What is Burnt Basque Cheesecake
A burnt cheesecake recipe might sound more like a mistake than a crave-worthy treat, but names can be deceiving and this crustless cake is an effortless dessert that yields an improbably delicious cake. With a gorgeously "burnt" top and a rich custardy center, this cheesecake from the Basque region of Spain has become a favorite in our household.
Table of contents
Why This Burnt Basque Cheesecake Recipe Works
- Mixing the batter in the blender is not only easy, it ensures there are no lumps. You can also do this by hand or using a stand mixer.
- Using very little flour ensures the cheesecake is dense, custardy, and satiny smooth.
- Lining the pan with parchment paper makes it easy to unmold this soft crustless cheesecake.
- Baking the Basque Cheesecake in a very high temperature oven will rapidly caramelize the top surface while leaving the center only partially cooked. This gives the center of the cake a silky-smooth flan-like texture with a top that tastes like creme brulee.
FAQ
Although the name makes it sound like it has a long history, Basque Cheesecake was created in 1990 by chef Santiago Rivera of La Viña in San Sebastian, Spain. According to interviews, Rivera was looking to add a dessert menu to his Pintxos restaurant after taking it over from his parents and settled on a custardy cheesecake.
The original recipe from La Viña contains just 5 ingredients: Cream cheese, heavy cream, sugar, eggs, and flour. I personally like to add some vanilla bean paste to the batter, but you can leave it out if you want something closer to the original. I also add a pinch of salt, depending on the type of cream cheese I use. 
It's widely thought that Rivera uses Philadelphia, but in 1990, when this cake was created, it's more likely that he was using a Spanish brand of cream cheese such as San Millan. I've never tasted San Millan, so I can't say what the differences are in taste, but what I can say from comparing nutrition labels, is that San Millan has two and a half times the amount of salt as Philly, and it contains about 40% less fat.
All that being said, I've made this using Philadelphia as well as Kiri (French brand), they're both delicious (though I think I prefer using Kiri). If you do go with Philadelphia, I recommend adding a pinch of salt.
The cream is added for 2 reasons. The first is that it's a liquid which helps this turn into a batter you can pour. The second is that it adds fat, which makes the cheesecake more rich and creamy. "Heavy cream" is the designation in the US for cream that includes more than 36% butterfat. I personally used a cream that has 47% fat, which makes for a very rich custardy cake. If you want a lighter cake, you can use a lower butterfat cream. One thing to be careful of are creams that have thickeners like gums or gelatin. Although I haven't tried it, I have received a few reports of this recipe not working out when prepared with such products.
All purpose flour has a higher gluten content than cake flour. Gluten is a protein that forms long chains when hydrated which is what gives bread and noodles their chewy texture. For cakes you don't want them to get chewy, which is why cake flour is used. That being said, Basque Cheesecake uses a small enough amount of flour that the type you use probably won't make that big of a difference.
By the subjective standards of cheesecake, Basque Cheesecake is burnt, but it is not cooked so long that the top turns to carbon. There are two non-enzymatic browning reactions happening here. The first is the caramelization of the sugar, which creates aromatic compounds such as Diacetyl and Maltol, which give the top the flavor of caramel. The second is Maillard browning, which is a reaction between the proteins in the cream cheese and sugars, which not only creates additional flavor compounds; it also creates the taste of umami. This is why the seemingly burnt layer on top tastes so good. 
Every recipe seems to have their own way of combing the ingredients, but I've found that the easiest way is to throw all the ingredients into a blender and spin it. The only slight drawback of this technique is that it introduces air bubbles to the mixture, which is why I usually let the mixture sit for about 20 minutes before I pour it into the pan. You can also do this with a food processor, stand mixer with a paddle attachment, stick blender, or the old fashioned way with a whisk and a mixing bowl.
Time and temperature are the most important parts of this recipe, but unfortunately, the answer isn't clear cut. The goal here is to get a burnt hue that's just shy of carbon black before the center of the cake is fully set. This is what creates that magical contrast of the cake-like sides, caramelized top, and custardy center. If the temperature is too low, the cake fully cooks before the top takes on enough color, and if the temperature is too high, the top will turn to carbon before the center has a chance to thicken to the desired consistency.
In my convection oven, I bake it at 230 degrees C (about 450 F) for 22 minutes. Unless you've had yours recently calibrated, the thermostat on most ovens is off by a significant margin. Additionally, the airflow passing through the oven has an impact on how quickly the cake cooks. If you have a convection oven, you can use my temperature and timing as a starting point, but you may need to make some adjustments in subsequent batches, depending on how it turns out. If the cake is too firm in the center, turn up the heat and bake it for a shorter time. If the cake is too runny in the center, turn down the heat and bake it for a longer time.
If you don't have a convection oven (i.e., there's no fan moving the air around), I'd recommend going with the high-temperature something closer to 250 C (480 F).
The time for baking this burnt cheesecake is tied to your oven setup, so the goal should be to get a very dark brown top, that's just shy of being carbon black on top. In my convection oven set to 230 C, this took 22 minutes, but the time will vary, depending on your setup. Read the section above for more details.
Yes! While it's delicious served hot, if you've baked it for the right amount of time, the center will still be runny when warm, which means you'll need to eat it straight out of the pan with a spoon. By covering and refrigerating the cake overnight, it gives the center a chance to firm up enough so that you can slice it.
I'm using a 6-inch x 2.5-inch cake pan with a removable bottom, but a similarly sized springform pan will work as well. There are a couple reasons for this. The first is that a small deeper pan makes it easier to burn the top without overcooking the center. The second reason is that for the size of parchment paper I have, anything wider would require two overlapping sheets of parchment paper, which would be prone to leaking.
The removable bottom is not necessary, but I find it makes it much easier to get the parchment paper molded to the shape of the pan because you can use the bottom to press the paper into the pan. Then, after you have the sides of the paper creased to fit the pan, you can put the bottom back onto the pan, and the paper should fit perfectly into the pan.
My pan holds a volume of about 70 cubic inches. If you use a pan that's a larger diameter, it will hold more volume, so you will end up with a thiner cheesecake that cooks through faster. Since it's still going to take the same amount of time to brown the top, you will need to increase the temperature of the oven to make it brown before the cheesecake gets overcooked. If you are using an 8-inch pan or larger, I recommend increasing the amount of ingredients, otherwise the cheesecake will be too thin.
Here are some common pan sizes and their volumes, or you can use this calculator to figure out the volume of yours:
5" x 2" = 40 cubic inches
5" x 3" = 60 cubic inches
6" x 2.5" = 70 cubic inches (perfect for this recipe)
7" x 3" = 115 cubic inches
8" x 3" =150 cubic inches
9" x 3" = 190 cubic inches
By the way, the pan I used is not available in the US, but a reader experimented with a few brands of pans and they found the Nordicware 6" Cheesecake Pan worked best.
You'll need to adjust your parchment paper strategy for the shape of the pan you're using, but as long as the volume of the pan is roughly 70 cubic inches, and you're able to get a thickness of about 2-inches when you pour the batter in, it should work. That being said, I've never tested this with other pan-shapes, so you will likely need to do some testing with temperature and time to find the right combination for your setup.
The short answer is that this is what is supposed to happen and it means you did it right. When you bake a cake the oven heats up the water in the batter and it turns to steam. The steam creates pockets in the batter and as it goes from raw to cooked, the proteins solidify and form a web around the pockets of steam so that even after the cake has cooled, it is fluffy. Basque Burnt Cheesecake is deliberately undercooked in the center to give it its smooth creamy texture. Since the proteins have not set, as soon as the heat is gone, the steam escapes and the cake will sink in the center. The sides remain high because they've been fully cooked.
Cracking is caused by a difference in moisture between one part of the cake and the other. It is normal for burnt cheesecake to crack around the edges where the batter has formed a crust as it will be fully cooked, whereas the center is still undercooked. If your cheesecake cracked in the center, it means it was overcooked. In this case, you need to raise the temperature of your oven so that the top browns faster and bake it for less time (so the center stays more rare).
Easy Dessert Recipes
- Matcha Burnt Cheesecake (Green Tea Flavor)
- Chocolate Mug Cake
- Key Lime Pie
- Blueberry Olive Oil Cake
📖 Recipe
Units
Ingredients
- 226 grams cream cheese (cold)
- 1 cup heavy cream (cold)
- 100 grams granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (cold)
- 15 grams cake flour
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to the 450 degrees F* (230 C). See the section above in the headnotes about how long to bake it.
- Line a 6-inch cake pan with 2.5-inch sides with parchment paper. If the pan has a removable bottom, you can use the bottom to press the paper into the pan. Then you can use your hands to crease the sides to hold its shape. Once the paper is molded to the pan, you can remove the bottom and the paper and then reattach the bottom to the pan, placing the paper on top.
- Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. I usually let this mixture rest for about 20 minutes to give the air bubbles in the batter a chance to settle, but you can bake it right away if you're in a rush.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and then drop the pan a few times onto a kitchen towel to coax any remaining bubbles out of the batter.
- Bake the cheesecake until the top is just shy of turning black. This takes 22 minutes in my oven. The cake should still be very jiggly in the center when you remove it from the oven.
- Let the burnt cheesecake cool on a cooling rack and then place it in a sealable bag and refrigerate overnight.
- To slice the Basque Cheesecake, prepare a long sharp knife along with a pot of boiling water. Clean and heat the knife with the hot water between each slice. This ensures you get nice clean slices.
Faye W says
Just want to make sure I am reading this correctly, only one tbsp of flour? 15g is 1 tbsp.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Faye, the measurement is correct: 1 tablespoon of flour. However 1 tablespoon of flour is not 15 grams (it's more like 7.5 grams), because flour is less dense than water (1 tablespoon of water = ~15 grams)
Faye W says
Further confused because the recipe says 15g.....so....how much if using tbsp?
Just one?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Faye, sorry I should have checked the recipe. Yes it's 15 grams of cake flour (which is not 1 tablespoon). Where did you see "1 tablespoon"?
Moni says
Hi! Thank you for this awesome recipe! The first time I made this it was perfect and creamy. The second time I tripled the recipe and it turned out grainy and custardy. Not sure why it turned out different - I tripled the baking time as I figured it was 3x the batter. How many minutes should I bake it at if I double or triple the recipe?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Moni, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed this and I'm sorry to hear your triple batch didn't turn out as you'd expected. Unfortunately baking isn't as simple as tripling time/ingredients. From what you described it sounds like the cake was overcooked in the center. The time you need to bake it is more dependent on the width and height of your pan which will effect how thick the layer of batter is in the pan. To use an extreme example, doubling the recipe and pouring it into a sheet pan will make it cook through much faster than 20 minutes due how thin the batter gets spread in such a large pan. My recommendation is to keep a close eye on it the next time you try a triple batch and use the jiggle test to figure out when to remove it from the oven (i.e. the outside should be set, but the center should still be very jiggly). Then you'll know what the exact time is for your oven and setup.
Kathy Stroup says
Hi Moni! I wanted to add to Marc's comments that you need to be aware of carryover cooking when you're baking a larger cake. It takes the larger volume more time to cool, so it's going to stay cooking longer when you remove it from the oven. Since this cheesecake is so much better under-baked than over-baked, it would be best to remove it as soon as the top is sufficiently browned.
I've never tried making this larger; it's dangerous enough in the original size! But I'm intrigued now, so I will be trying it. BTW, I always use potato starch instead of flour. I have some gluten-free friends. It works really well and won't give a grainy texture.
Zara says
Hi is it possible to alter the recipe to fit in an 8x2 round cake pan? Thank you!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Zara, please see the FAQ, the recipe can be adapted, but the quantity and cooking time and temperature will need to be adjusted.
DJ says
Okay, ridiculously tasty.... and my previous "secret" top-ranked cheesecake recipe was imparted to my by a Japanese boss like 30 years ago....this is an upgrade for sure, and I've tried lots of other recipes over the years. So that's a lot of competition for the top slot. I used President (French) cream cheese which I think imparts a saltier taste, so would say that Philly may need a little salt to hit those same high notes. I'm also an air-fryer junkie these days (late to discover how amazing they are... I need several really), so I used silicone baking cups and made 6 mini-cheesecakes (less guilt, same calories, sorry). Actually, the recipe here yields about a dozen depending on your cups. I found 18-20 minutes at (preheated) 200C worked superbly (fan going of course). I was tempted to plop some sweetened greek yogurt, home-made preserves, etc. on top but I felt I was comiting a sin potentially. The cheesecake seems so well-balanced as is. With the smaller sizes of the cupcake containers, obviously you don't get the correct "'jiggle" in the middle. I need to purchase a small silicone cake mold and possible invert it gently after cooking to reveal the cake in it's proper format. Sorry for the wordy reply, but this recipe deserves proper conversation. It's THAT good =). Thanks, Marc
Marc says
Hi DJ, good call on the President cream cheese! This definitely benefits from some salt in the cream cheese. I hope you have a chance to make this in a bigger mold. The caramelized top is nice, but the real gem of this for me is the custardy center.
Aya Jawad says
When the cake is baking, does the temperature need to stay on 230c•?
Marc says
Hi Aya, I'm not sure I understand your question. The oven needs to be preheated to 230C before you add the cake and it's baked at that temperature.
home chef mori-chan says
i am thinking of adding caviar from one vanilla bean to the mix. do you think that would be ok?
Marc says
That's a great idea!
Cate says
I have some duck eggs. Can I substitute them in this recipe?
Marc says
Hi Cate, I've never tried this with duck eggs, but I think it should work. That being said, keep in mind that duck eggs are usually larger than chicken eggs. I used eggs that were about 60 grams each (including the shell). The other thing is that duck eggs tend to have a large yolk so it will make the cheesecake taste a bit more eggy (not necessarily a bad thing). If you try it out I'd love to hear how it went.
Cate says
Thanks for replying. I'll let you know!
Katie says
Hi I am excited to try this recipe! However I do not have cake flour since in the US we widely use all purpose flour. Can all purpose flour be a 1:1 substitution for cake flour?
Marc says
Hi Katie, cake flour has a lower gluten content which makes for more tender and lighter cakes. For this particular recipe I think the amount of flour is small enough that it shouldn't make a huge difference if you subbed in all purpose, but I haven't tried it so I can't make any guarantees.
ZB says
Hi Mark,
I have tried your recipe and it's turnout perfectly. It is so delicious.My husband love it! I am going to bake another cheese cake! Thanks for the recipe.
Marc says
You're welcome ZB, I'm happy to hear you enjoyed it!
Kate says
Hi there. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I doubled the recipe and mh batter turned out too watery. I am afraid the recipe is not accurate. I will put it in the oven now. I hope it would turn out ok. I will let you know what happens! Thanks!
Marc says
Hi Kate, I hope it tuned out okay after you baked it. You can read through the comments, but I can assure you the recipe is accurate. I'm happy to help you trouble shoot the recipe if it didn't work, but please provide some more details. Specifically are you using US cups? How did you mix the batter, other than doubling the recipe did you make any other changes or substitutions? What brand of cream cheese did you use?
Himani says
Hey.. My batter's total weight is 460gms..but due to rush I accidentally used 3 eggs instead of 1...
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Himami, are you missing some ingredients? This should have about 100 grams of egg in it (2 large eggs), so with the other ingredients the total weight of the uncooked batter should be more like 775grams.
Monique says
Hi,
This basque cheese cake is in fact a "Charentais" cheese cake called
Tourteau fromager. In the original receipe, you use no cream and the "cream cheese" is made from goat cheese (you can make it yourself by drying goat milk yogourt…)
perhaps the american // basque chef added cream but really check the real thing, it is lighter and divine.
Here some images
https://www.google.com/search?q=tourteau+fromager&oq=tourteau+fromager&aqs=chrome.0.0i271j46i512j0i512l3j69i65l3.3509j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Monique from France
Marc says
Hi Monique, this is indeed a similar dish but as you pointed out the key ingredients are quite different which makes it a separate dish. Food evolves as it moves around the world and it's this evolution as new ingredients are used that makes food such an interesting and dynamic art form. If humans never experimented and created new dishes, we would still be living in trees and eating fruits and nuts 😉
Jenny Hasselman says
Thank you so much for this recipe. My husband and I were transported back to our trip to San Sebastian Spain from the first bite! We had sought out La Vina for the cheesecake, and it didn't disappoint, so having the ability to bring the taste of that back home is amazing. Hard to believe that you take it out while it's still so under-done, but clearly that's part of the trick! (Trust the process) Much appreciated.
