Basque Cheesecake

Total Time Prep: 20 mins Cook: 45 mins. + cooling
Yield 1 cheesecake
Test Kitchen Approved
Cracked, dented and burnt to perfection, Basque cheesecake isn't your average cheesecake.

Ingredients

  • 4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
  • 1-1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
  • 5 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
  • 1-1/4 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°. Line a 9-in. springform pan with two overlapping pieces of parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and 1-1/2 cups sugar at medium speed until mixture is smooth. Add whole eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, until incorporated. Reduce mixer speed to medium-low; beat in heavy cream, flour, vanilla extract and salt until smooth. Transfer filling to prepared springform pan, spreading the mixture into an even layer. Dust the top of the cheesecake with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
  3. Bake 25-30 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450°; bake an additional 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool completely on wire rack. Remove sides of springform pan and peel back layers of parchment paper. Use a sharp knife to cut into slices.

Nutrition Facts

12 pieces: 495 calories, 37g fat (22g saturated fat), 197mg cholesterol, 471mg sodium, 33g carbohydrate (30g sugars, 0 fiber), 8g protein.

This style of cheesecake originated at La Vina, a cafe in the resort town of San Sebastian in the Basque region of Spain. It's a crustless cheesecake with a rich, gooey interior and a caramelized exterior that is simply divine. A light dusting of sugar on top before baking at a high temperature adds to the deeply browned, caramelized effect. —Lauren Habermehl, Pewaukee, Wisconsin
Recipe Creator

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