What is Basque Burnt Cheesecake (Tarta de Queso)?
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 bronzed surface on top and a rich custardy center, this cheesecake from the Basque region of Spain has become a favorite in our household and around the world. In Japan, Basque burnt cheesecake can be found everywhere, from konbinis to cafés, bakeries and restaurants. My easy burnt cheesecake recipe makes producing a restaurant-quality dessert simple and easy.
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Why My Recipe Works
- Mixing the batter in a blender is easy and ensures there are no lumps. You can also do this by hand or using a stand mixer.
- I keep the amount of flour to a minimum to ensure 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 Burnt 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 brûlée.
Ingredients for Basque Burnt Cheesecake
- Cream Cheese - As the name implies, cream cheese is the backbone of this decadent dessert, providing a rich, tangy base. For the best results, use full-fat cream cheese. I also recommend using a European-style cream cheese like Kiri (the brand I use). If you can't find it, an American-style cream cheese like Philadelphia will work, too.
- Cream - The cream is added to achieve the luxuriously creamy center of this Basque cake. It loosens up the cream cheese while adding fat. "Heavy cream" is the designation in the US for cream that includes more than 36% butterfat. I used a cream with 47% fat for a rich custardy cake. If you want a lighter cake, use a lower-fat whipping cream or even half and half. One thing to be careful of is cream with thickeners like gums or gelatin. Although I have yet to try it, I have received a few reports of this recipe not working out when prepared with these products.
- Sugar - Sugar not only sweetens the cake, but also aids in caramelizing the top, providing that iconic burnt finish of the Basque cheesecake original recipe. I usually use granulated sugar, but you can experiment with other sweeteners like maple or brown sugar. Liquid sweeteners like honey or maple syrup can be used, but you'll need to adjust the amount (they tend to be sweeter than white sugar), and you'll also need to adjust the amount of cream to compensate for the extra liquid.
- Eggs - The eggs bind the ingredients together, contributing to the cheesecake's structure. They also help create the silky, custardy texture that Basque Burnt Cheesecake is known for.
- Flour - The flour in the recipe also lends structure to this easy burnt cheesecake recipe. I use cake flour because of its lower protein content, but all-purpose flour will work in a pinch. Some readers have also reported success substituting starch for flour to make a gluten-free cheesecake
- Vanilla Extract - A touch of real vanilla extract enhances the flavors of the cream cheese and egg in this recipe, but other flavorings such as almond or lemon extract will work for a different twist, and you can also add powdered flavorings like cocoa powder or matcha.
How to Make Burnt Basque Cheesecake
Line your cake pan with a sheet of parchment paper. This Basque Burnt Cheesecake recipe makes enough batter for a 6-inch round pan that's at least 2.5 inches tall. I like using a pan with a removable bottom because you can use it to mold the paper to the pan.
For the cheesecake batter, blend the cream cheese, cream, sugar, eggs, cake flour, and vanilla extract until smooth and free of lumps. If you don't have a blender, a stand mixer will work. You could also mix the ingredients together in a bowl, but you want to be careful to get all the lumps out without introducing much air.
Once your cream cheese mixture is velvety smooth, rest in the fridge for about 20 minutes. This allows the air bubbles to rise and pop. Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C). Most ovens don't have an accurate thermostat, so you may need to experiment to find the right temperature and baking time for your setup to get a bronzed surface while retaining a creamy center.
When your oven is preheated, pour the batter into the prepared pan. To remove any remaining air bubbles, firmly tap the pan onto a kitchen towel. Set the pan on another pan to catch any spills, and place it in your oven. Bake your cheesecake until the surface of the batter has a burnt appearance, but the center is still jiggly.
After baking, let the burnt cheesecake cool on a rack before refrigerating it overnight. The resting time allows the cheesecake to be fully set while allowing the flavors to meld. When it's time to serve it, use a long, sharp knife to slice it. Dip the knife in hot water between slices to ensure your cuts are nice and clean.