Marc Matsumoto says
You're welcome Jenny, I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed this. Happy Holidays!
Angela says
HI Jenny,
I was curious to know if the cheese cake you had at La vina was served warm, as I've heard that is how it is traditionally served? if so, I'm wondering, as Marc has said it needs to set, how do you get to slice it stull warm? Marc mentioned you'd have to eat it from the pan,
Daniela says
I have made 6 times of this recipe over a 2 weeks period. EVERYONE LOVES IT! I've never loved to bake cakes because it is always so challenging but this is a miracle! I did not use Philadelphia cheese but some cream cheese I found in a local store. The result is that it is light, smooth and everyone loves that it is not too sweet and doesn't feel too heavy and sick from eating! Definitely recommends everyone to try
Marc Matsumoto says
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed this so much Daniela! If you ever get bored with this I also have a matcha version and it's pretty easy to convert that to a chocolate version.
Elaine says
That was fun! However, my batter seemed to come out much thicker than in the video. It did not pour in. My pan was only 1 1/2 in high so I kind of let the parchment paper stand up around the edge as I was afraid of overflow. I should have turned my oven to 475 (which I did after the 22 min.) and baked it for 15 more minutes. It is cooling as I am typing this. It is a little funky looking but tomorrow will be the big test. I’m game to try it again after I purchase a 2 1/2 in high pan. Thanks for a fun recipe.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Elaine, I'm glad you enjoyed making it. 37 minutes is definitely too long and it's likely the cheesecake was overcooked. When it gets overcooked it goes from being creamy and smooth like pudding to curdled and oily.This might explain why it looked weird.
Next time, I would recommend starting it out at a much higher temperature and taking it out of the oven at around 22 minutes even if the top hasn't fully browned. As for the viscosity of the batter, there are a couple possibilities. 1) Did you measure the cream in US cups? 2) How much do your eggs weigh? 3) What brand of cream cheese did you use? Let me know, and hopefully we can get to the bottom of this before you try again.
Victor says
Wow I'm planning to try this recipe this thanksgiving!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Victor, I hope you enjoyed it! Happy Thanksgiving!
Bianca says
Is there a way I can replace the flour with something gluten free for this cake? Like cornstarch of gluten free all purpose flour?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Bianca, I haven't tried it so I can't guarantee it will work, but the flour is a relatively minor component in this recipe intended to help thicken the batter. Starch should work in theory. If you end up trying it out, I'd love to hear how it goes.
Kathy Stroup says
I just pulled a cheesecake out of the oven that I baked in the Nordic Ware pan: https://www.nordicware.com/products/naturals-cheesecake-pan-with-removable-bottom/
I'm sending you a full report!
Marc Matsumoto says
Cool, looking forward to it!
Abino Dunes says
Marc.
Who knew when going against all the rules would make such a quick simple and a show stoping beauty!
Dont know what is more fun...making it with the anticipation of the luscious result or the simple pleasure of just enjoying the rustic vison of taste!
Actually I do ...Both and here' s to you for your vision.
Abino
Marc Matsumoto says
I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it Abino! Thanks for taking the time to let me know😄
Kathy Stroup says
Made one of these for my neighbor last week. He declared it, "Phenomenal!" Just hope he doesn't tell the rest of my neighbors!😊 I might become the next Cheesecake Factory!😆
Marc Matsumoto says
Hahaha, that would be awesome!
Lee Lim says
Have baked with this recipe many times. The results are always yummy.
Marc Matsumoto says
Happy to hear you've been enjoying it! Thanks for dropping by to let me know😄
Chacha says
Bonsoir,
J'ai tenté cette recette dans un moule plus grand car je voudrais volontairement que celui-ci soit plus fin.
S'est évidement posé le problème du gâteau trop cuit à l'intérieur car j'ai attendu qu'il soit bien doré sur le dessus.
Mon four étant déjà au maximum, je me demande s'il serait jouable de le cuire juste le temps d'avoir la bonne consistance à l'intérieur et de terminer par quelques minutes avec la fonction grill. Qu'en pensez-vous ?
Marc Matsumoto says
Yes, making this too thick will cause it to cook through much faster and by the time the top has the right color the inside will be overcooked. I don't think grilling it at the end will fix the problem. You could try just baking the cheesecake from the start using the grill function which might work.
Kayla MacDonald says
I doubled the recipe (as suggested) to bake in my 9" springform pan. In my propane oven at 450 degrees F, it took 34 minutes to be caramelized to the desired stage. It actually seems a bit overcooked in the centre, but my oven doesn't go any hotter than 450, so that's what I had to work with.
Mine looked a little different as it didn't fill the pan height-wise like a single batch in a 6" pan would. No big deal, it just meant that there was an outer ring on the top surface of the cheesecake that didn't brown like the rest. It almost looked like a pumpkin pie, a light ring around the outer edge on top, and the dark centre. I think maybe increasing the recipe by 2.5x instead of just double would have been better for this pan size to get more height (mine was pretty thin) and have a less-cooked centre while maintaining the caramelized top. While the flavour was alright (a little sweet for my taste), the texture of the cake was quite eggy. It was basically what you would expect for an overcooked custard - thick and lumpy, a little greasy on top.
Overall, this recipe was SUPER easy and quick, so I think I'll give it another try using a 6" pan with a single batch, as directed in the recipe. Hopefully next time I get the desired texture and outcome!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Kayla, thank you for the feedback. It made me realize that the language I used previously may have been a little confusing and I've updated it. An 8-inch pan holds a little over double the volume of a 6-inch pan, so my intent was to say you need to double it for an 8-inch pan, and increase the recipe commensurately with the size of the pan. a 9-inch pan holds 190 cubic inches, so you'd need to increase the recipe by about 2.7x. Anyway I'm sorry about that!
As for how your cake turned out it definitely sounds like it was overcooked, and being thinner, that makes sense. The eggy taste comes from the eggs being overcooked (kinda like hard boiled eggs with the green ring around the yolk), and when the protein fully solidifies it breaks the emulsion in the batter so the fat from the cream will separate out.
The fact that it took 34 minutes to brown on top is a little concerning though because this time won't vary with the size of your pan (i.e. it will likely take almost as long to get the brown top in a 6-inch pan). Since you're oven doesn't go any higher, you may get better results by sticking with the 9-inch pan and multiplying everything by 2.7x. This should make the inside cook slower giving the top the time it needs to brown. If you do go with a 6-inch pan, I'd recommend taking it out of the oven closer to the 22 minute mark, even if it's not fully browned on top. I hope this helps for your next attempt.
Priscilla says
I have made this cheese cake a few times and my sons love it. Now I wanted to try baking it in an 8 inch round pan, is it to double all the ingredients? And what is the recommended cooking time? Many thanks.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Priscilla, I'm glad you've been enjoying this! Using an 8-inch pan you'll have a little more than double the volume of a 6-inch pan, so you should be able to double the recipe. As for cooking times, I don't have an 8-inch pan so I haven't been able to test it, but my guess is that you'll need to lower the oven temperature slightly and cook it for a bit longer (it won't be double the time). Good luck! It would be great to hear how it goes and the temperature and time you used.
Rebecca says
When do you take it out of the cake pan?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Rebecca, I usually refrigerate it in the pan to help hold its shape, but you can remove it from the pan before then if you'd like.
Dario Garcia says
Super delicious! I added blueberries to my last one and it tasted so good!
Marc Matsumoto says
That's a great idea! I'm totally trying that the next time I do this.
Liz says
Hi. Which rack did you bake into? Im on the 30mins baking and the top is not turning brown. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Liz, I'm sorry to hear you're having trouble. From what you've described, it sounds like your oven isn't getting hot enough. Do you have an oven thermometer you can check the temperature with? Most oven's are off by +/- 10% but if it's not getting color after 30 minutes it sounds like your oven is off by quite a bit more. With an oven thermometer you can adjust the settings on the oven to get it to the desired temperature. As for the position of the rack it's going to depend on the position of your heating element. If your oven heats from the top you can move it to the top, but many ovens heat from behind, in which case you'll want to have the rack in the middle.
Andrea M. says
Hi Marc
This recipe looks awesome, But before l try this recipe i was wondering can a. Basque Cheesecake me made without Flour? I have made traditional cheesecake with out flour and it comes out creamy,
Is it due to the fact that Basque Cheesecake is not as dense?
Thank you
Andrea
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Andrea, I haven't tried it without flour, but you should be able to substitute a gluten-free flour or starch if that's your concern. It's mainly there help thicken the mixture.
Monserrat Soto says
Wonderful recipe, it came out great. I usually use Recipe's by Carina when I'm making a larger serving but this was perfect because I still had some ingredients left over but not enough to make a lot.
Marc Matsumoto says
I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to let us know!
Julia wight says
Why did my cheesecake weep liquid
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Julia, that's most likely condensation, it shouldn't effect the taste, but you can wipe it off with a paper towel if it bugs you. You can avoid it in the future by waiting for the cake to fully cool to room temperature before putting it in the fridge.
Colleen Young says
Absolutely amazing! I looked at loads of recipes for burnt cheesecake before deciding on this one! Incredibly easy and delicious - a MUST make! Thank you.
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks Colleen, I'm happy to hear you enjoyed it so much!
Elina says
Just tried this recipe today - followed it exactly otherwise except I mixed the ingredients by hand.
Turned out perfect!!! Thank you!
Marc Matsumoto says
I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it Elina, thanks for reporting back.
Coco says
Is it supposed to lose the jiggle when it's at room temp? Or did I overcook it? There was a lot of jiggle out of the oven.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Coco, once it's chilled it will not jiggle anymore. As long as the texture in the center is smooth and custardy you should be good.
Lillii says
Thanks for the excellent recipe, and detailed descriptions. Super easy, no mess, and worked exactly as described. I even messed it up and forgot the flour, but because it was such a no fuss recipe. I just added it to the pan and blended it with a stick blender right in the tin 🤦♀️, still worked perfectly (was even using GF flour). Thanks so much. Looking forward to trying more recipes. I also love the effort to reward ratio!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Lillii, I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it! I'm all about effort to taste ratio, especially when it comes to desserts so I hope you find some other recipes here to enjoy. Have a great week!
Monica Murphy says
So delicious! Can't stop eating! Must stop...
Marc Matsumoto says
😆 I'm happy to hear you enjoyed it so much! I have a recipe for a matcha version of this as well.
vibhu says
hi..I simply love this recipe and have made it many times..one thing I face is that when I take it out from the refrigerator the next day it is wet on top and from below. please tell me where I am going wrong
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Vibhu, I'm glad to hear you've been enjoying it! The water you are seeing is condensation that forms because the cake is warmer than than the temperature in the refrigerator. It will be especially bad if the cake hasn't fully cooled to room temperature at it's core before you put it in the fridge but you'll still get some condensation even when it's fully cooled to room temperature. It's usually not enough to cause a problem for me, but if you'd like to avoid it, you can first chill it in the fridge without covering it and then cover it up after a few hours. Another option is to put a paper towel above and below it before putting it into a bag. I hope that helps!
Momo says
the recipe is simple -I like it!! However the taste of the cake taste more eggy than cheesy. But I would still recommend people to try it cause it is deliciouss
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Momo, the eggy taste is often a symptom of the cake being overcooked. How long did you cook it for?
Sally says
Hello I just tried the Burnt Cheesecake but I think I didn't achieve my expected taste. It taste like egg pie, cannot taste the cream cheese at all. What seems to be the problem? Thank you!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Sally I'm sorry to hear this didn't work out as expected. There are couple possibilities here. One is that there was a difference in the ingredients you used, and the other is that there was something different with your cooking process. Regarding your ingredients: What kind of cream cheese did you use? Did you use chicken eggs or duck eggs? If you still have eggs from the same carton, can you weigh one and let me know how much it weighed? As for differences in cooking the only thing I can think of is that overcooked eggs will take on a sulfur smell (like hardboiled eggs), since this cheesecake should be almost raw in the center, this shouldn't be a problem, but how firm was the center in yours?
Cyn says
Hi! What’s the size of the parchment paper you used?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Cyn, I use a roll that's 30cm wide and cut it square so it's approximately 30cm x 30cm.
Rinie says
Hi, im a little confuse. Do you turn on the fan mode for your convection oven while cooking this cake?
Marc Matsumoto says
Yes, if your oven has a switch to turn on convection, turn it on.
Sadie says
Hi omg this looks delish! May I ask what I can substitute for heavy cream? <3
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks Sadie, can I ask why you want to substitute it (i.e. less fat, not locally available, etc)? That will determine what will a good sub will be.
holly says
Hi, my cheesecake has seemed to curdle inside which is strange as it was perfect going into the oven -- what could've gone wrong?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Holly, I'm sorry to hear it didn't go well. Usually curdling means it was was overcooked. How long was it baked for, and at what temperature?
Jenny Koh says
Thank you for your easy recipe. The cheese cake is suoer delicious and light!
Marc Matsumoto says
You're welcome Jenny, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Liz says
Hi Mark,
My convection oven’s maximum temperature is only 400 deg (based on the oven thermometer, although the oven shows it’s 450 deg). I’m planning to use a 6x3 round pan. What can you advice as to the necessary adjustment(s) I have to make when baking this cheesecake?
Thanks a lot.
Liz
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Liz, unfortunately the thermostats on many ovens are off by quite a bit. With a max temperature of 400 degrees, you will probably have to choose whether you want to the deep brown top or a custardy center. Personally I would opt for a lighter color top and soft center, but if you really want the dark top you can bake it for longer to the color at the expense of a firm cheesecake.
Liz says
Thanks, Marc. I prefer the custardy center as well. I will try this recipe and will keep you posted.
Liz says
Hello, I want to use an 8 inch pan and double the recipe. Any advice on the temp and duration of baking the cake for the 8 inch?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Liz, I don't have an 8-inch pan and haven't tried it. With double the batter you're going to have more mass to heat, so it will take longer to cook. The top will still brown at the same rate however, which is why I recommend baking it for longer at a lower temperature. Hope that helps!
Christina says
Hi Marc, I tried your recipe using a 7" pan and it turned out great. Absolutely delicious! Thank you so much!
So I would like to make it again using a 9" springform pan. I know I should double the recipe. What I am unsure of is the temperature (I am using a convection oven) and the baking time. Can you please help? Thanks.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Christina, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed this. With double the batter in a 9", you're going to have more volume which will take longer to heat through. The speed at which it browns won't change a ton though, so you will likely need to lower the temperature and cook it for a little longer. I don't own a 9" pan, though so I haven't been able to experiment to figure out how much.
Christina says
Thanks for the reply.
Joy says
Hi, can I just place the whole tray in the fridge if don't have ziplog bag?
Marc Matsumoto says
Yes, the main point is to cover the top with wrap or a lid so the cake doesn't get dried out.
Revina says
Hello! Is 7inch pan ok?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Revina, please read the section above entitled "What size cake pan should I use for Basque Cheesecake?".
Anin says
Just took my cake out of the oven and it looks great. After 22 mins the top was not "burnt" so I had to keep in longer. Do I have to let cool over night or can it be eaten sooner?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Anin, if you haven't overcooked the cake it should still be runny in the center. This is why it's important to chill it first. If the cake is fully set and you can slice it while it's still warm, you've overcooked it.
Ipek Mentesh says
Thank you so so much for this recipe, it came out amazing🤩🙏🏻
If I want to double the amount, what size pan should I use for it to be a high cheesecake? Also, how many minutes to bake? (Considering I do the same temperature as it is in the recipe)
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Ipek, volume-wise check out the section above titled "What size cake pan should I use for Basque Cheesecake?". You want to use a pan that fits double 70 cubic inches. I would not recommend making the cake taller as it will dramatically impact the amount of time it takes to get the cake to set to the point it won't run all over the place when you cut it. As for time/temp, you'll need experiment on your oven to figure out what works, but since it sounds like doing it at 230C for 22 minutes worked in your oven, you may want to reduce the temperature by about 10 degrees and cook it for a little longer (the extra volume will take a little longer to cook, and you don't want to the top to over brown).
