San Sebastian Cheesecake

Basque cheesecake, or "tarta de queso," hails from the heart of San Sebastián (Donostia), a culinary haven in Spain's Basque Country.

Unlike traditional cheesecakes, this Spanish delight is characterised by its burnt, caramelised top and creamy, custard-like centre. Originating in the iconic La Viña restaurant, the Basque cheesecake has won hearts worldwide for its unique texture and rich yet light flavour profile.

San Sebastián, renowned for its vibrant pintxos (tapas) culture and stunning coastal views, provides the perfect backdrop for indulging in this dessert. The cheesecake is intentionally baked at a high temperature, giving it a beautifully browned exterior while keeping the inside irresistibly soft and gooey. You’re basically burning the outer layer during cooking to give it more texture and taste.

It’s perfect for those who enjoy a dessert that's not overly sweet.

The Basque cheesecake is easy to make, with its minimalistic ingredient list and straightforward preparation. Whether you're savouring it in a bustling café in the Old Town of Donostia or recreating it at home, each bite transports you to the charming streets and lively atmosphere of San Sebastián.

How to make a Basque Cheesecake

This recipe was taken from one of my newest cookbooks, La Cucina Vasca, which I picked up in San Sebastián by Marti Buckley. It’s a simple recipe that requires just six ingredients (including some salt) and 1 bowl.

It’s really not complicated to make.

Ingredients you’ll need

To make the cheesecake, you will need the following (for 12 servings)

1kg of cream cheese at room temperature
5 large eggs
480ml double cream
350g sugar
30g plain flour
1g salt

Equipment needed

There isn’t a lot you need to make this cheesecake:

A large mixing bowl
Some kind of electric mixer either a hand mixer or a stand mixer (beating cream cheese into a smooth paste can be very tiring if you’re just using a wooden spoon or a whisk)
A 25cm spring form cake tin

Getting prepared

Preheat your oven to 200°C and prepare your cake tin by lining it with a large baking sheet. The tradtional way to do this is by pressing an oversized baking sheet into the greased cake tin and folding it at the edges so you have excess paper around the cake tin. This gives your final cake a lovely rustic appearance.

Preparing your cake mix

1) Add all of your cream cheese into the mixing bowl and add the sugar, beat this until you have a smooth, loose mixture.

2) Add your salt to the mixture and mix it until smooth.

3) Add your eggs, one at a time and use a wooden spoon to thoroughly mix until the egg has incorporated into the mix. Repeat for all of your eggs until you have a smooth mix.

4) Slowly add your cream whilst you continue to beat the mixture. The goal at this stage is to achieve a smooth, harmonious mixture without allowing anything to form clumps in the cake mix.

5) If you are planning to add any additional flavourings this is the point to do so.

6) Sift your flour into the mixture and mix until smooth once again.

6) Pour your mixture into your baking paper lined cake tin, make sure you shake the tin and give it a few taps on the counter to expell any air from the mixture.

7) Place your cake tin on a large baking tray and place in the oven for around 50 minutes.

8) Keep checking your cake to see how it is going, every oven will be different so you will need to bake it until the cake has puffed up and is a dark brown burnt colour on the top. It will be very jiggly when you take it out of the oven.

9) Let your cake rest until it reaches room temperature (can take a couple of hours). There is no need to set it in the fridge, tradtionally this cheesecake will be eaten at room temperature. The cake will set back down again and firm up so make sure you don’t cut into it too early.

10) When slicing your cheesecake, make sure you run your knife under hot water to heat it up, that way when you will be able to make smooth looking slices as the warmed knife will melt the cheese slightly when cutting through.

Variations

For some extra flavour, you can add the following elements to your spice mix

7g Vanilla extract
9g Orange blossom water

Burnt Basque Cheesecake Recipe

San Sebastian Cheesecake