Easy Dessert Recipes
- Matcha Burnt Cheesecake (Green Tea Flavor)
- Chocolate Mug Cake
- 5 Minute Sticky Toffe Pudding
- Molten Chocolate Omelette
- Key Lime Pie
- Blueberry Olive Oil Cake
Recipe
Best Burnt Basque Cheesecake
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
Why it works- Preheat the oven to the 450°F (230°C).
- 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 226 grams cream cheese, 1 cup heavy cream, 100 grams granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 15 grams cake flour, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 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 but this will vary on your oven (see headnotes above for more information). 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.
Nutrition Facts
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FAQ
Although the name suggests a long history, Basque Burnt Cheesecake was created in 1990 by chef Santiago Rivera of La Viña in San Sebastian, Spain. According to interviews, Rivera wanted 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 now 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 I can say from comparing nutrition labels that San Millan has two and a half times the amount of salt as Philly, and it contains about 40% less fat. I've made this using Philadelphia as well as Kiri (a French brand); they're both delicious (though I prefer using Kiri). If you go with Philadelphia, I recommend adding a pinch of salt.
All-purpose flour has a higher gluten content than cake flour. Gluten is a protein that forms long chains when hydrated, giving bread and noodles a chewy texture. You don't want cakes to get chewy, which is why low-protein cake flour is used. That being said, this easy burnt cheesecake recipe uses a small enough amount of flour that the type you use probably won't make that big of a difference.
Basque Cheesecake is burnt by the standards of regular cheesecake, but it's not cooked so long that the top turns to carbon. Two non-enzymatic browning reactions are happening here. The first is the caramelization of the sugar, which creates aromatic compounds such as Diacetyl and Maltol, giving the top caramel flavor. The second is Maillard browning, which is a reaction between the proteins in the cream cheese and sugars, which creates additional flavor compounds and the taste of umami. This is why the seemingly burnt layer on top tastes so good.
Every recipe has its 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, so I usually let it sit for about 20 minutes before pouring 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 is to get a burnt hue shy of carbon black before the center of the cake is fully set. This 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. If you don't have a convection oven (i.e., no fan moving the air), I'd recommend going with the high-temperature, something closer to 250 C (480 F).
Also, it's important to remember that ovens are notorious for having inaccurate thermostats, so you may need to experiment to find the right temperature and time. 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 longer.
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, so you'll need to eat it straight out of the pan with a spoon. Covering and refrigerating the cake overnight allows the center to firm up.
This Basque burnt cheesecake recipe was made for a 6-inch x 2.5-inch cake pan with a removable bottom, but a similarly sized springform pan will also work. A small, deep 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 paper, which would be prone to leaking. The removable bottom is not essential, but 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. My pan holds a volume of about 70 cubic inches. If you use a larger diameter pan, it holds more volume, so you will end up with a thinner cheesecake that cooks faster. Since it will still take the same amount of time to brown the top, you will need to increase the oven temperature to make it brown before the cheesecake gets overcooked. I recommend increasing the ingredients if you use an 8-inch pan or larger; 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 found that 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 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 been set, the steam escapes when the heat is gone, and the cake will sink into 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. 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 the center stays rare.
Christina says
This is delicious and couldn't be easier to make. You don't need to let the ingredients come to room temp, so you literally put everything into the blender and let sit for 20 minutes while the oven heats up, no crust. That's it!
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks Christina, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Jo says
This recipe is divine!! I think I may have slightly over cooked the cake to get the top brown, but it was still amazing 😍
I also appreciated the small size, as there's only 2 of us lol
Merry Christmas 🎁 ⛄ Everyone
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jo, I'm happy to hear you enjoyed it! Ovens all tend to have a personality so you may need to increase the temperature on yours to get it to brown faster. I hope you have a wonderful 2026!
GeeWhy says
Can you recommend a compote to go with this cheesecake?