Seong says
So simple and soooo delish! Thanks Marc!
Marc Matsumoto says
Glad to hear you enjoyed it Seong!
Jessica says
Hi Marc - this is a super easy and delicious recipe. I followed your directions and doubled it for a 7"x3" pan and it worked nicely! Everyone loved it but I was wondering if I might be able to reduce the sugar in the recipe without affecting the caramelization on top? If so, by how much can I reduce it? Thank you!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jessica, the caramelization is both from the sugar and dairy in it, so you should be able to reduce the sugar a fair amount before it becomes a problem. You can try reducing the sugar a few tablespoons at a time until you get to place you're happy with the sweetness.
Jessica says
Thank you! I'll give that a try!
Ammerline says
Hi Marc,
Thanks for the recipe and Happy New Year to you!
I was looking at various recipe and realise the cheese amount you indicate is almost half of what other recipes indicated.
May I ask if the 226grams to be accurate?
Hoping not to fail in my attempt lol.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Ammerline, this makes enough batter for a 6-inch pan. If you use a different size pan you will need to increase the amount of all the ingredients (including the cream cheese).
Tone says
Great recipe. I really appreciate your detailed explanation of volumes and why. / I changed vanilla extract to lemon zest of one lemon.
Thank you!
Marc Matsumoto says
You're welcome! I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Christina says
Loved your recipe and has made it several times. It is now my mother's favourite cheesecake. I would like to know what adjustment I should make for a Matcha flavoured burnt Basque cheesecake based on this recipe. Thank you.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Christina, I'm so glad to hear you and your mother have been enjoying this. I think you should be able to sub matcha in for the flour in this recipe, but I haven't tried it so I can't guarantee it will work. Making a matcha version of this is on my list of things to do, so if you give me a month or so I should have a tested recipe up for it.
Christina says
Thanks Marc. I will gladly wait for your recipe.
dada says
Hi i have been chilling the cake for 5 hours now, is it okay to dig in already or do i really have to wait overnight? Thank you!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Dada, check to see how soft it is in the center. If it seems like it is still runny in the center you'll want to chill it more. Otherwise you should be good to go.
dada says
Thanks marc for replying, ddnt expect to get a response so soon!! Thanku and Merry Christmas ❤️❤️
Jamie says
Hii
I notice some Burnt Cheesecake recipes use sour cream.What is the function of the sour cream in the cake?
Thanks!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jamie, the original from La Viña does not include sour cream. My guess is that someone tried to make it more like American Cheesecake (which is often topped with sour cream. I'd imagine it adds more tartness the cheesecake than just using cream cheese. Not necessarily a bad thing, but just a matter of preference😀
Aud says
Hi! Your recipe looks really easy and I hope to make a chocolate version of it with cocoa powder - how much should I add or can I substitute the cake flour for cocoa powder instead? Thank you
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks Aud, I actually have this on my list of things to do (make a chocolate or matcha version of this). I haven't gotten around to it, but you can probably sub the cocoa in for the flour 1:1, and if it's not looking chocolaty enough add a bit more. Good luck!
Kate says
I've had the most success doubling the recipe and baking for 58 minutes at 230C (fan-forced). The recipe as is, wouldn't allow the right combo of burnt top and jiggly middle. My oven just can't seem to brown things up in a hurry. Upside is that no one complains about too much cake and it's easily demolished. Everyone who tries it, wants the recipe. It's a winner. Thanks so much for sharing 😊
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Kate, I'm glad to hear you were able to find a combo that works for your oven!
Joy says
The top of my cheesecake won't burn why?..set the gas oven on 220 C for 35 mins..middle rack..on a 4 inch round...
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Joy, a couple of things. 1) 220 degrees is too low. 2) many ovens aren't very accurate, so if your oven runs cool, you will need to set it higher. You should see some browning on top after 5-10 minutes, if you don't keep raising the temperature until you do. 3) are you using two 4-inch pans or one deep 4-inch pan?
Yasmine says
Hi Can i use Vanilla bean pods instead of vanilla extract?
Marc Matsumoto says
Yes, absolutely! Just split the pod in half and scrape out the beans into the blender.
Victoria says
Hi,
I just tried your recipe (haven’t tasted the cake yet though 😁 ) the cake struggled to rise during baking though. I increased the temperature halfway through, then it did start rising. But any idea what O could tweak so I get the rise? Cheers!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Victoria, cakes rise as trapped air bubbles heat up and expand, creating larger air pockets that give a normal cake a fluffy texture. Basque cheese cake is supposed to be very dense (like custard or pudding) and is not supposed to rise. You will get some lift around the edges inevitably as the oven will cook the cake from the outside in, but the idea is to pull it out of the oven before the batter fully sets, so the bubbles of steam collapse and the cake falls back down. The fact that your cake didn't rise is probably a good sign. It either means you didn't incorporate much air when you blended it, and that you didn't overbake it. I hope you enjoy it!
Eva says
Thanks for this amazing recipe
Marc Matsumoto says
You're welcome Eva!
Jess says
If I use 4inch the recipe still the same as 6inch? And the time temperature same also?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jess, if you use a 4-inch pan you're going to need one that's 6-inches tall in order to keep it from overflowing. I'd recommend using two seperate 4x3-inch pans if you're going to go that route. You'll also most likely want to crank the heat up higher as the smaller cakes are going to cook through at a faster rate, so you will need to use a higher temperature in order to get the custardy center with a burnt top.
Jess says
Recipe still the same as 6ibch?
Marc Matsumoto says
In terms of ingredients, and process, yes, but as I said in may last comment you'll need to adjust time and temperature.
Gudrun says
Hello Marc, I have made this recipe a couple times very successfully, thank you for the complete instructions! Our CSA sent us some yuzu fruit and I wonder if I could infuse the cream with yuzu zest and then add in some juice. Have you tried playing with the flavors and do you have any wisdom to share? Thank you!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Gudrun, what a great idea! I can think of a few ways of doing this. The simplest will be to use a microplane to zest the zest into the blender when you mix the batter. This should give you some good flavor quickly. Just be careful not to zest the white pith in as it is extremely bitter (more so than lemons). The second option is to infuse the cream with zest on the stove and then strain the zest out and chill the cream. This will probably result in a smoother texture, but it will require a lot more time and effort and the yuzu flavor might not be quite as intense. As for the juice, you could add a bit, but don't go overboard or your the cheesecake might not set properly (too much liquid). If you have a bunch of yuzu, here's another recipe using yuzu you could try: https://norecipes.com/yuzu-posset-recipe/
Sheeta says
If i want to use 250gm cheese, how?
Thks/Sheeta
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Sheeta, you can just increase the amount of cheese, the extra cheese will make it a little firmer, but it shouldn't be too noticeable.
uknown says
hi i am going to make this today but how big should the pan be if I am making 13 servings?
Marc Matsumoto says
If this is your first time making it, I recommend using the 6-inch pan and just making several (each one should feed 5-8 people depending on how large you cut the slices as it is very rich) as there are a lot of variables to take into consideration when using a bigger pan.
Elle says
Hello, what does it mean if the cheesecake taste a little sour? I baked it for almost 1hr and 30 mins because I cook 4 cheesecakes in a 6x2 pan in one batch.
My first goal was to cook it within 1 hr in 200 Celsius but it wasnt browning on top so I cook it more for about 25 mins to brown the top but along the way I see some some small cracks on the edge.
I'm using a gas oven.
Somehow I feel like I overbaked it.
Thank you for your response
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Elle, cream cheese is naturally a little sour. Adding extra cheesecakes to the oven should not effect the time or temperature they need to cook at, so I don't understand why you lowered the temperature and cooked it for so long. Please read the post, which explains why you need to to cook it at a high temperature for a short amount of time.
Elle says
Hello, I'm still learning on how to use our oven and was so anxious that the result would be different that I baked at a lower temperature.
But by the next time I do this, I will follow the required temperature.
Thank you for your response!
Marc Matsumoto says
As long as the airflow of your oven isn't obstructed, and the heat is up high enough these should take about 20-25 minutes to turn very dark on top. If you're not getting sufficient browning after 10-15 minutes in the oven you'll want to increase the temperature. If you notice the cakes browning unevenly you can move them around part of the way through. Remember, the cheesecakes should still be a little runny in the center (they will set when you let them cool). Good luck!
Ayra says
Hello. If i change the measurement of the philadelphia cream cheese to 250g is it ok. Will it affect the baking process in the oven? For eg time of baking and also the temperature?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Ayra, that's a small enough quantity that it should not make a significant difference, however it may make the texture a little thicker/firmer that the measurement I provided.
Humayera says
Hello! I'm wondering if I can use homemade cream cheese for this recipe because cream cheese is usually not available always at my place.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Humayera, I've never tried making cream cheese at home, but assuming it's similar in texture to the store-bought variety, I think it should work. I'd love to hear how it turns out if you give it a try!
Mommyjergen says
Can i use this same burnt cheese cake recipe as filling for my puff tarts?!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Mommyjergen, I've never tried it, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Let us know if you give it a try!
Joyeux says
I just tried this recipe and it was amazing. I did a few changes to some ingredients since these are already in my cupboard- I used all purpose flour, all purpose cream and brown sugar (well a bit light brown) since I rarely use white sugar. Same measurements for everything and it turned out perfectly, I was so happy. Even the brown sugar did not affect the color. I remembered when you said that it has to still be very jiggly upon taking it out in the oven and I was relieved mine was too jiggly. I’m bookmarking this recipe. Thank you!!!!
Marc Matsumoto says
Looks perfect! Thanks for taking the time to stop by to share your substitutions. I've been making this lately with raw sugar (we rarely use white sugar in our household as well), and I like the caramel flavor it adds.
Olivia Magkasi says
Crack on top! Help... Been making it couple of times. The center is still jiggly, when i put it out of the oven baked at 450°F already because 1st attempts didn't get that burnt appearance at 400°F. No cracks at the center when I took it out but as it cools it cracked
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Olivia, where do the cracks form? It's normal for some cracks to form around the edges (even La Viña's original version has cracks https://lavinarestaurante.com/en/imagenes/). If the cracks are forming in the center, it's overbaked.
Jewell says
Hi Marc,
I followed your recipe just doubled it to fit my 8" pan. The center didn't fall. How come I cannot achieve it? Though I put water bath below my cake.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jewell, this was most likely caused by the cake being overcooked. The batter rises as the liquids turn to steam. If the proteins in the cheese and egg fully set, they will hold the height and not fall. To get the smooth custardy center the cake needs to be slightly undercooked in the center. Assuming you were happy with the color of the top of the cake, my suggestion would be to raise the temperature and reduce the baking time. Also, what was your reasoning for the water bath? Humidity will make the cake take longer to brown on top, so this might be why your cake ended up fully cooked by the time you got browning on the top.
Jewell OrtizLuis says
thank you so much for your reply. 🙂
I tried it again and it's improving.
Marc Matsumoto says
You're welcome! Hopefully next time it turns out perfect😀
Jenny says
Hi Marc, I have been wanting to try this cheesecake for ages, but ingredients are expensive here in South Africa, so I read through many, MANY recipes. Yours stood out as really easy, so I hauled out my Salton blender (glad it didn’t get chucked during the Great Appliance Purge) and got started. I doubled up as my pan is 8”, followed your process. I had very few bubbles, stirred it in the pan with a toothpick to release them. I baked it for 30 mins, was a little concerned when I saw how wet it still was, so turned the overnight down to 180, planning to bake it for another 10 minutes. Then I watched your video (should have done that first), mine looked exactly like yours, sooooooo wobbly, I whipped it out to cool, resisted the temptation to dig in and chilled it overnight. Oh My Word - so delicious, for so little effort, thank you very much for sharing.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jenny, thanks so much for taking the time to report back! I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it. I don't have a ton of dessert recipes on here (don't have the patience for finicky stuff), but the ones that I have are fairly simple so I hope you try out some of my other ones!
Alyssa says
I just baked this cheesecake it was DELICIOUS.
Double the recipe like the comments mention
Used an 8" x 2" round tin (mixture filled it to the top)
230 degrees C fan forced for the original 22 min (used thermometer to double check temp)
Got the caramelised top and gooey centre!!!! Making.this.for.every.event.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Alyssa, glad to hear you enjoyed it, thanks for taking the time to leave your notes on what you did for your setup!
Rwensy says
Hi I have tried this it is yummy but how do long should I bake if I double the quantity with 9 inch tray
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Rwensy, double the amount will require a bit more time in the oven, so if you got good browning on your first attempt in a 6-inch pan, you may want to reduce the temperature slightly so you're able to bake it for a little longer, while still getting good browning.
Wan says
Hello there. Convection oven means u bake it with fan on?
Marc Matsumoto says
Yes
Wan says
Thank you!! ill come back tomorrow if it’s success 🤣
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Wan, feel free to come back even if it's not a success. This recipe is particularly sensitive to the equipment you're using so it might require some fine tuning for your setup. Happy to help troubleshoot if things don't go according to plan.
Wan says
So far looking good. The cake rises up just like your video & it jiggle after i take out, just a bit burn on top of it. Cant wait to cut it tonight 😉
Wan says
The cake turns out perfect!! So creamy. Thank you for the so easy recipe!!
Marc Matsumoto says
Awesome! Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Valerie says
Hi. If I increase the amount of cheese to 350g and increase the whipping cream to 200ml, how long do I bake it? My max temperature is 200 degree celsius.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Valerie, if you increase the cream cheese to 350g you're going to need to increase the cream 370ml (1 US cup = 240 ml). You're probably going to need to cook it a little longer, but it's going to depend on how wide your pan is. For example if you're using a much larger pan than mine (6-inch), then your cake may end up thinner than mine which means it will cook faster, while a smaller deeper pan will take longer to cook. As for the oven, with a max temperature of 200 degrees you're going to need to make a tradeoff. Either your cake is going to have the perfect custardy texture in the middle and not have much browning on top, or your cake is going to be overcooked and curdy in the middle and will have nice browning on top.
SITI PHI says
How can i subsistute the cake flour.. can i use plain flour ?
Marc Matsumoto says
Cake flour has a lower gluten content than all-purpose which gives cakes a more delicate texture. You can use all purpose, but its going to make the cheesecake a little firmer.
Pauline Sing_Baker says
Hi Marc, I just wanted to provide you some feedback on this recipe and what I used. I watched no less than 12 other Burnt Cheesecake videos/recipes before I landed on yours. All other recipes require creaming the cheese and sugar in a bowl either by hand or using a stand mixer. I like your idea to throw it all in a blender. It worked beautifully, no fuss, no mess. Many recipes used 1kg of cream cheese, yours used way less, I think this is a good enough size, perfect yield. I used Philadelphia brand cream cheese (made in New Zealand), it is a tad saltier than the American version. Our eggs are smaller so I used 2 whole eggs, 1 egg yolk. I used 35% fat UHT whipping cream (made in France). My sprinkling of AP flour was a local product from Malaysia. I live in Singapore, this is what we can buy in the grocery stores here. As I do not own a 6" round springform pan, I baked it in what I had which is a bread/loaf pan. It still turned out very nicely just not as iconic looking. I will make it again with some lemon zest next round. Thanks for sharing. Good job with the video, congrats!!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Pauline, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave feedback so that others might benefit from it. Have a great week!
Beth says
Hi Marc! Can I use 6” 2”deep pan for this recipe?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Beth, with my 2.5-inch deep pan, it rises slightly over the rim while baking. You can try it, but I'd recommend putting a tray under your pan as it's probably going to overflow while baking.
Beth says
Hi Marc! I baked it yesterday and it is absolutely delicious. Burnt top a bit much and the sides didn’t turn brown but overall I’m so happy with the result. Thank you for the lovely recipe.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Beth, that looks great! It looks like you may have used a pan that's a better insulator than the one I used, which is probably why you didn't get as much browning around the edges. Did you use a silicone pan by any chance? As for the top, you may want to consider rotating the cake once in your oven as it looks like it got darker on one side than the other.
