Basque Cheesecake

  • 2lb (0.9kg) full-fat cream cheese

  • Cooking spray

  • 1 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 5 large (6 medium) eggs

  • 2 cups (500ml) heavy cream

  • 1/4 cup (34g) all-purpose flour


  1. Bring the cream cheese to room temperature. Cut 2 pounds cream cheese into large cubes. Place in a large bowl if using an electric hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer and let sit at room temperature at least 1 hour.

  2. Heat the oven and prepare the pan. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400ºF (205ºC). Coat a 9-inch springform pan or 9-inch (3-inch high) round cake pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with 2 overlapping sheets of parchment paper, and don’t worry if there are some wrinkles and creases in the paper.

  3. Beat the cream cheese and sugar together. Add 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar to the cream cheese and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon kosher and beat to combine.

  4. Beat in the eggs and cream. With the mixer on low speed, beat in 5 large eggs one at a time, mixing until each one is incorporated before adding the next. Slowly pour in 2 cups heavy cream and mix until smooth.

  5. Sift in the flour and gently fold it in. Use a fine-mesh strainer to sift 1/4 cup all-purpose flour onto the batter. Fold it in with a large spatula.

  6. Bake the cheesecake for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until browned and almost burned-looking on top, with a jiggly center, 50 minutes to 1 hour. The cake will puff, crack, and fall as it bakes.

  7. Cool the cheesecake for 1 hour. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour.

  8. Serve the cheesecake at room temperature. To serve, remove the cake from the pan, or remove the outer ring of the springform pan. Peel away the parchment paper and slice the cheesecake.

https://www.thekitchn.com/basque-cheesecake-recipe-23123595

Do I Need a Special Pan for Basque Cheesecake?

Basque cheesecakes are most often baked in springform pans, but unlike New York-style cheesecakes, you don’t need a water bath. Because of this, you can use a cake pan instead. Just be sure to use one that’s at least 3 inches deep because the cheesecake will rise (and fall) quite a bit as it bakes.

3 Tips for the Best Basque Cheesecake

Rivera’s recipe is widely available in books and online — Taste called it “a special recipe but not a secret one.” Having cooked through a handful of adaptations, I’ve found a few tips for Basque cheesecake perfection.

  1. Bring the cream cheese to room temperature. Cubing the cream cheese and letting it sit at room temperature for at least an hour will make mixing the batter much easier and ensure a creamy cheesecake.

  2. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Adding the eggs one at a time and making sure each one is fully incorporated before adding the next brings a lot of air to the batter, which is what helps create that soufflé-like texture.

  3. Pull the cheesecake from the oven when it’s jiggly. For a smooth, creamy interior, you don’t want to overbake the cheesecake. Pull it out when it’s deeply browned on top but still jiggles when you tap on the pan. Some carryover cooking after the cheesecake is out of the oven will help it set.

How to Serve Basque Cheesecake

You can serve the cheesecake slightly warm or at room temperature. You can also refrigerate the dessert overnight, but just be sure to bring it back to room temperature before serving — you want it to be soft and creamy. Basque cheesecake isn’t served with any toppings or sauce, but it’s great with a small glass of sherry, which is a traditional drink pairing in Spain’s Basque region — as well as in Boise’s Basque block.