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Basque-Style Cheesecake
Created in the 1990s by Spanish chef Santiago Rivera, Basque cheesecake, or tarta de queso vasca, has garnered global acclaim for its blistered, “burnt” surface and creamy-smooth center. The crustless cake bakes in a parchment-lined pan in a hot oven—no water bath needed—until the center is just barely set. Room-temperature dairy is key for ensuring a lump-free batter, but then thoroughly chilling the batter (at least 6 hours) before baking allows the cake to spend enough time in a hot oven to achieve dramatic coloring without overcooking. After much trial and error, we found that the style of springform pan makes a huge difference in how the cake bakes. For a pan with a light-colored finish, bake at 450°F; for a dark-colored pan, such as nonstick, 425°F is best. Start checking doneness after 40 minutes; a digital thermometer is best for testing the temperature. The cake keeps well in the refrigerator for at least three days. Basque cheesecake sometimes is served at room temperature, but we prefer it with a bit of a chill.
12 to 16
Servings
Tip
Don’t begin making the batter until the cream cheese, eggs and crème fraîche are at room temperature. Also, be sure to use the paddle attachment, not the whisk, to avoid incorporating excess air into the batter. Finally, don’t be alarmed by how jiggly the cheesecake is when it comes out of the oven. As it cools and chills, it will set up beautifully.
1 hour
20 minutes active, plus cooling and chilling
Ingredients
-
4
large eggs, plus 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
-
321
grams (1½ cups) white sugar
Directions
-
01In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the whole eggs and yolks. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the sugar, lemon zest and salt on low until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the cream cheese and beat on medium-low until no lumps remain, 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the bowl and paddle attachment a few times. With the mixer on low, slowly add the beaten eggs in 4 or 5 additions, occasionally scraping the bowl and mixing after each addition until fully incorporated, 15 to 20 seconds, before adding more. Scrape the bowl. With the mixer on low, add the crème fraîche a spoonful at a time. Detach the bowl from the mixer and stir with a silicone spatula, making sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.
Reviews
July 8, 2026
Fave cheesecake ever
I made this for the first time two days ago and it will forever be my favourite cheesecake. It is so incredibly creamy and not too sweet. I just love it.
April 24, 2026
Delicious and Simple
I am not a cheesecake maker, but I wanted to make one for a friend’s birthday so I took a chance. I could have left it in for a couple more minutes to firm up the center a but more (even though the thermometer said I was good). I also had a light pan but cooked at 425 and maybe I’ll go with the 450 next time, but more likely I’ll give it those few more minutes instead. Also considering using orange zest the next time around just to experiment. Was great with fresh sliced strawberries.
March 25, 2026
The best cheesecake
This is outstanding. Can it be made in advance and frozen or refrigerated? Please advise for making a week or a few days in advance. Thank you.
February 12, 2026
A Real Winner
I made this cheescake but I didn't have any crème fraîche so I substituted sour cream. Came out great! This will be my goto recipe!
December 22, 2025
Crowd pleaser!
Unless I'm serving a large crowd, I prefer to divide the recipe between two 6"x3" cake pans. This way, I serve one and gift the other. Mine are done in about 30-35 minutes.
Also, I've bothered with springform pans. I've been able to pull the cheesecake out of regular pans by grasping the parchment paper edges.
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