G A says
Hi. My cheesecake does not "burn" evenly. Brown on the outer part, and black in the middle. Why is that?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi GA, there are a few possibilities here. The first is that your oven does not heat evenly, but this usually shows up as the cheesecake browning unevenly from one side to the other. Another possibility is that your pan is made of a material that insulates really well (any thick metal, silicone or glass will exhibit these issues) and the the sides of the pan is blocking some of the radiant heat.
G A says
Oh I see. How about a spring form pan? Is it better?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi GA, what kind of pan were you using originally? An aluminum 6-inch x 2.5-inch springform pan should work fine.
G A says
These ones.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi GA, it's hard to tell from the photo, but are those metal pans? Also, how tall are they?
Jen says
This recipe is superb! Everyone at home loved the taste. It’s just the oven temperature that I had a problem with. The top burnt to almost black but the inside was not cooked so I had to bake it again at a lower tempt for 20 mins. But it turned out fine after that.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jen, I'm glad to you enjoyed this. Unfortunately different ovens cook at different speeds, and most ovens are not calibrated correctly which exacerbates the issue. Next time you can try and start at a lower temperature. As for the center not being cooked, this style of cheesecake is supposed to have a very rare center (it will still be almost liquid in the center when you first take it out of the oven). Carry over cooking will firm it up a bit, but it takes chilling in the fridge to set it enough to slice it.
Chloe Toh says
Thanks for the recipe, I tried and turn out perfect and all my guests love it! A quick question, I personally find the cake a bit sweet. Can I adjust the sugar level to half? By changing the sugar level will affect the outcome of the cake?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Chloe, I'm glad to hear it turned out well. Yes, you can reduce the a little, but I'm not sure what will happen if you halve it (the browning on top is partially caused by the sugars caramelizing). It shouldn't effect the texture too much though, so if you're okay with the top not getting quite as dark, it should be fine.
Karolin says
I Made it! And it sooooo Good! I use Coconut cream instead of heave cream and cut the sugar until 40%. But still turns out great! Thanks for the recipe. And it ridiculously easy!
Marc Matsumoto says
I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it!
patricia zabala says
Hi Marc, just had to say as a Basque person, that this was the best and easiest to follow! The simplicity that you made it for people like myself who might not be the greatest baker made it so appreciated! And it turned out perfect!!!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Patricia, thanks for taking the time to let me know how it went, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Cindy says
I baked it once n it was a success! I am now baking it the second time with a different oven, but after 22 mins it still looks underbaked, is this normal?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Cindy, unfortunately the thermostat on most ovens is inaccurate (I've seen ovens as far off as 30 degrees). It sounds like your second oven runs cool. You're probably going to need to crank up the heat to get it to brown properly while still being custardy in the center. If you leave it in the oven for longer, it will end up overcooked in the center.
Emily says
Hi Marc! Here's an update to my previous post.
I have tried baking it at a higher temperature at 250 degree Celsius for about 20 minutes. I also switched to grill mode in my oven within the last 5 minutes to blast the top of the cake with heat.
The cake is definitely softer than the last batch, but it seems like the centre of the cake is not as custardy as yours. What do you think?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Emily, it's looking a lot closer, but it does still look a it overcooked in the center. Try starting the grill mode a little sooner and pulling the cake a little sooner.
Emily says
Thanks Marc! I'll give it another try again 🙂
Gie says
Been baking this recipe and my friend and family love it! I just wonder if this recipe is okay to be baked in a cupcake pan? Should I make any adjustments? Thank you!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Gie, I'm glad to hear you've been enjoying this. Since cupcakes are much smaller than pouring the batter into one six-inch mold, they are going to cook through much faster. In order to achieve the same amount of browning on top while having the center custardy and barely set, you will really need to crank up the temperature of the oven. I don't want to say it's impossible, but I think it will be pretty difficult to achieve, and you also need to be careful not to exceed the maximum temperature of the parchment paper you use.
Raymond Yong says
hi i have just tried your recipe and i got a funny result.
im currently in asia and follow the ingredients.
INGREDIENTS
i couldnt find heavy cream and i used double cream which has the same properties of heavy cream (46% milk fat)
i googled the weight/ml and only using a guesstimate for the heavy cream which was around 230ml.
result was:
Top was alittle burnt after 15min 30secs
the cake didnt rise as it should.
am i doing something wrong?
thank you
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Raymond, I've responded to your comment on YouTube already, please see my response there.
Carole says
This cake is wonderful! Is there a way to make a chocolate version of it? I’m wary of messing with the recipe myself, I felt I should ask you for advice. I’ve made the regular version several times as my new go to cake recipe. Thank you!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Carole, I'm glad to hear you've been enjoying this! There are a couple ways you can infuse this with chocolate. One would be to melt some chocolate and pour it into the blender to incorporate it. The other would be to add cocoa powder. Or you could do both. As for how much to add, I haven't tried it, so I can't say for sure, but I think you'd be able to add at least a tablespoon of cocoa powder without altering the texture too much. Be sure to use dutch processed cocoa powder for the most potent chocolate flavor.
chloe says
if my blender is not big enough can I just whisk?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Chloe, unless you have some serious arm strength and stamina I wouldn't recommend it as cold cream cheese is quite hard and difficult to get smooth, and you don't want to bring the ingredients up to room temperature (as this will make it cook faster than the top can brown). One possibility is to mix the cream cheese with some of the cream in your blender and then whisk the rest of the ingredients together with the cream cheese mixture in your bowl.
Normah Ahmad says
Just made it and love the look of it. I don't eat cheese so I baked it for my family.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Normah, thanks for stopping by to let me know how it went. I hope your family enjoyed it!
Valerie says
Hi. How do I achieve the gooey and creamy texture in the middle of the cheese cake ?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Valerie, please read the headnotes and watch the video it's explained there. But the short answer is a that it's a combination of getting the right timing and temperature for your setup.
Emily says
Hi Marc! I've tried this recipe and my cake turned out to be not as custardy as yours. My cake is not as smooth and it feels grainy - so I wonder what's the issue here?
I baked using the Fat Daddio's 6"x3" round cake pan, which is deeper compared to your 6"x2.5" cake pan. Thus, the batter did not reach close to the top of the pan when I poured it in. I did not use a blender but I used a whisk instead to mix everything. I followed everything else according to your recipe and baked it at 230 degree Celsius. However, when the time was up (22 minutes), the top of my cake did not brown much and it did not rise beyond the top of the cake pan as well. I then left it in the oven at the same temperature for an extra 2-3 minutes to achieve a darker colour. After being removed from the oven, I let it cool and refrigerated it.
Attached is a photo of the cake that I've taken the next day. I haven't tried a good, proper burnt cheesecake so I'm not too sure how the texture should be. It looks overcooked to me, what do you think?
Thank you! 🙂
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Emily, thanks for the detailed explanation. It looks like the cake is overcooked. The higher walled pan may have made it harder to brown the top, but it shouldn't have effected the cooking time. The thermometers in ovens are notoriously inaccurate, and different ovens put their heating elements in different locations, so it's pretty difficult to go by temperature alone. My recommendation would be turn up the temperature and cook it for a shorter amount of time.
Emily says
Hi Marc, thanks for your explanation too! What are the temperature and time needed that you would recommend in this case?
Marc Matsumoto says
It's a tough call since I've never used your setup, but you can try setting your oven for 250C and hopefully you can get enough browning in under 20 minutes.
Emily says
Thanks Marc! I'll try that and see how it goes. Appreciate it 🙂
Emily says
Hi Marc! I have tried baking it at a higher temperature at 250 degree Celsius for about 20 minutes. I also switched to grill mode in my oven within the last 5 minutes to blast the top of the cake with heat. The cake is definitely softer than the last batch, but it seems like the centre of the cake is not as custardy as yours. What do you think?
Donna dm says
Hey love it!! Great recipe.. Don't care if it says custard... It's still great.. Good formy small family 😊
Jessie says
Hi Marc, may l know I can substitute the sugar with palm sugar or erythritol? Thank you!!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jessie, palm sugar should work (though it will make the batter slightly brown). As for erythritol, I don't use it so I can't say for sure, but sugar substitutes often don't act the same way as more traditional sugars (glucose, fructose, sucrose) especially when it comes to browning and caramelization so I'm not sure you'll get the same kind of browning on top with it.
Christina says
Hi, how much is 1 cup of heavy cream in ml? Thanks!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Christina, 1 US cup is 240ml
katherine says
Hi, I tried ur recipe and my friends/families all love it ! Easy , Fast and Nice !
But if i want to do chocolate flavour, how do i do it ? Appreciate your reply.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Katherine, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it! I haven't tried making it chocolate flavored yet, but I think you could achieve this by adding cocoa powder to the batter, without changing anything else. Let me know how it goes if you try it.
Nisa Sahasrabudhe says
I made this today. Burnt then top a bit much and it didn't rise as much. Texture was ok but not like the NY cheesecake. I used stand mixer and I think combining all the ingredients together all in one go made it a bit lumpy and the cream almost turned into whipping cream. Other recipe showed that we should cream the cream cheese and sugar first. I have a convection electric oven. Baked it at 220 degree Celsius for 20 minutes. Need to reduce the temperature I think. I like the size of this batch. Small enough, made me feel less guilty of the indulgence
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Nisa, Basque cheesecake should not have the texture of NY cheesecake. It's more of a custard that's thick and smooth like room temperature butter. If you want a texture closer to a NY cheesecake you can cook it through all the way (which will also make it rise a bit more). As for the lumps, this recipe made for a blender. A mixer will have a tougher time creaming the cheese once you add liquids, so you should probably cream the cheese first before adding any liquids.
Marlynna says
Hi, I've tried the recipe but mine turned to have eggy taste. Where could I have possibly done wrong? Was it overbaked?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Marlynna, it's an egg-based custard so it's going to have some egg taste, but if it had a sulfur-like smell it was most likely overcooked. The center should have a smooth texture like room temperature butter.
julie says
Hi, just another quick question. I have a 6" x 3.5" souffle dish in fine china. Would this be OK to use or will I buy a fat daddio cheesecake pan. Thanks.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Julie, that should work, but there are 2 caveats. 1) you're probably going to have a hard time molding the parchment paper to fit in the dish 2) ceramic is an insulator, so the sides of your cheesecake won't take on much color (and it's possible it might end up too soft to slice).
LC says
Made it with rectangular disposable pan.
It works! I use 250gr philly, 250ml cream and all purpose flour. I forgot to add salt and after it cooks, i thought it could use some lemon juice too. Not very goey inside, may need to tweak a bit next time. It was baked exactly 23mins roughly 230C. Overall it’s successful baking. Thanks!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi LC, thanks for reporting back with a pic. The interior looks overcooked (it should be more smooth and silky in the center like when the batter was raw). For your pan, I think you're going to need to reduce the cooking time and turn up the heat to get it to brown faster.
julie says
Hi, I haven't heard of evaporated cane sugar. Please can you tell me if caster sugar can be subsistuted, thanks
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Julie, it's just unprocessed sugar. Regular granulated sugar will work fine.
Peachy says
hi Marc,
just want to know why my burnt cheesecake turned out watery and egg like texture. 🙁 how can i prevent that from happening? im using all purpose flour
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Peachy, sorry to hear it didn't work out. It sounds like you may have overcooked it. This cheese cake is basically a custard and like a custard it will break if it boils. What size pan did you use? What temperature did you set the oven to? How long was it in the oven for?
Kathy says
I just made this recipe with a 20cm pan (~8"). I doubled the amount of ingredients and also the cooking time, baked at 225deg Celcius. Seems to work. Delicious results! Thanks for the simple recipe!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Kathy, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for reporting back with your time and temp.
Pingo says
My 2nd time baking this. And I added some blueberries to the batter... can't wait to taste the cake!
Annie says
Hello Marc,
sorry to be a pain, as cannot wait to bake this yummy cheesecake, was wondering if I could use a pyrex bowl with a 3 inch height, instead of the 6 inch cake tin ( which am having difficulty getting in Spain )?
Thank you...
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Annie, how wide is the bowl, and is it a hemispherical bowl, or a round container with a flat bottom? It's hard to say without having some more details. You can certainly try it out, but since I haven't personally tested it in your container, I can't guarantee it will turn out properly.
Subha says
Hi,
What kind of oven would you recommend to bake this cheesecake. I have a cooking range-a gas oven. I got the texture and taste on point but it was not at all burnt it was yellow in color. What can we do about it.
THANKS in advance!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Subha, I used a convection oven, but it should work in any oven that reaches a high enough temperature. Based on your description, it sounds like your oven didn't get hot enough.
Subha says
Thank you very much for the reply. I will check the oven temperature next time I make.
marcelle says
Hi. I've tried your recipe. But my oven is max out to around 180°C...cannot go higher than that (I have a confectionary oven and I waited for 30 min or s so the temp will go higher).
My oven has the top and bottom fire, Is it OK if I turn on the top burner to give that black top crust?
It took me like arouns 60 min in the oven to get just a dark brown top...but then the middle is a not custard-y texture anymore.
Any input or suggestions?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Marcelle, this probably isn't the answer you want, but you need to find an oven that reaches a higher temperature. The only way to get the dark top with custardy interior is to blast it at a very high temperature for a short amount of time.
Tin stu says
Hi Marc! Thank you for sharing this recipe. I’m using a convection oven and was wondering if I should just use the setting of the heat coming from the bottom of the oven or one thats coming from the top and bottom?
I tried it once Using the top and bottom setting but i find that the top of the cake burns easily and the texture doesn’t seem cheesecake-like. It was somehow similar to an egg pie. Any tips on how to troubleshoot? Could it be the temperature also? Thanks!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Tin Stu, regarding your oven setting, my oven doesn't work that way, so I can't say for sure, but intuitively I think you want the heat coming from on top. The reason is that the whole point of a Basque cheesecake is that it's not fully cooked. It should have a gooey smooth texture like flan (or egg custard) in the center and should not be like regular cheesecake. That's why you want the temperature up so high, so it browns on top before the cake is fully cooked. I hope that helps.
Amanda says
Hi Marc, for your oven setting, do you use top and bottom with fan? or just top heat with fan? i did top and bottom with fan at 230 degrees celcius and the top of the cake didn’t brown. i baked it for a while longer and while it did brown, the cake didn’t jiggle as much. haha.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Amanda, the fan in my oven is at the back of the oven and I don't have an option to change it's location. It sounds like you may want to turn up the temperature of your oven to get the top to brown faster.
Esther says
Hi Marc! Can i use honey in replacement for the sugar? and replace the cake flour with corn starch?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Esther, regarding honey in place of the sugar, I can't say for sure as honey is a liquid and sugar is not. I think the starch should work, but since I've never tried it I can't make any guarantees. Let us know how it goes if you end up giving it a try.
Coral says
Hi Marc,
Thanks for the great recipe.
I baked the two cheesecake in 4” springform tin in a small fan oven at 230 Celsius for 20 mins (best to do it for 18 mins).
It turned out fine (no crack at the centre). It is still resting in the fridge.
I used thickened cream ( no added gelatin or the like) and my leftover frozen cream cheese (have to defrost it) .
Would like to know if I can replace the sugar with any other sugar substitute, like lakanto?
Thanks.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Coral, I'm glad to hear it turned out well. Regarding subbing the sugar. I think you can do it if you substitute a sugar that caramelizes as this is part of what gives the surface it's brown color. I'm not familiar with the properties of lakanto, so you can probably research it online, or give it a try.
Jol says
How much is 1 cup of heavy cream? 250g?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jol, 1 US cup is approximately 240 ml. Grams are a mass-based measurement and not great for measuring liquids as they have various densities (i.e. a cream with a higher fat content is less dense than a cream with a low fat content, so one would weigh less than the other even if you measured the same volume).
sharan says
Hi, using a convection oven.. Which level in the oven do you place the pan on? To, bottom, middle?
Thank you
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Sharan, it depends on where the heat source is. If it's coming form the top, you'll want to move the rack up, if it's coming from the back, the center is fine. I hope that helps.
ger says
hey marc, must I refrigerate the cake overnight before eating it? Or can I just cool the cake for a while and then refrigerate for an hour or two before eating?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Ger, you can try it. The reason for refrigerating it overnight is to set the center so you can slice it. If it hasn't cooled enough the center is almost liquid. which makes it impossible to slice cleanly.