Marc Matsumoto says
It's not a compote, but I like to serve this with https://norecipes.com/raspberry-coulis/ if I'm going to serve it with something fruity.
Cheenee Kamo says
I wanted to make a large batch of basque cheesecake. Should I triple the recipe and then pour it into three different pans, or should I make three single recipes?
Furthermore, the ingredients in your recipe are listed as cold, yet other recipes call for room temperature. What's the difference, and which makes the cheesecake better?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Cheenee, bringing the ingredients to room temperature is necessary if you're hand mixing the batter, but it makes no difference in this recipe since it is mixed in the blender. I prefer using cold ingredient because it makes a thicker batter.
As for tripling the recipe, if your blender will hold tripe the amount of ingredients you can mix it all at once, but I would highly recommend making the actual cheesecakes in 3 separate pans.
Delie Dell Chua says
I love your recipes! Been following them for a while.
It all started with your matcha desserts recipes!
Thanks you for sharing!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Delie, I'm happy to hear you've been enjoying my recipes. Thanks for letting me know!
Nellie says
I made this, and I loved it! It was creamy and heavenly. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I have a question. If I wanted it to have a lemony flavor, how much lemon zest or lemon juice should O use? Would they change the texture? I don't like the taste of lemon extract.
Marc Matsumoto says
I Nellie, lemon zest works great in here (I usually do it with Meyer lemons). The zest of 1/2 a lemon should be plenty, but you can adjust to suit your personal preferences.
lorelei says
I liked how there where a lot of simple ingredients at the end it was so good mine had a bit of a lemon flavor witch was weird
Marc Matsumoto says
I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it. As for the lemon flavor, there aren't any ingredients in this that would make it taste like lemon. Did you use a flavored cream cheese? Or did you make something with lemon in it in the blender or cake pan before?
Grace says
Been making this recipe, always turns out yummy. Thanks for sharing.
Marc Matsumoto says
I'm happy to hear it Grace! Thanks for taking the time to let you me know!
Joyous_Valkyrie says
Will definitely be making this again - it was so easy! My blender is at least 50 years old, and it didn't have any difficulty with the batter which was a pleasant surprise. It usually struggles.
I did double the ingredients and used an 8-inch springform pan because the only other option was a 6-inch pan with 2-inch walls (and I wasn't ready for an overflow adventure). It was a good decision.
Our parchment paper was rated to 425 degrees F, so I chanced it and baked at 450F for the 22 minutes and cranked it up to 480F for 10 minutes with constant supervision. I pulled it out when it was a little less brown than the pictures here, but I was getting nervous the parchment paper would start an oven fire. Next time, I'll look at the parchment paper box before purchasing to make sure it will work.
Overall, the recipe is fantastic, and I'm hoping it will become a holiday tradition in my family. Thank you so much for sharing!
Marc Matsumoto says
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed this! Thank you for giving a detailed account of the changes you made as it will help others in the future!
Jac says
Which ingredients should I use for 9 inch tin, X2 or X3? Thank you
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Jac, please check the FAQ section which has information about cake pan size. My 6-inch pan holds 70 cubic inches of batter, a 9x3" pan will hold 190 cubic inches.
Jac says
Have tried and all friends comment that it so yummy.
Thank you ❤️
Marc Matsumoto says
I'm happy to hear you all enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
Isabella says
Hi, do you know if it's possible to substitute the granulated sugar for powdered sugar? It's what I have at home
Marc Matsumoto says
Powdered sugar usually contains some anti-caking agent (check the ingredient label). If it contains some kind of starch (like potato starch or corn starch), you want to increase the amount of sugar by about 5% (i.e. 105 grams instead of 100), and reduce the amount of starch by about 1/3 (10 grams instead of 15). I hope that helps!
