a Burnt Top?

If your oven runs hot and the cheesecake bakes before the top has caramelised fully, don't panic. Simply finish off the cheesecake under a broiler/grill to get the appropriate dark colour.

🥣 How To Serve

The Basque cheesecake cools fully whilst left in the pan at room temperature. You'll notice the puffed-up centre will deflate and the top will sink and possibly crack. Don't worry about this, it's natural.

Once cooled, release the spring form and then peel the paper from the sides. Leave the cheesecake on the paper to serve though- it adds drama and authenticity and looks so beautiful!

Whilst I prefer to serve this cheesecake at room temperature, others prefer to chill it for a couple of hours to help set the inside. Go with what you prefer because both options are good!

Serve along with a drizzle of chocolate ganache, caramel sauce or coulis. Or simply serve it with fresh berries and a glass of sweet sherry.

📋 Recipe FAQs

❄️ Storage and Freezer Instructions

To store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to one week but bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

To freeze: Once San Sebastian Cheesecake is fully cool, refrigerate for a couple of hours before removing the parchment paper. Wrap the cheesecake well with plastic wrap and store it in a zip-lock bag. Freeze for 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving.

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5 from 22 votes

San Sebastian Cheesecake (Burnt-Basque) Recipe

This rustic San Sebastian Cheesecake couldn't be any easier to make. With a smooth creamy centre and caramelised outer crust, this cheesecake is surprisingly simple to make.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

45 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr

Category: Dessert

Cuisine: Spanish

Servings: 16 slices

Calories: 349kcal

Author: Emma Duckworth

Equipment

• ▢
  Springform pan 20cm (8-inch)

Ingredients

Metric - US Customary

• ▢ 800 g Philadelphia cream cheese, room temperature (3 ½ tubs)
• ▢ 250 g caster sugar (superfine), or granulated
• ▢ 5 large eggs, room temperature
• ▢ 360 ml double cream (heavy cream), room temperature
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
• ▢ 60 g plain flour (all-purpose)

Instructions

• Prepare the pan. Line a 20cm (8-inch) spring-form pan with two pieces of parchment paper. Lay the two pieces on top of one another but slightly askew and press the paper over the base and up the sides of the pan. The paper will look all creased on the sides but don't worry, this is how it should be! Do not fold it over, it should stick straight up. It should overhang the top by at least 5cm (2 inches) to prevent the filling from overflowing.
• Preheat the oven to 200℃ (390℉) for a minimum of 20 minutes. Longer if you have the time.
• Beat cream cheese and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream cheese and sugar on medium to low speed until smooth and the sugar has dissolved.
• Add in the eggs one at a time making sure the mixture is homogenous before adding in the next egg. Scrape down the base and sides of the bowl.
• Add the cream and vanilla bean paste and whisk on low speed until combined. Scrape down the base and sides of the bowl again.
• Sift in the flour and whisk on low speed until just combined. The filling should be smooth and glossy. If you see any lumps then I suggest passing the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove them.
• Pour filling into the prepared pan, level with an offset spatula, and tap the pan on the countertop a couple of times to remove any air bubbles.
• Bake in preheated oven (making sure the parchment paper is up and not folded down) for 40-45 minutes. Do not open the door during the baking. The cheesecake is ready when the top is golden brown, the sides are set but the middle is still jiggly.

  If the top doesn't look 'burnt' enough then you can grill/broil the cheesecake for 1-2 minutes. Keep an eye on it though as it 'turns' quickly.
• Cool to room temperature. Remove the pan from the oven and set on a wire rack. Let the cheesecake cool completely to room temperature in the pan without unmolding it. This can take approximately 4 hours. Serve by releasing the springform pan. Gently peel the paper from the sides of the cheesecake. Leave it on the parchment paper and slice it.

  If not serving the same day then refrigerate in the paper and springform pan.

All recipes are developed and tested in Metric grams. I strongly recommend that you bake using digital scales for a more accurate result. I have provided a conversion to US customary in the recipe but please note that I haven’t tested using this method.

Notes

Step-by-Step Photos: My blog post includes helpful step-by-step photos to help guide you through making this recipe.

To store: Store any leftovers in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to one week but bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

To freeze: Once San Sebastian Cheesecake is fully cool, refrigerate for a couple of hours before removing the parchment paper. Wrap the cheesecake well with plastic wrap and store it in a zip-lock bag. Freeze for 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving.

TIP 1: Ingredients must be at room temperature to achieve a smooth texture.

TIP 2: Bake and serve directly on parchment paper.

TIP 3: Mix the filling until smooth and glossy, but if you have any lumps simply pass it through a sieve to remove them.

TIP 4: The cheesecake does puff up past the top of the cake pan - so you definitely need the parchment paper to reach above the cake pan edge to prevent the filling from overflowing.

TIP 5: If the top isn't dark enough once the cheesecake is baked, then grill it for a couple of minutes.

TIP 6: Let the cake cool completely before you remove it from the cake pan.

Nutrition

Calories: 349kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 183mg | Potassium: 111mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 1078IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 1mg

Have you tried this recipe yet?Mention @emmaduckworthbakes or tag #emmaduckworthbakes! I’d love to see what you are getting up to in the kitchen!