Nur Fa says
Hi here is the picture where the based of my cake and parchment paper gets wet and moist, any tips from you will be much appreciated! Thanks
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Nur, can you please send a photo of a cut cross section of the cake, that looks to me like oil.
Nur Fa says
Hi, here you go, is it overcooked?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Nur Fa, thank you for sending this over. Yes it looks way overcooked, and I'm fairly certain the liquid at the bottom is oil that has separated out from your cream. Unlike normal cheesecake, Basque cheesecake is supposed to have a silky custardy texture in the center (like a thick yogurt). I'm not sure how long you've baked it for, but you're going to want to reduce the amount of time in the oven significantly. If you're not getting the browning that you want on top. you can raise the temperature of the oven so that it browns faster.
Nur Fa says
Hi marc, thank you so much for the explaination. Baked this at my aunt’s house and not familiar with her oven settings. But when i make it at home, it turns out perfect! Thank you for sharing your tips. Much appreciated!
Marc Matsumoto says
I'm glad to hear you got it to work!
myra says
I don’t have a blender - can I use cake mixer?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Myra, anything that is going to mix the ingredients together smoothly without incorporating too much air will work.
Dylan says
Hello, in your opinion, do you think there is any benefit to chilling the pan and the batter down for the 20 minute wait time before baking? I’m thinking this might help provide a more even cook throughout the cake. Dylan
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Dylan, did you try the recipe as is and have a problem? The goal is to not evenly cook the cake (i.e. you want the center to be less cooked than the top and sides). If you're having trouble getting the top to brown before the center gets fully cooked, you could try chilling it, but you may first want to just try turning up the heat on your oven.
Dylan says
Yes i tried the recipe and it works really well! Just trying to achieve the same doneness that you get in the centre throughout the whole cake.
Marc Matsumoto says
Gotcha, if that's what you're going for, you could chill it in the fridge and then blast it at the highest setting your oven goes, and you should be able to get browning on the outside, without cooking it very much on the inside. That being said, you'll most likely need to eat it straight out of the pan with a spoon as it won't have the structural integrity to be able to be sliced.
Alexander says
Is self rising flour a substitute for cake flout in this recipe?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Alexander, self rising flour is just regular flour with a leavening agent (like baking powder). Since this isn't a regular cake that you want to be light and airy, you don't want a leavening agent in your flour. Regular all-purpose flour would be a better bet if you can get it.
Ivy says
Hi Marc,
I don't have a cake pan with a removable bottom. Will a regular 6" inch pan work?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Ivy, please read the section about cake pan size in the headnotes, your answer is there.
Yung says
Hi, would I be able to use the same recipe if I were to bake it in a 5-inch cake pan or should i reduce the amount of each ingredient?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Yung, it would depend on how deep your pan is. It would need to be at least 3.5-inches deep in order to fit all of the batter.
Aafu says
1.Can I make this cake in a microwave?
2.Can i make this cake in a microwave safe glass dish but in convection mode?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Aafu, if you're microwave doubles as a standard convection oven (i.e. has radiant heating elements to heat the air), you should be able to make this recipe without making any changes. However if it's using microwaves to simulate a convection oven, I don't think it's going to work.
Aafu says
Thank you.
Nia says
if I only have small eggs, should I put in another one extra?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Nia, how much do your eggs weigh? According to the USDA, a small egg is 42-49 grams, a large egg is 56-63 grams. Assuming you're based in the US and your package of eggs say "small eggs", you'd be about 2 tablespoons short (which is not a while egg).
nia says
hii! is there any differences if i use room temperature eggs?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Nia, ideally you want to use cold ingredients, as the colder the batter is when it enters the oven, easier it is to brown the top without overcooking the center. That being said, room temperature eggs should be fine.
Nia says
ahhh i see. cold ingredients it is! thank you so much 🙂
Hptan says
Hi, thx for sharing the recipe! Can I know the 1 cup of heavy cream equal to how many grams? Cox I usually using weight scale to measure all my ingredients. Thx!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Hptan, 1 US cup is 240 ml. Cream is better measured as a volume since different fat content cream is going to weight different amounts (density effects mass).
Hptan says
Thx Marc for ur quick reply. OK, will try it and let u know the outcome!
Hptan says
Hi Marc, thx for the yummy recipe. The cheesecake is so soft, can melt in the mouth. Super easy to make. Just that I need to adjust my oven temperature.
Marc Matsumoto says
Glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for reporting back on how it went.
Alice says
My burnt cheesecake using your recipe was successful and it was gone as soon out of of the fridge.
Mai says
I never like cheese cake but the type Marc shared here was easy for an amateur like me. Hence I tried baking it. Since then, I can't stop baking the same over n over. I just love it. I can't believe I would ever indulge in any cheese cake. My whole family and all my friends r now head over heels in love wt it tho I can't achieve anything near the perfect burnt on Marc's cake. They taste is enough to drive everyone crazy. Thanks very much Marc for sharing yr wonderful recipe.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Mai, I'm not much of a cheesecake fan either, but I make an exception for this one😆 I'm glad to hear you and your family are enjoy this too!
upli says
Hi does it matter when I have only have 200ml of heavy cream instead of 240ml for the recipe?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi upli, the cake will likely end up harder and not as soft in the center with only 200ml of heavy cream.
Nina says
Can I use sour cream instead of heavy cream?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Nina, I would not recommend it. You need a liquid in the batter in order to get the soft gooey center. If you want to introduce the taste of sour cream, you might be able to substitute some of the cream cheese and cream for it, but there are a lot of unknowns so I can't guarantee it will turn out right if you make the change.
Murni says
hi mark! i have a bit of a problem with the cream in getting it to room temperature because it’s winter here in NZ so it’s always cold. would it make any difference if i use cold cream?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Murni, you want to use cold cheese, cream and eggs straight from the fridge as this slow down the cooking of the cake allowing you more time to brown the top without overcooking the interior.
Pingo says
Hi, Can i just use any tin like those rectangular one? 🙂
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Pingo, you could but you need to find a pan that's about the same volume, otherwise the thickness of your cake can change will effect the cooking temperature and time (i.e. a thinner cake needs to be baked at a higher temperature to brown the top before the center gets overcooked).
Pingo says
I baked this cake today and omg it was soooo delicious and my family loved it! It was gone now, looks like I have to bake it again 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your receipe, fuss free and easy! I substituted the castor sugar with brown sugar and it turned out yummy too! Also I used a square tin instead of round tin, and the results is perfect.
Marc Matsumoto says
I'm so glad to hear that you and your family enjoyed this! Thanks for reporting back on how the square tin worked!
Mimi Kyrrynz says
Hi, can i add sourcream and how much quantity can i add?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Mimi, can I ask what you want to achieve by adding the sour cream? Are you looking to use it as a substitute for another ingredient or do you want to add it in addition to the other ingredients?
Mich says
Hi, can I use creme fraiche instead of heavy cream?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Mich, aside from the egg, the cream is the only liquid in this cake, so I think using creme fraiche is going to make the batter too thick. That being said, you might be able to substitute creme fraiche for some of the cream cheese.
Eloise says
Can i use molasses sugar instead?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Eloise, you could, but the taste of the molasses will overpower all the other ingredient (i.e. you'll only taste the molasses).
Jennifer says
Hi Marc, I made this recipe but half the size of the ingredients and divided the batter between two 4 inch baking tins. I didn’t have heavy cream so I used double cream because it seemed to be a substitute when I researched online. It turned out so bad I was so disappointed. I don’t know why or what went wrong but it tasted quite eggy and the texture wasn’t every creamy. I made sure to check I had halved every ingredient. Not to mention it was extremely oily as well. Could you tell me where I went wrong?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jennifer, from your photo I'm fairly certain that it was overcooked. That would also explain the eggy taste and oiliness. The sulfur in eggs start to smell when they're overcooked (like hardboiled eggs that turn green around the yolk). As for the oil, it looks like the emulsion broke (fat and solids separated), which happens when a custard is overcooked. If you calculate the volume of your pans (assuming they're 2.5 inches tall), they should hold 31 cubic inches each, which is a total of 62 cubic inches. A 6-inch pan holds 70 cubic inches. By halving the recipe, you most likely made the cake too thin. Between that and the the fact that a 4-inch pan is going to cook through much faster due to its smaller circumference, I'm 99% sure the problem was that the custard spent too long in the oven. To fix this, I would recommend 1) Make the full recipe 2) Pour most (if not all of the batter) into 1 4-inch pan. 3) Raise the temperature of your oven and cook it for less time. The center of the cake should be close to raw when you take it out of the oven.
Jennifer says
That was really comprehensive Marc thank you! The reason why I left them longer in the oven was because they were not browning enough. But your suggestion to raise the oven temperature makes sense. So if a 6inch takes 230degrees and 20 minutes, how much shld I raise the temperature for a 4inch cake and for how long shld I bake it? Thank you
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jennifer, sorry I missed your note. It's really going to depend on your oven, but try going for 250 C for about 10-15 minutes. The top should be very dark brown (almost black) but the center should still be almost raw. It will set up as it cools and the center should sink.
Emily says
Hi Marc, the recipe that i found online uses 430g cream cheese, 3 eggs, 1 cup of heavy cream and 20 g cake flour baked at 240c for 30 mins. When i put in fridge, it turns solid as new york cheesecake texture.. so im afraid to chill my burnt cheesecake anymore..
Do you see any flaw in the recipe?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Emily, I can't speak for someone else's recipe since I've never tried making it, but it seems like this one has a higher ratio of cheese and eggs to cream. This will most likely make it firmer than my recipe, which has a higher ratio of cream.
Vicky says
Hi Marc.I tried the recipe and everyone loved it but my cake didn’t puff up as how it suppose to be.Should i put my temperature higher and bake it at a lesser time?Plus i used self rising flour,will that make any difference to the cake?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Vicky, the cake should only be puffy around the edges. The center should fall and be soft and custardy. Depending on how the texture was in the center, you could try raising the temperature. As for self-rising flour, this usually has a leavening agent such as baking powder mixed in. I wouldn't recommend it as it will introduce air bubbles, which don't you want (the center should be soft and creamy like flan).
Vicky says
Thank you.Will try again using cake flour 🙂
Anim says
Hi Marc, can i use whipped cream (cream that already whip)?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Anim, although I haven't tried it, I would not recommend it. Cream undergoes structural changes when you whip it. That's why over-whipping cream turns it into butter. My guess is that it will be a lot more likely to break (fat and liquids will separate) if you use cream that's already been whipped.
Joane says
This is the first time I’ve made burnt basque cheesecake using your recipe but I didn’t use the vanilla extract as I just wanted to try it plain and see how it goes. It turned out amazing!!
Made it to celebrate my anniversary with my partner.
Shared some with my parents and they loved it too!!
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe. It’s simple, mess free and best of all... DELICIOUS!!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Joane, I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed it! Congratulations on your anniversary!
Stef says
Hi! Did you also use only 1 block - 226grams of cream cheese? 🙂 Thanks! I am excited to try this out but seems there is quite little cream cheese.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Stef, yep its 1 block. Most recipes are for a larger pan which is why they include more cheese. I also use a fairly high ratio of cream to cheese which gives it it's soft custardy center.
Stef says
Thanks Marc! Awesome stuff, thanks for sharing this easy recipe and the quick reply. 🙂 Appreciate it.
I did see you had indeed a higher amount of cream on your recipe! I am giving it a try today.. Yay!
Stef says
It was a good one Marc, success!! And everything turned out well and my family loved it. I only used abit less cream I think, 1packet so the cake was a little flatter but tasted awesome and soft/gooey in the centre as it should be! Thanks again for this!
Marc Matsumoto says
You're welcome!
Elaine says
Hi. I'm using a Samsung Smart Oven for baking and the convection function has a max temp of 200 C. How long should I bake with a lower temperature? I tried the recipe today, used the convection function for 50 mins at 200 C and the grill function for 5 mins to make it more brown but still didn't turn out as brown as yours. There was also a small crack in the middle. Currently in the fridge so I havent tasted yet but smells really good!!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Elaine, cracking in the center means it was overcooked. You won't be able to get the brown top and custardy center in an oven that only goes up to 200 C. You could try doing it with just the grill function, but since I don't know how the oven works, or how hot the grill mode gets, I can't say if it will work for certain.
Eve Tee says
Can I use use 6"ingredient to 7" pan baking?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Eve, a 7" pan isn't big enough to double the recipe, but it will be much thinner than if you made it in a 6" pan, so you will most likely need to bake it at a higher heat for a shorter amount of time to keep the center soft.
Winnie says
Hello! I’ve tried making it in 5” using half of the recipe. However, it doesn’t seem to be baking right, not sure what went wrong. I’ve put it in 220 degrees Celsius for almost 25 mins but the top is not turning brown at all but yet it cracks on the top. Had no choice but to turn the temperature to 230-240 for another 10 mins and it finally turned brown but I’ve gotten a very cracked top 🙁 would u be able to advice? I want to get the creamy molten texture in the middle and I’m afraid that by baking for too long of a time will make the cake stiffer in the middle.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Winnie, sorry to hear it didn't turn out. A 5" x 2.5" pan has a volume of 50 square inches. A 6" x 2.5" pan has a volume 70 square inches. Halving the recipe will result in a thinner cake, which means it will cook though much quicker. The cracking is a symptom of being overcooked. You're going to need to crank the heat up much higher to get sufficient browning and you'll most likely want to bake it for less time.
Defi says
Hi Marc, thank you for sharing this easy recipe! I have tried making it once & my whole family love it so much.
This time I want to try making it, infused with Earl Grey flavor. Do you have any recommendation as to how I can incorporate the earl grey using earl grey teabags ?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Defi, I'm so glad to hear you and your family enjoyed it! Earl grey is a fantastic idea. My suggestion would be to steep the teabags in the cream overnight in the refrigerator. This should be enough to infuse the cream with the flavor of the tea which you can use to make the cheesecake. The only thing you'll want to be careful of is to account for the cream that gets absorbed by the teabags (i.e. you're going to need to steep more than 1 cup of cream). Good luck, and let me know how it goes!
Joy says
Hi I used a 6 Inch x 2.5 inch pan like you did and followed your recipe exactly however after it cooled down it sank to about half an inch. Why is that so?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Joy, this is supposed to happen. When you bake a cake, steam makes air bubbles that make things like cake or bread rise. If you cook it through completely the proteins set and the air bubbles become trapped, giving the baked good a fluffy texture. Basque cheesecake is deliberately undercooked so the center is custardy, but since the proteins are not fully set, the air bubbles escape as the cake cools and the parts that are not fully cooked (i.e. the center) will sink.
Miro says
Hello Marc, thanks for this well-explained recipe. If I prefer to add a bit more cream cheese for a richer taste (but still bake in a 6-inch pan), how should I adjust the recipe? Thank you!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Miro, I'm not sure what kind of cream you used the last time you made this, but if you felt it wasn't rich enough, the best way to make it even richer is to use cream with a higher butterfat content that way you don't need to change any of the proportions (I use one that's 47% fat).
Miro says
Hi Marc, thanks so much for the prompt response. Sorry i wasn't clear enough -- I'd like to increase the amount of cream cheese, not the cream. Any suggestions for doing that? 🙂 Thanks again!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Miro, your question was clear, but if your goal is to make this richer using a richer cream is your best bet. You don't need to increase the quantity of the cream. If that's not your goal, can you please elaborate?
Miro says
Hi again Marc, let me rephrase, I'll drop the 'rich' part 😂 How can i get a more pronounced cream cheese flavor?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Miro, thanks for the clarification. I finally get it 😆 Since this batter is fairly fluid you should be able to get away with substituting more cream cheese in for some of the cream. I think you could pretty safely substitute about 1/3 of a cup, and if that's not cream cheesey enough for you, and the batter is still pourable, you could try and increase the quantity. At some point you're going to run into one of two problems. Either there's not going to be enough liquid and you won't be able to pour the batter into the mold. Or, you're going to have too much fat relative to the egg, and your mixture will break while baking. If the latter happens, you can try adding some more egg.