Td says
I love this recipe! It’s my go to and it turns out yummy each time. Sometimes I underbake it so it’s extra creamy inside. Even when it’s overcooked its still good.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Td, glad to hear you're been enjoying this. Thank you for taking the time to let me know. I'm with you on undercooking it!
Anin says
This cake is a crowd pleaser EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
Marc Matsumoto says
I'm so happy to hear it!
Kathy Stroup says
Another perfect cheesecake! I've lost count of how many I've made. Thank you, Marc!😊🧀🎂💖
Marc Matsumoto says
You've definitely made this more than I have😅 Happy you're still enjoying it!
Joel says
Hello, i tried making it recently and it turned out really well. i just added abut half to 3/4 cup of yuzu extract instead of vanilla extract. It solidified well but could be better if more cornstarch or cake flour is used.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Joel, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it! 3/4 cup of yuzu juice would definitely make it more loose due to all the extra liquid. I'd recommend either cutting back on the juice, or adding more egg to help make it set.
Joel says
Hello may i know if i want to make a yuzu version of this cheesecake do i just add in yuzu juice or will it affect the whole recipe?
been baking this cheesecake quite a number of times and do want to try making a few different versions like matcha or chocolate.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Joel, good question! When I do variations I usually use powders. With yuzu juice there are a couple things. The first is that it's a liquid so it might effect the ability for the cheesecake to solidify, but on the flip side, yuzu juice is acidic, which tends to make dairy clot (this is how posset works https://norecipes.com/yuzu-posset-recipe/) so you might be okay. If you end up giving it a try I'd love to hear how it goes.
Denise says
May I know which type of cream you are referring to? Is it heavy cream? Also, can I confirm if 1 cup is equal to 240g? Additionally, do you have any recommended brands? Thank you
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Denise, thanks for the comment. I'm based in Japan so I don't think the brand of cream will help you much, but please read more about the type of cream I used in the headnotes. As for the measurement, 1 US cup = 240 milliliters. 240ml of water is equivalent to 240 grams, but because cream has a different density it's not a 1:1 conversion. That's why I recommend using a volumetric measurement like cups or ml to measure liquid ingredients.
Dana says
Hi! I tried your recipe and it was a fail 😔. I underbaked it as I was scared to over bake and removed it at 26 minutes.I doubled your recipe, using a 9” spring form pan.
Since you mentioned that baking time might vary, what should I check for, other than it being jiggly? The burnt color ?
And Is this the Kiri cream cheese you are suggesting to use ? Thank you 😊
https://www.migros.ch/de/product/212802100000
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Dana, I'm sorry to hear it didn't work out. Was it still runny after chilling it overnight? The packages of Kiri we get here in Japan are a little different (only 6 to a pack and they're 16.3 grams per block), but it looks similar (though yours appear to be 18 grams per block). Ideally the cake should be coffee brown on top with the sides set but the center still very jiggly. This is effected by time, temperature and the thickness of the cake (which is effected by the amount of batter you make the size of the pan). Another more reliable alternative could be to check for the internal temperature of the cake, but I've never done it this way so can't say for certain. Eggs set at a temperature of between 63-65C so my guess is that you would want to aim for this.
Rose says
Can i use all purpose flour instead of cake flour? If yes could u give me the measurement for apf?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Rose, it will effect the texture a little, but you can use APF. No need to make any changes in the amount as it's a relatively small quantity.
Stephanie Arce says
Made this last night for my first family dinner of 2024 and it turned out perfectly! I used a 7” pan since that’s what I had, and had to cook it longer than 22 minutes to get the burnt top, but aside from that everything else was followed to the gram.
So delicious, it’s a recipe I’m saving to reuse in a few days!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Stephanie, I'm happy to hear you enjoyed this so much! Ovens tend to vary in temperature (the thermostats are notoriously inaccurate), so good call adjusting the time. Next time you may want to try and set your oven temperature higher as a longer cooking time can sometimes overcook the center. I hope you and your family have a wonderful 2024!
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😄