Basque
Basque Burnt Cheesecake with Vanilla and Caramelized Top
Basque cheesecake bakes hot and fast, giving it a deeply browned top, lightly bitter caramel notes, and a center that stays creamy instead of dense.
High CarbMake AheadBaking ProjectDessert
At a Glance
- Time
- 3 hr 30 mins
- Serves
- 10 to 12
- Cost
- Medium
- Cuisine
- Basque
- Dietary fit
- Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Vegetarian
Instructions
- Line a 10-inch springform pan with parchment so the paper rises well above the rim. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and kosher salt until completely smooth and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the heavy cream and vanilla extract. Sift in the flour and blend just until the batter is silky and no lumps remain.
- Pour the batter into the lined pan and bake at 400 degrees F until the top is deeply browned and the center still wobbles dramatically, about 40 to 45 minutes.
- Cool the cheesecake completely, then chill it for several hours before serving. The center will settle as it rests.
- Bring it closer to room temperature before slicing so the texture turns custardy again. The contrast between the dark top and creamy middle is the whole point.
Adaptations
Plan Ahead- Gluten-Free: Plan Ahead Possible, but it requires multiple substitutions or separate preparation; see the note below.
- Dairy-Free: Plan Ahead Possible, but it requires multiple substitutions or separate preparation; see the note below.
- Vegetarian: Vegetarian Vegetarian as written.
How to adapt: For gluten-free, replace the small amount of flour with 1 tablespoon cornstarch. A dairy-free version requires a tested dairy-free cheesecake formula; replacing two pounds of cream cheese and the heavy cream is not a dependable one-for-one swap.