Miro says
Hi Marc, I followed your suggestion and the result was fantastic. Added a bit of lemon juice and salt as well -- came out perfect (in my oven it was closer to 40 mins). Thanks so much for your responses and the great recipe!
Crystaldee says
Hi, may I know at which rack of the oven do you bake it? I bake mine on the middle rack but it doesnt seem to be able to get a nice even blackness like yours. Thank you!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Crystaldee, I bake it in the middle rack but I have a convection oven that circulates air around the food with a fan. If your oven is not convection (i.e. there's a heating element at the top of the oven), you may want to move the rack up to the top position.
NCYL says
Hi, Marc. I have a 10” pan with 2.5” sides, same depth as your 6”. The volume works out to be 196 cubic inches. How much more should the recipes be increased, are you able to advise? Thanks a lot!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi NCYL, my 6-inch pan holds 70 cubic inches, so you can't quite triple the recipe, but double might still be a little on the thin side. The part I'm not sure about is the time and temperature for your size of pan as the added volume will make it cook through slower, but the top will still brown at the same rate. My hunch is that if you double the recipe, the thinness should make up for the added volume and you should still have a soft center and brown top using the same time/temp as with my 6-inch pan, but if you go with 2.5x you'll probably want to lower the temperature a bit and cook it for a little longer to account for the extra volume. Either way, you'll probably need to do a bit of trial and error to get the perfect texture and color (don't worry the trials will still be delicious!) If you give this a try, I'd love to hear what you ended up doing and how it went as there have been a few people asking about 10-inch pans.
Natalie says
Hi, marc!
I have just popped it in the oven, waiting for 22 mins to be up! But I realized the cream cheese didn’t blend into the mixture. Did I do anything wrong?
Thanks!!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Natalie, did you use a blender? If you had chunks of cream cheese remaining, my guess is that the mixture wasn't blended enough. Hope it turned out okay after baking!
Scha says
Hi does the cream needs to be cold or room temperature?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Scha, I would recommend using cold ingredients for this as you want the batter as cool as possible when it enters the oven.
Natalie says
Hello, Marc!
I am going to try this recipe tomorrow! However, there a few questions which I hope you’d be able to help me out —
1) you mentioned to pour in all the ingredients into a blender, if I do not own one, is a stand mixer fine?
2) I would like to make the middle of the cheese cake more gooey (almost like chocolate lava kind), how can I achieve that and what’s the temperature & duration for a 8” springform pan?
3) Which ingredient actually makes the centre of the cheesecake gooey? I do not have heavy cream but I have evaporated milk, will I still be able to achieve that kind of outcome?
So sorry for this long post!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Natalie, 1) yep a mixer will work, just make sure you use the beater attachment and not the whisk attachment 2) The gooey texture is a result of being undercooked. an 8" pan is not conducive to this as the amount of batter gets spread a lot thinner than in a 6" pan, so by the time you get the desired browning on top, the interior will be fully cooked. Depending on the height of your pan, you may want to consider doubling the amount of batter (calculate the volume of your pan). 3) The texture is not a result of the ingredients, but rather the amount it was cooked for. In my convection oven in a 6-inch pan, it takes 22 minutes at 230C to achieve this texture, but because different ovens vary in the way they cook, you may need to raise or lower the temperature and adjust the time. Evaporated milk will work, but it won't be as rich as it has a much lower fat content. One final note, is that if you want the cake to be unsliceably runny and plan to scoop it out with a spoon, serve it as soon as it's cooled down (i.e. don't refrigerate it first) you won't be able to cut slices out of it, but it will be very runny. After refrigerating, it will set to the texture of soft flan(i.e. still gooey, but not runny).
Natalie says
Thank you so much for the detailed explanation and patience! I can’t wait to give this recipe try!
Natalie says
1 more question, Marc.
I am going to use a 10” pan instead. Other than doubling up the required ingredients, how long should I pop it into the oven? And what temperature would you suggest to achieve that oozy centre?
Thanks so much!!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Natalie, with a 10" pan, your cake is still going to be on the thin side even with double the batter. I would go with the stated time and temp the first time, and then adjust as needed on future attempts. Once you come up with a combo that works it would be awesome if you could share your time and temperature so others that are trying it will have a starting point.
Denyce says
Hi, I double up the recipe, added lemon zest n juice, n bake in 12 rustic heat proof muffin cup, i used 220 °C fan for 15min n turn the oven to top heating only for another 5mins, they came out perfect, thanks for sharing 💌💌
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Denyce, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to share your method using muffin cups. I'll point other folks to your comment if they ask.
Desi says
Why is my cheesecake crack on the surface? It kinda blows up, and just crack. I used non-convention oven at 250C for 22 mins and the top has not caramelized so I add another 10 mins and the cake bubbling up and cracks.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Desi, the cheesecake will crack a little around the edges (as shown in my photos), but if you had it crack in the center it was most likely overcooked. Try turning up the heat so that you can get it browned on top in 20 minutes or less.
Bel says
Hi! I have been baking the cake with your recipe and it is so simple and delicious! I am thinking of adding some lemon rind and juice, and chilling the batter before baking it (to keep the center oozy) because mine usually comes out a bit 'well done'.
Do you have any recommendation of how much lemon juice to add and how long this batter can keep before baking? Thank you!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Bel, I'm glad to hear you've been enjoying this. Adding lemon juice and zest is a great idea! As for refrigerating the batter, that's a good idea, you could also increase the temperature of your oven. As for how long you can refrigerate, I've never tried it, but I think it will depend upon how long the parchment paper holds up. Even though it's water resistant, it's not water proof, so at some point it's going to get saturated and turn to mush. I hope that helps!
Alice says
I used whipping cream instead of heavy cream. somehow it tastes more like the custard in the portugese egg tart kinda way. and it sank rly deep HAHAHAH. Will try with heavy cream next time. I love that you have a scroller thingy to tweak the recipe by letting us change the number of servings.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Alice, lower fat creams will result in a lighter texture and taste, so switching to heavy cream should make it more rich and dense😉.
Alice says
Yes I cannot wait to try it again. My husband loves my whipping cream recipe nonetheless. haha. He finished half of my "failed" cake last night. 🙂
Berlyn says
Hi Marc!
Will the centre still be oozy and flowly if I leave it to room temperature after taking it out from the refrigerator? I would like the cake to be still be oozing with the creamy centre.
Thanks!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Berlyn, this cheesecake comes out of the oven oozy and flowy (i.e. if you cut it it without refrigerating it, it won't hold it's shape). So if you're looking for a scoopable texture, let the cake cool to room temperature and just serve it without refrigerating it. Putting it in the fridge allows the cake to set just enough to be sliceable (like a firm flan), though it will still be very soft and custardy.
Berlyn says
Thank you for the reply Marc! Cause i was actually looking at recipes that has the oozy melty centre. ie. the rest of the cake is firm whereas the middle is still slightly oozy 😊
Angelia Y says
Hello Marc, this turned out absolutely beautiful. It's quick, easy and simple to understand and bake! My first time baking a Basque Burnt Cheesecake too and we all loved it and I'm going to make another one today! Thank you!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Angelia, sounds like it's going to be a regular in your house 😆 I'm glad it turned out, and thanks for stopping by to let me know!
June says
Hi Marc! My oven max temp goes up to 220°c, would this temp works to bake this?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi June, you may not be able to get the top quite as brown without overcooking the cheesecake, but I think it should still taste good.
Olivia says
Hi Sir, may I know the weight of the eggs you'd used? We usually have 55 grams egg here in Singapore.
Besides, is there anything to take note for a square (conductor) pan?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Olivia, the eggs I use are typically between 60-70 grams (including the shell). I don't think this should make a huge difference, but if you're worried about it, you can add an extra tablespoon or two of egg to the batter. As for the pan, if you're using a square pan, you'll want to line it differently with parchment paper (see this page for the technique https://norecipes.com/chocolate-cherry-brownies/). You'll also want to use a pan that's going to give you a similar height to a 6-inch round pan.
Madeline says
Hi, what’s the rough estimate of the eggs weight? My eggs are rather small & I’m wondering if I should use 3 or 4 eggs
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Madeline, I just weighed the eggs in my fridge and they're between 60-70 grams each (including the shell). I hope that helps.
Madeline says
Thx so much!
Siddhima says
Hi Marc
Thanks for sharing their recipe. I’m a bit stuck, to get started with this cake.
My cake tin is a little too big for my oven. It just about fits in, with very little room on top for it to rise.
Do you think filling up the cake tin with lesser batter (about half way) will still let it rise?
I was so excited to do this cake 🙁
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Siddhima, in a 6-inch pan, the cake will rise a few centimeters above the rim of the pan, so you'll probably need to reduce the batter a little to keep it from hitting the top of your oven. The bigger concern though is that such a tight fit doesn't allow for even heat distribution, so you may find that the cake ends up browning/cooking unevenly.
Jamie says
Hi, I saw in the video is this Cheesecake no need waterbath ? I didn't see how is in the oven
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jamie, it does not need a waterbath.
Scha says
Hi can I substitute with plain flour instead? For heavy cream, can I substitute with all purpose cream?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Scha, for the flour, all-purpose flour has a higher gluten content than cake flour which can make cakes tough. That being said, this recipe contains a relatively small amount, so I think it should be okay(but I haven't tried it). As for the cream, it seems the naming of cream is different in different countries, so I'm not sure what all purpose cream is, but any high butterfat cream should work as long as it does not contain any thickeners like gums or gelatin.
Scha says
Hi thanks for your reply. What do u recommend the substitute of thickened cream please?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Scha, I recommend using cream without any thickeners added. If you're in the US these would be sold as either heavy cream or whipping cream, if you're not in the US, I don't know what the name will be.
Scha says
Ok whipping cream is available here (35% fat) is it what you are referring to?
Oh carol says
Good day Marc, able to advice if I would like to incorporate mascarpone cheese how much cream cheese n mascarpone should I use? Based on 6” pan. Thks
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Oh carol, I've never done the Mascarpone substitution before so I can't say from first hand experience, but past commenters have said it worked out well (I think they replaced 100% of the cream cheese with Mascarpone). In any case, it should be a 1 to 1 substitution, so if you could use any ratio you wanted. For instance 113 Mascarpone to 113 cream cheese for a 50:50 mix, or 68 Mascarpone to 158 cream cheese for a 30:70 mix.
Carol Oh says
Great.. maybe i will try 40:60, due to circuit breaker here in Singapore.. alot of baking ingredients are like rare item now haha. Thank u so much for your reply and i really like your receipe ,simple and in small quantities which is great for those of us whom just want to try or only has small pan.. hope to see more receipe from you. Take care and stay healthy!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Carol, you're lucky you were even able to find it. I haven't seen it in the markets around here for weeks. I hope it turns out well! I have about 1000 recipes on here so hopefully you're able to find some others you enjoy as well!
Cassandra Koh says
Had to crank up the temp a bit but it's Super simple to make & Ive been told they taste amazing! Haha, im lactose intolerant but the smell is heavenly. Thank you for this!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Cassandra, I'm glad your friends/family enjoyed your efforts! Thanks for stopping by to let me know how it turned out!
MK says
Hi, can I change vanilla extract to vanilla essence? If yes, what is the amount? Thanks 🙂
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi MK, you should be able to make that substitution, but I've never used vanilla essence, so I'm not really sure whether it's a 1:1 substitution. The vanilla is there for flavor, so I'd suggest adding enough to give it a vanilla fragrance.
Chan sow ping says
Thank you for recipe.i baked the burnt cheesecake n my sons reaction was u must be kidding.you bought it from the confectionery didnt you.it looks n taste sooo good.guess in lockdown any food taste good esp comfort food.thank you for adding joy to boring days
Marc Matsumoto says
You're welcome! I'm so glad to hear this was able to bring a little joy into your home! Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know. I have a lot of other great recipes on here, so I hope you check some of them out.
Ethel says
Thank you for the cake recipe it is fantastic!! Simple and easy
Marc Matsumoto says
You're welcome Ethel!
Ethel says
Hi Marc, could I also add in mascarpone cheese as an additional cheese?
Thank you!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Ethel, someone asked about that earlier, and although I haven't tried it (can't get Mascarpone right now), I think they said it turned out really well.
Mel says
Hi Marc can I replace cake flour with plain flour? Also is heavy cream same as thickened cream? And can I reduce the sugar. Trying not to consume too much sugar. Cheers
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Mel, to be honest I haven't tried it with all purpose flour. The reason why all-purpose usually isn't a good idea is because it contains more gluten than cake flour, which can make cakes tough (the gluten forms chains when agitated and this is what makes bread and pasta chewy). Since this has only a small amount, it might work, but I can't make any guarantees. As for the cream, I'm not familiar with thickened cream so I'm not sure. I would not recommend using a cream that has thickeners like gelatin or gums added. For the sugar, reducing that should be fine.
Mel says
Thanks Marc. Baked it and was fantastic. I did 240C for 25mins and it was a lil burnt on the top. So I reckon 240C for 20mins might do the trick.
Also, I have no cake flour, so I googled and substitute 15g Cake flour for 13g AP Flour + 4g Tapioca flour. Taste and texture wise was okay, just that when I cut it doesnt looks smooth.
I reduced sugar to 55g and swap vanilla extract with coconut sugar liquid (ie gula melaka liquid).
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Mel, thanks for reporting back on how it turned out. The reason why it wasn't smooth when you cut is most likely that it was overcooked. Since it mentioned it was more brown than you wanted I would recommend just reducing time in the oven. If it's still overcooked, you'll want to raise the temperature and bake it for even less time.
Mel says
Thanks Marc will definitely try again. Awesome recipe
Jacky says
Hey Marc, thank you so much for all your amazing YouTube recipeipes! I bought the exact baking form like yours of size and now doing my second attempt, using exact the amount of ingredients, but somehow my mix will fill up the baking form till almost 1/3rd instead of yours almost completely full!
Do you think maybe we miss something from your receipe? Like amount of cream cheese and eggs?
Many thanks!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jacky, in a 6-inch pan, the mixture should come up about 3/4 of the way to the top of the pan. When you bake it the sides will rise up well above the rim of the pan.
JoJo says
Hi Marc, my question same like Jacky....the mixture only can fill 1/3rd of using 6inch pan. So the cake was flat cannot raise up as like yours.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi JoJo, you're using a round 6-inch pan? How tall is your pan? In my round 6 inch pan with 2.5 inch sides, the batter goes about 3/4 of the way to the top, so I don't understand why it would only go 1/3 of the way in your pan. As for the cake rising. The only parts that will rise are the parts that are fully cooked. The idea of this cake is that it is dense and creamy so you don't really want it to rise. The sides becoming fully cooked is unavoidable, but the center should fall mostly be flat. If the center of your cake is not falling after pulling it out of the oven, you've likely overcooked it.
Christy says
Hi. I'd like to know if a ceramic or glass cake pan is ok to be used to bake in?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Christy, glass and ceramic won't transmit heat as efficiently as a metal pan. This is one cake you want it to cook unevenly (i.e. the outside cooks before the inside), so it's important to get the exterior hot quickly. That being said, I haven't tried it with a glass or ceramic pan, but I've had several reports of people using silicone pans where it didn't set properly, so I think glass and ceramic may have the same problem. Let us know how it goes if you do try it out.
Lee says
Hi, thank you for posting this recipe - I'm hoping to try this out once I get the delivery of ingredients:) - quick question on suitable pans - I don't have a 6 inch cake tin, googling suggests a loaf pan is the nearest volume substitute. Would it be better to try this recipe in a 8 inch cake pan (resulting in a thinner possibly less burnt cake) or a standard loaf pan? would the shape of the pan affect the results? thank you!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Lee, if you use an 8-inch pan you'll probably want to double the recipe, otherwise it's going to cook through before you get enough color on top. As for a loaf pan, if you have one that will give you about the same thickness as a round 6-inch pan, that may be the way to go. You will have to change the way you line it with parchment paper though as crumpling it in won't work because of the corners. I'd recommend the method shown here: https://norecipes.com/chocolate-cherry-brownies/ I've had a couple people ask about this, so if you try the loaf pan, it would be great to hear back on how it went. Thanks!
Kerry says
Hey Marc, thanks for patiently answering all the questions. I'm going to attempt this recipe using 35% whipping cream, that's the heaviest here in Canada. Regarding the convection oven, my oven automatically reduces the temperature by 25° when I select the convection mode so 450° becomes 425°. I should set it back to 450°, shouldn't I? Thanks!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Kerry, you're welcome! 35% cream should be fine. As for your oven, one thing I've learned over the years is that every oven is different, so it's hard to say with any certainty, but you can start it off at 450, and if it looks like it's browning too quickly (relative to the cooking time) you can turn down the heat to 425. Good luck!
Gaithri says
Can I use freeze heavy cream and cream cheese ?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Gaithri, I haven't tried frozen cream and cream cheese, but I think it should work. You'd definitely want to defrost it before using it though. Let us know if you give it a try.
Irene says
Hi, may i know if i can substitute heavy cream to fresh cream? And which cream should i use to get the best runny texture in the centre?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Irene, I'm not sure what "fresh cream" is, but as long as it has a relatively high fat content (heavy cream has over 36%) then it should be fine. As for the runny texture it's less about the cream, and more about the time and temperature used to cook it. Like a chewy cookie, you need to undercook it in order to have the center be soft.
Chen Ling says
Hi, was wondering if i can substitute the heavy cream with cooking cream? Thanks!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Chen, I'm not familiar with cooking cream, but assuming it's a high fat dairy product and doesn't have other stuff added (like thickeners or gelatin) it should work.
Farah says
What is the purpose of the flour? I'm using 8inch pan. Could I reduce the flour to 20gram? Any recommendation?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Farah, the flour is also there to set the cake and give it structure. You can certainly experiment with reducing the amount, but since you're changing the size of the pan, you already have one variable up in the air (bake time and temperature), so I wouldn't recommend altering the recipe until you figure out what temperature and time works in your oven. Otherwise, if things don't work out, you won't know if it was your change to the recipe or the time/temp spent in the oven.
Farah says
Hi Marc, what is the purpose of the eggs here? I have a 8inch 3.5inch sides pan and will hold 175litres. Based on your 71litres using 2 eggs, my pan will need to used 5 eggs. My concern is the cake will be too eggy. Can I reduce the eggs to just 3 or 4?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Farah, the eggs are there to set the cake. Without them your cheesecake will not set properly. You can experiment with reducing the amount, but I can't guarantee how it will turn out.
Myra says
This looks so good! I love gooey desserts. Planning on using ramekins. Can I torch the top like creme brulee? Thanks!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Myra, I haven't tried it, but you might be able to make it work in a ramekin by cooking them in a broiler. Because a ramekin holds so little batter, my concern is that it's going to be cooked through all the way by the time you get the tops dark enough. I definitely would not recommend using a torch. A torch is not a diffuse heat source and while it works for caramelizing sugar, it won't work on this for the same reason you wouldn't use a torch to make toast. The only exception might be if you happen to have a Searzall attachment for your torch, which will diffuse the heat.
Maggie says
Hi, can I use a 4” baking pan instead of 6”? Thank you
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Maggie, a 4" x 2.75" pan has roughly half of the volume of a 6-inch pan, so you should in theory be able to split the batter between two 4" pans and bake it for roughly the same time at the same temperature, but I haven't tried it, so I can't make any promises. Let us know how it goes if you try it out.
Maggie says
Thanks for the advise. Just tried with the recipe, turned out not too bad. Perfect for my afternoon tea! thank you 🙂
Chiara says
Hello Marc! I finally made the cheesecake based on your recipe and it is amaaazing! I substituted 100g sugar with 70g brown sugar and it turned out a bit sweeter than I preferred (and it became brownish so I think I should use other sweetener next time hahaha), BUT I love how it your recipe out!!! custard-y in the middle and firmer at the edges. The texture and consistency is really great as well! I really wish I can show you that creamy inside!
I would like to experiment more with your recipe, so I'm hoping you can give me some insights :D. When the cake was baking, it didn't rise as much. After I blended the batter, I left it for almost an hour, because I saw that there was too much air bubbles. Might this be the cause?
Also, after I put my cheesecake in the fridge and ate it the next day, I noticed the sides of the cake has a semi-firm cheesecake consistency. I tried Basque cheesecake in a restaurant before, and the cake actually had crunchy, firm sides, and I quite like it that way. Do you have any tips on how to make the sides crunchy? Should I butter the parchment paper?
I used an Elle&Vire cooking cream with 35% fat this time, I wonder if this has any effect on the texture/taste? If I reduce the cooking cream amount by half, would it result in a lighter, more airy texture? If not, what do you suggest to get such texture??
Thank you sooo much! Sorry it's a bit long, hahaha
Yanthi Linawaty says
Hi Marc,
Thanks for the recipe!
Is it possible to use the exact recipe to make Burnt Matcha Cheesecake? if yes, how much Matcha powder should I put? Do I need to reduce the amount of flour?
Thanks!
Yanthi
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Yanthi, it might work, but I'm not sure how matcha will react to being burnt (it might get quite bitter). As for the amount, I've never done it so I can't give you an exact amount, but my suggestion would be to add a little at a time until you get a color/taste you like. As for the flour, matcha does not have starch like flour, so you don't need to worry about reducing the amount of flour.
Yanthi says
Thanks so much, Marc! Will give it a try! 🙂
Sue says
Hi Marc!!
I tried this cake out in a 6'' silicone cake pan yesterday. Followed your directions, and the flavour turned out AMAZING. Only difference is that I used mascarpone cheese instead of Philly cream cheese because that's all that I had.
however... (1) why does my cake not rise as much as yours, or other Basque cheesecakes? (2) although my cake stands up when I put a slice on my plate, my edges don't feel very firm, whereas the middle is so custardy that some batter actually flows out of the cake after cutting a slice from it. any ideas where I went wrong?
I have a feeling you're going to ask me to crank up the temperature, but my oven's maximum temp is 230 degrees c. any suggestion?
Thank you so much in advance! <3
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Sue, I'm glad you enjoyed it! As for not getting the edges to rise, I'm 99% sure it's your pan. Silicone is an insulator, and what you want is a conductor. Silicon pans are great for things like regular cakes, where you want even cooking, but for this particular cake, you want uneven cooking (i.e. outside well done, inside rare).
Sue says
Ahh thank you so much Marc!! The only metal pan I have are these two 4'' ones that are really deep. I'm planning to split the batter between them and bake your cheesecake for a party this weekend. Do you have any recommendations on the oven temp / timing.
Thank you once again <3
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Sue, the volume of a 6-inch pan that's 2.5 inches deep is 71 cubic inches. The volume of two 4-inch by 2.75 inch deep pans is going to be roughly the same, which is to say that your baking temperatures and times shouldn't change too much (in theory), as your cakes will be slightly thicker than mine which should make up for the smaller circumference. I've never tried it though, so I can't give any guarantees. Good luck, and let me know how it goes if you get a chance!
Sue says
Oh my gosh Marc I have to tell you.. I made your recipe but absentmindedly dumped the entire batter into a deep 4'' tin (instead of separating it into two 4'' tins). I baked it at 230c for 35mins, and the texture was perrrrrfect. the top was beautifully browned (kind of like a Portuguese egg tart), the edges were set firm but the middle was the right amount of custardy that still managed to hold its shape when sliced.
Cannot thank you enough!! other recipes are so complicated but yours is so straightforward and easy to master. now my family members are demanding me to make this for every gathering!
Marc Matsumoto says
Wow that's awesome Sue! I love it when an accident leads to a happy outcome. Thanks for stopping back back to share with us. Can I as how deep your 4" tin is?
Sue says
Of course! my 4'' pan is 3'' deep!
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks!
Mey Supandi says
OMG! This is amazing. I tried this recipe 3 times using 3 different cream. First trial using whipped cream (I'm from Australia) - batter turned out to be quite thick and cake was slightly heavier and less custart like middle. Top was slightly brown.
Second trial using 2/3 cup pure cream plus 1/3 cup milk cause that what I had in the fridge - batter turned out looking more like in the video and I managed to achieve the dark brown colour on top as well as the custart like texture in the middle of the cake.
Third trial was using 1 cup of pure cream - batter was a little bit thicker than trial #2 with more air bubbles and cake still turned out really well.
All 3 cakes were so yummy they didn't last long 🙂
Thank you for the recipe. It is so easy and yummy!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Mey, I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed this! I wasn't aware of the different types of cream in Australia. Can I ask what the difference between whipped cream and pure cream is? In the US, "whipping cream" has between 30-36% butterfat, where as "heavy cream" has more than 36% butterfat. Thanks or stopping by to share your results, I'm sure this will help other people in Australia navigate the differences in ingredients.
Mey Supandi says
Hi Marc
We have:
Pure cream - >35% milk fat
Double crean - >56% milk fat
Thickened cream (for whipping) - 35% milk fat and sometimes contain thickening agent like gelatin.
I haven't tried using the double cream yet. That's next on the list.
According the notes, the higher fat content the better so if you want I will report back once I test it out 🙂
I must say I love this recipe cause it's so easy and minimal washing. I hope you'll come up with more similar easy cake recipe 🙂
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks Mey, that's super helpful! Based on that information, it sounds like whipping cream is not a great choice for this. I've made this using creams that ranged from 35-47% butterfat and the 47% tasted the best. I'd be curious to hear how the 56% goes. There may be some point where the fat is just too much, but I guess we won't know until you try😉 Thanks for offering to report back!
Irene says
Hi. May I know 1 cup of heavy cream is it 231 grams? I Google it. Are you using U.S .cup measurement?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Irene, cream does not weight the same as water (ie. 100 ml of water = 100 g, but cream is less dense than water, so 100ml of cream should weight less than 100 grams). That's why you should use a volumetric measurement for this. 1 US cup is equal to 237ml.
Niki says
Hi Marc, thanks for the recipe, I was wondering if this will work with a loaf pan because all my round pans are huge
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Niki, that's a great idea. It should work fine, but there are a few things to consider 1) The corners in the pan will make lining it with parchment paper using the given method difficult. I'd recommend using the method shown in step 1 of this recipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWm_gzheI6M (or watch the video for a step-by-step). The second thing is you will need to calculate the volume of the loaf pan you plan to use (length x width x height). Ideally you'll want to use one with about the same volume (at a depth of 2.5inches) as my round 6-inch pan which is about 71 cubic inches. This way your cheesecake will be the same thickness and should in theory cook in around the same amount of time. I hope that helps!
Khim says
Hi...i would really like to try this recipe...but can i use it for 7 1/2 x 2 inch cake mould?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Khim, as I mention in the post, a bigger pan will result in a thinner cheesecake so you will need to raise the temperature and cook for less time. Please read the headnotes for more details.
Joanne says
Hi Marc, can I use yoghurt instead of heavy cream?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Joanne, I haven't tried it, but it should work in theory. Keep in mind that this will make your cheesecake more tart and less rich/creamy.
Celina says
Hey, yes. Replying from my previous comment. The texture is just like a normal cheesecake. I used a 6inch cake pan and the temperature was at 230, baked at 30 mins. Also, my cake did not rise much. What are the other things that i have to be aware of when i try my second attempt?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Celina, it definitely sounds like it was overcooked. Try raising the temperature to 250 C and reducing the baking time to 20 minutes or less.
WC says
Hi Marc, I plan to use whip cream to replace heavy cream but I only have 250ml but yet I need to prep for 8" pan. What substitue can be used to make up the volume?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi WC, you have enough cream for 1 recipe of this (1 cup = 236ml). If you want to double it to better fit your pan, you'll need another liquid dairy product. I've never tried it with milk, but I think it might work (though you might want to reduce the amount slightly as it might end up too watery.
Jaslyn says
Hi Marc, Thanks for your recipe. I just baked the cake and noticed that it didn't puff up. I used a 7" pan. Is it ok?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jaslyn, a 7" pan will make the cake thinner than mine, so you will likely have to turn up the heat a bit and cook it for a shorter amount of time, or the center of your cake is going to be overcooked. As for not puffing up, can you send me a photo of what your cake looked like? The edges will puff a bit, but the center should not be puffed up at all as it is supposed to be dense and custardy.
Constance says
Hi! May I know should I on the fan or not if I follow your temperature? (230 Degree Celsius for 22min)
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Constance, if you have a convection oven, turning the fan on will distribute the heat more evenly which will make the top brown more evenly.
Mai says
Thanks very much Marc for yr kind reply. I tried again n checking the temp correctly but I stil fail to get that beautiful burnt. Mine is just brown. Wats more, this one too, crack just like the first one. This one too, 45mins. Thanks much
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Mai, just to clarify, did put an oven thermometer in the oven? And was it registering 250 degrees C continuously?
Celina says
Hi, tried your recipe today, but i just can’t seem to have the melt in the center. Please let me know what i did wrong 🙂
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Celina, by "melt" do you mean it was too firm? If so, it was most likely overcooked. This can be caused by a number of factors, including using a pan that's too big and the oven not being hot enough (the thermostat on most ovens is wrong). The solution is to turn up the oven to a higher temperature and cook it for less time.
Ker says
Hi, can I use all purpose flour instead of cake flour? If so, how much? Thanks
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Ker, cake flour has a significantly lower gluten content (7-8%) compared to all-purpose (11-12%). This is what keeps cakes from getting tough and chewy. For this recipe, there is a relatively small amount of flour, so it shouldn't make a huge difference, but you may find the cake ends up being a little firmer.
Ker says
Thank you! Will try this on weekend! 😋
Mai says
Hi, yr cake look so beautiful. I tried baking it now. At high temp of 250 n 50mins yet it looks white (nothing near to burnt) and it cracks. Please help.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Mai, I'm sorry to hear it didn't work out for. Are you sure your oven temperature is measured in Celsius? If so, it sounds the thermostat is not working correctly. Try putting an oven thermometer in it and measuring the actual temperature.
Yasyiqa says
Hi
Does the cooking cream consider as heavy cream?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Yasyiqa, I'm not familiar with cooking cream, but after googling it, it sounds like a processed dairy product that is "enriched" with fat. I haven't tried using it so I don't know if it will work, but it sounds like the fat content is similar to whipping cream, so at least in theory it should work.
Yasyiqa says
Hi Marc
I've tried it & great result. But maybe because I use air fryer or wrong setting, my cake doesn't have the curve after cool down
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Yasyiqa, I've never tried doing this in an air fryer so I'm not sure what might have happened, but the curve forms because the outside is fully cooked, but the inside is still rare. The cooked part expands because of the steam and it stays expanded because the proteins are set, but the rare part expands and then contracts because the proteins aren't fully set yet. My guess is that your cake got cooked all the way through so it didn't fall in the center. You can try and raise the temperature and reduce the cooking time next time.
Shwewen says
Hi Marc, I'm wondering what will you suggest for the ideal temperature and time be for my cake since I'll be using a 9' cake mould instead?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Shwewen, I'm assuming you mean a 9-inch (9") pan, not a 9-foot (9') pan? If so, I don't own a 9-inch pan, so I have no way to test it. What I do know is that your cake will be significantly thinner, so it will cook through faster than it will brown if you don't raise the heat. The other thing you could do is double the recipe and then you should end up with a cake that's roughly the same thickness (though it will probably take slightly longer to cook through due to the extra mass). Sorry, I know this probably not the precise answer you were looking for, but I hope it helps you head in the right direction.
Guest says
I had the same size of pan and used the same temperature and it turned out the same. Marc is right, you'll just get a thinner size.
Yiihuey Tan says
Hi can i bake without a parchment paper? Thanks
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Yuuhuey, you can, but you most likely won't be able to unmold it from the pan in 1 piece as it is very soft. If you do bake it without parchment paper, your best bet would be to serve it directly from the pan with a spoon. It won't look as pretty, but it will still taste great!
Shann says
Hi, may I know if I can substitute heavy cream with whipping cream powder, since now my country is on lockdown and I only have whipping cream powder on hands. Thanks
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Shann, I've never used whipping cream powder before, but is it something you can add water to and rehydrate into cream? If so, you should be able to rehydrate according to the package directions and use it in this recipe. The cream is there to add liquid, and richness (fat), so as long as it fills those roles it should work.
Chiara says
Hello Marc! I'm planning to make burnt basque cheesecake and came across your recipe! I am wondering about the differences of using Kiri and Philly cream cheese. Does using Kiri makes the cake taste saltier(?) and does it change the texture?
I think I will be using a 9" or 10" pan. Do you think it's better to double or 2.5x the original recipe?
Also, I am also thinking to cut back on sugar, so if I reduce to about 70 grams of sugar, will it make a difference in the texture as well?
Thank you very much!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Chiara, I find that Kiri makes for a creamier cheesecake that's a little bit saltier. As for the pan, if you use a 9 or 10" pan, you will definitely want to double the recipe, otherwise the cheesecake will end up too thin and it will overcook in the center by the time you have some nice color on top. Google "Volume of cylinder" and you should get a calculator you can use to figure out the volume your pan will hold. A 6-inch pan that's 2.5-inches deep will hold 71 cubic inches. As for the sugar it should not make a huge difference to the texture of this, so you can cut it back to whatever you like.
Chiara says
Thank you so much for your help 🙂 I'll try it out soon!
Leonora Salma Mostapha says
How long will it take to bake this if I use 9/10 inch pan ?
Marc Matsumoto says
Please read the headnotes
Sha says
Hi marc! Is it okay if i use a 5 inch pan? If yes, can you recommend the suitable temp and duration?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Sha, a 5-inch pan should work provided it is at least 3.5-inches tall (otherwise the cake will overflow). As for the time an duration, you will likely need to bake it for longer (maybe 5-10 minutes, but this is a guess) which means you may need to drop the temperature a bit. My suggestion would be to start off at the 450F and then lower the temp if it looks like it's browning too quickly. If you end up trying it, it would be great if you let us know the time and temperature so that it might help others with a 5-inch pan.
Fatema says
Hi Marc, thanks for sharing this recipe! I'm on a mission to cut down on sugar, and was wondering if using mashed banana, or mashed berries would work? I know it may sound weird, but really, what do you think?
Thanks a lot in advance!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Fatema, the banana should work, let me know how it goes if you give it a try. As for berries, they might work, but the acidity of berries may cause the cream to curdle, so you may want to try the bananas first. I hope that helps!
HANDI MULYANA says
Great simple recipe
Easy to follow
Great result and taste amazzziiinnngg
Merci
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Handi, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Siew Ling says
Hi, May I know how many gram for a cup of heavy cream? In my case I don’t have heavy cream but I will use whipping cream. Thanks as I’m learning to bake this today.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Siew Ling, whipping cream will be a little lighter, but it will work fine. As for the quantity, 1 US cup = 237ml. I would not recommend using a mass based measurement like grams, as cream does not have the same density as water (i.e. 100g of water = 100ml, but cream is most likely different).
Fei says
This recipe is rubbish. Way too much cream! The cake won’t even stand. Very disappointed!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Fei, I'm sorry to hear it didn't work out for you. I've made this at least 10 times, and we've seen a lot of positive feedback from people who have made it successfully so the recipe is sound. I'd be happy to work with you to figure out what went wrong with your attempt if you would like. When you say "it won't even stand" do you mean it wouldn't hold its shape when you unmolded it? If so, did you you let the cake cool overnight in the fridge before you unmold it? The thing that makes this cheesecake so special is that the center is like a very soft custard. To get that texture it needs to be a little runny in the center before it cools, so if it wasn't cooled completely it won't hold it's shape. Assuming you measured everything correctly and let it cool completely, another possibility is that it didn't bake for long enough. If you got a nice coffee brown color on top, you may need to lower the temperature of your oven a bit and let it bake for a little bit longer.
Marc Matsumoto says
Another thing I noticed is that you used the term "rubbish". If you happen to be from Australia, 1 Australian cup is 250ml, 1 US cup is 237ml. While I don't think 13ml is enough to make that big of a difference, it's worth considering.
Robin says
Wow high EQ level ! I’m going to try this recipe out btw. So excited! Thanks for sharing
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks Robin, I hope you enjoy it!
Max says
Fei - l had no problems with this magnificent cake, which was a show stopper! Are you sure you followed the recipe? I think you should review your comment.
Diana says
Seems she is the only one here having problem with the recipe..mine turned out great
Maria says
So sad that someone has to post something negative with strong words while others enjoy this recipe so much. Keep up giving us positivw energy and yummy recipe Marc
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks for the support Maria! It's frustrating when you take time to do something and it doesn't turn out so their frustration is understandable, I'm just trying to help out😀.
Linda says
If you are Australian I am embarrassed as an Australian, that you are so rude ‘Fei’. Marc your response in contrast was so gracious . Magnificent cheesecake and loved your scientific descriptions.
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks Linda!
Angelia says
This sounds amazing. Thank you for your detailed explanation and answers to all questions!
Marc Matsumoto says
You're welcome Angelia, thanks for stopping by to leave a note!
Chean says
Hi Marc, I have tried this on a 8” pan, love the taste, but my cake crack on top, any advice?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Chean, small cracks towards the edges will happen, but if you had a big crack in the center, it's most likely because the cheesecake was overcooked. An 8-inch pan will hold almost double the volume of a 6-inch pan, which means your cake will be half the height. Given how thin it is, you would really need to crank the heat in order to get it browned before it cooks all the way through. I'd recommend doubling the recipe if you don't have a smaller pan.
Tin says
HI Marc, I am new to baking. If I double the recipe, does that affect the baking time or same baking time for a 6-inch pan?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Tin, if you're new to baking I highly recommend you try making the recipe as is. Even if you make the recipe as is, different ovens have different baking times, so you'll need to keep an eye on it and adjust the temperature up or down to get a good color without overcooking the center. But at least then you'll know to shoot for a time of between 20-25 minutes. If you change the amount, you're going to have to figure out both the time and temperature for your oven.
Sharefah says
Hi. Can i bake it without parchment paper?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Sharefah, you could, but you won’t get it out of the pan without the parchment paper as it very soft. You’ll probably need to serve it by scooping it out of the pan with a spoon.
Pedro says
Hello Marc and Sharefah! I did it in a non sticky small pan greased with butter since I didn´t have any parchment paper and couldn´t wait to do the recipe! Guess what: I was able to get it out of the pan (just turned it on a plate and then back to a second plate so it wasn´t upside down) and it worked out perfectly. Plus: the delicious brown crust was all around, not only on its top! I recomend giving it a try! It was a smaller version though - maybe that maneuver could break the tarta de queso (that´s how they call it in Spain) in a bigger version. Thank you for the great job
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Pedro, I'm glad to hear it worked out. Thank you for reporting back and letting us know!
Aafu says
Did you apply butter on the baking tin instead of using parchment paper?
Yumii says
Hi quick question, I would like to try and make this cake but I only have mascarpone cheese and ricotta cheese in my fridge and no cream cheese atm. Do you reckon I could use any of the two as substitute? And if yes, how much would I need of them in the recipe? Thanks 😊
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Yumii, I've never tried this with either, but they both should work as a 1 to 1 substitute. Let us know how it goes if you try one, or a mixture of both of them.
YUMII says
So I finally made it !! I used mascarpone as I thought it is smoother than ricotta. And it came out delicious!! 😍
It jiggled a lot when it came out of the oven. And then It set perfectly! I wish I could share the photo here!
Thank you so much for sharing the recipe Marc! 🙂
Marc Matsumoto says
You're welcome Yumii, I'm glad to hear it worked out! I'm gonna have to try this after things are back to normal and I can get to a place that carries mascarpone.
Jessica Formicola says
We made this cheesecake last night and it was incredible! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Marc Matsumoto says
You're welcome Jessica, thanks for taking the time to stop by and let me know you enjoyed it!
Erika says
I've never tried burnt cheesecake before, but it looks so good. Can't go wrong with cheesecake!
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks Erika, it sounds crazy at first, but I think of it like the creme brulee of cheesecake.
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry says
What a tasty looking cheesecake! I'd absolutely love a slice or two.
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks Bintu!
Jen says
The crust on top looks amazing! I can't believe I've never heard of this before. Thank you for enlightening me.
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks Jen! It's delicious by any standard, but if you factor in how easy it is to make, it's kind of ridiculous.
Ashley says
Thanks for all the great tips!!!
Marc Matsumoto says
You're welcome!
Zulkeflee says
Hi, what can i substitute for heavy cream? i read previous question regarding this but it doesnt answer much. Heavy cream is just harder to find at my place here, i looked up online that i can change it to milk and butter, is it applicable for this recipe? Also, can i use all purpose flour instead of cake flour?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Zulkeflee, you can replace it with whipping cream (or whatever the highest fat content cream you can find near you. I would not recommend using fat and butter as they are not emulsified and it could lead to a greasy cheesecake. As for the flour, all purpose, will work but the texture won't be as light. All-purpose flour has a higher gluten content then cake flour so when it is mixed vigorously (like in a blender) it forms a network of gluten that is what gives bread and noodles their chewy texture. That being said, this doesn't include a ton of flour so it shouldn't make enough of a difference that it would make this unpleasantly tough.
Zulkeflee says
Thanks for the respond! Will try the recipe soon
Veronica says
can i use ambiante non dairy dairy topping instead of heavy cream?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Veronica, I'm not familiar with ambiante non dairy dairy topping, but assuming it's something like Coolwhip, I'd say it's probably not a good idea. The main issue is that one of the reasons the cream is added is to serve as a liquid. In the case of Coolwhip it's a gum thickened emulsion which will not serve as a liquid.
Yun says
U can substitute it with evaporated milk too.
Lynnette says
i tried using Cooking Cream or Perfect Pasta from Emborg and both times the results is still great. Can even try to use plain yoghurt. Also, the cream by emborg is 200ml when my recipe required only 125ml. I used all 200ml and still turns out great 🙂
Natalie says
Hi, can I use a 8 inch cake pan?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Natalie, you could, but it will make it significantly thinner, which means it will cook through much faster, so in order to get the same amount of browning on top, you'll need to really crank the heat, otherwise you won't have the jiggly center.
Vivian says
Hi. What should the cooking time and temperature be for double the ingredients in your recipe? Thanks!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Vivian, unfortunately there's no straight-forward answer to that question as it will depend on the size of pan you use, and the type of oven you have. Assuming you're using a wider pan, you could try it at the same temperature and cook it for a little longer to account for the extra mass, but you will likely need to experiment a few times before you get it perfect.
Jenny says
Hi Marc,
If I double the recipe, what size pan and baking time would you advice please? Thank you
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jenny, the volume of my 6-inch pan is about 70 cubic inches and the amount of batter is perfect for this size. So if you're going to double it, shoot for a pan that's roughly 140 cubic inches (an 8-inch round pan that's 3-inches tall should be perfect). As for baking times, it's really going to depend on your oven. You can start it off at the recommended temperature and if it looks like it's browning too quickly, you can always turn it down. It will take a little longer to set, but it won't be double the time.
Natalie says
Thanks for the respond Marc. I tired this recipe with a 6inch pan and everyone enjoyed it. I have another question Marc, will it be possible to add in coffee liquor for this recipe?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Natalie, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it! There are a couple of ways you can integrate coffee liqueur. The first is to just drizzle it on top kind of like a sauce. The second way would be to add it to the batter, but you need to be careful not to add too much, or you might throw off the liquid to egg/flour ratio. That being said, I think you should be able to get away with adding a tablespoon or two.
Steph says
Hi, can I use brown sugar or monkfruit sweetner as a replacement? Thank you
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Steph, brown sugar will work, but it will turn the cheesecake brown. As for monkfruit sweetener, I've never tried it, but the sweetener doesn't contain sugar, which is what caramelizes and gives the top of the cheesecake it's color and caramel flavor, so I don't think it will work too well.
Steph says
Thanks for the response Marc! If I use white does it matter if it's castor or granulated? Thanks!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Steph, granulated will work fine. Caster sugar can have anti-caking agents mixed into it such as starch which could theoretically throw off the texture, so I would avoid that. Also, if you are looking to use a less processed sugar without turning the cake dark brown, I'd recommend using evaporated cane juice. It will still turn a light brown color, but it won't be nearly as intense as brown sugar, and I like the caramel flavor it adds.
Samantha says
Hey, I made mine with monk fruit sugar, it turned out great!
Icon says
Hi. What can I substitute for heavy cream? Thank you.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Icon, that depends on why you want to substitute? Can you tell me the reasoning and perhaps I can think of something.
Icon says
We only have one brand of heavy cream sold here in the Philippines and it’s out of stock right now. Usually what’s available and most accessible is all purpose cream. But I think it has less fat than heavy cream. Can I still use it as substitute? Also, mine turned out a little too sweet, can I omit the vanilla or add salt instead? Thank you.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Icon, a lower fat cream should work fine, but it won't be quite as rich. If you want to make it less sweet, cut back on the amount of sugar (vanilla extract doesn't include sugar so it shouldn't make a difference in sweetness). As for salt, different brands of cream cheese include different amounts of salt, so you can add more salt if you feel it needs it.
mms626 says
There are stores that sell a variety of creams, imported of course. I use Emborg whipping cream and it works fine 🙂 You can find that in most groceries.
SweetRue says
I used all purpose cream plus 2 tbsp melted butter. Let the butter cool first before mixing with the all purpose cream.
Ivone says
Hey
I tried your recipe and it was a success with the whole family. We loved it and this will be a keepers dessert at our home 😋
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Ivone, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by to let me know. There's a lot of room for variation here both in flavorings (chocolate, matcha, almond, lemon, etc) as well as with the type of cheese (goat cheese, ricotta, etc), so I hope you have fun with it!
Yq says
Hi, I just tried this recipe using Kiri cheese! The texture came out great but I thought taste wise could be improved - perhaps more cheesy? Any suggestions, pl?:)
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Yq, I've seen variations made with other types of fresh cheese such as goat cheese which would make for a more intense cheese flavor. You could also try incorporating some savory cheese like comte or even a small amount of parmesan, but the original recipe for Basque cheesecake is made with just cream cheese.
YQ says
Great, thks Marc!
Febriani says
maybe you can try omitting the vanilla if you want a richer cheese taste
Tina says
Thanks! Followed this recipe and it turned out perfect.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Tina, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for reporting back!
Che says
how many cups of cake flour?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Che, flour is an ingredient that can be compressed so measuring it with spoons/cups is a bad idea. Depending on the shape of your measuring device, and the way you load it, it can hold +/-30% from the actual amount you want. As you can imagine such a big difference can cause the recipe to not turn out. Please go pick up a scale, they're less than $10 on Amazon.
Georgina says
Hey Marc!
Thank you for all your inspirational recipes! It always makes me want to cook. Just a quick question... if I don’t have deep cake pans, do you think that dividing them into muffin tins would work too?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Georgina, You could use muffin pans, but I think you'll run into 2 problems. The first is that it will be extremely difficult to get parchment paper to stay inside the muffin tin. You could try using a cup or something that fits inside the cups perfectly to try and press them into place, but I think they'll have a tendency to float up. Muffin liners will work, but they'll stick to the cake, so you won't be able to peel them without having the cake fall apart (it is very soft even after being set). Probably the best option here is to bake them in single serving ramekins like a soufflé and just serve them out of the ramekins with a spoon. The second issue is that a muffin tin (or ramekins) holds less volume than a 6-inch cake pan, so they will cook through much faster. But the surface will still take around 20 minutes to take on the much color. The way around it is to turn up the heat, but you'll need to experiment to find that right balance of burning the top, but having the center remain giggly. Good luck!
Antonia Wong says
Hi, first off I'm super excited to see a recipe from you for one of my favourite desserts! Quick question- can I replace the cake flour with farine de blé? Thanks!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Antonia, to be honest, I have no idea. You want to use a finely milled flour with low gluten content. I've never worked with farine de blé and I couldn't find much information on it online, but if it has a gluten content under 8% you should be good.
Foodiemap says
Hi, farine de blé is essentially all purpose flour so yes, you can
Marsha cino says
I’ve made this cake 4 times now. 3x with 1:1 GF flour and another time with corn starch. Both amazing!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Marsha, I'm so glad to hear you've been enjoying this! Thanks for sharing the flour substitutes you've tried!