Burnt Basque Cheesecake Recipe, San Sebastián – La Viña
Last summer I found my all-time favourite European beach-city – Donostia-San Sebastián. Blessed with a breathtaking stretch of uninterrupted coastline, featuring white sands and surfer-friendly waves of Playa de la Concha. A 2-hour hike up and over several luscious green hills eastward gives you a panoramic view of the sun-kissed coastline, after which you will arrive at the charming fishing village of Pasaia. The natural beauty of San Sebastian is worth a visit in its own right but even this cannot compare with the real treasure this place holds – FOOD.
Jump to RecipeSan Sebastián has the most Michelin stars per capita than anywhere else in the world. However, the city is better known for its bar hopping activity: PINTXOS, all day err day. The concept resembles a street food market, except that the food stalls are actually decent restaurant bars and the street food comes in the form mini gourmet bar snacks… I guess it is not equivalent to a street food market after all!
Anyway, I was strongly encouraged to try the cheesecake from one of the older pintxos bar in the heart of San Sebastián town, La Viña, on the basis that this cheesecake would change my life. To be completely honest, I was skeptical. The bar definitely gave a very exciting first impression, with tins and tins of freshly baked cheesecake all over the open kitchen counter bars and the aroma of freshly-baked cheesecake thick in the air. The thing that caught my attention immediately was that the cheesecakes all looked kinda burnt, with burnt parchment paper linings standing at least 4 inches above the tin. We came in with high expectations, and this was enough to leave me and my boyfriend sufficiently mindblown!
The famous burnt basque cheesecake has that “don’t-eat-burnt-parts-as-they-give-you-cancer” taste from its overbaked caramelized exterior, coupled with the soft creamy texture. It was the best cheesecake I have ever had! We went back to La Viña 3 times in the span of 3 days. However, the bar was closed (Mondays) during our final visit before we were due to leave San Sebastián. I then made a promise (to my glutton boyfriend) that I would try my best to decipher this age-old recipe and replicate this amazing cheesecake.
Essential!
When baking the cheesecake, it is very important that the top of the cheesecake has a dark brown burnt colour. Not light brown, not black, but dark brown. The freshly baked cheesecake would have risen to the top of the pan, jiggling away as you shake the tin. I highly recommend that the cheesecake be cooled completely, for at least 2-3 hours. Otherwise, the taste of the cheese will be lost due to the overpowering heat, leaving only the burnt, slightly bitter caramelized flavour.
Cheesecakes are very delicate cakes, kinda like a souffle. You want them to rise at a good pace and not too rapidly, otherwise there will be cracks on the sides. Do precaution steps to avoid too much incorporation of air bubbles into the batter (see recipe notes below).
Let me know how it goes!
Happy baking 🙂
Burnt Basque Cheesecake, La Viña, San Sebastián
Ingredients
Room Temperature Ingredients:
- 1 kg Philadelphia cream cheese , soften
- 320 g Sugar
- 480 ml Heavy cream
- 5 Large eggs
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 30 g All-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius fan-assisted. Grease and line a 9-inch springform pan, allowing the parchment papers to cover at least 3 inches above the pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the room temperature cream cheese with a electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. Add the sugar and salt and beat until the texture of the batter is smooth.
- Add the eggs into the mixture one-by-one and whisk until just incorporated before adding the next egg. Next, add the heavy cream and continue whisking.
- Sift the flour into the mixing bowl and fold it in with a spatula.
- Pour the batter into the pan and bake for around 52-55 minutes in the preheated oven, no longer than 55 minutes – it's ok that the cake is wobbly (read blogpost). Do keep an eye from the 50th-minute onward, making sure that the top of the cheesecake is browned enough. (I like to switch on my oven grill+fan mode on after the 50th minute)
- Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely, around 2hours. **
Notes
38 Comments
Ling
Hi there! Is there any possibility to turn this recipe into keto version? 😃
Anonymous
Fantastic! Have eaten San Sebastián cheesecake all over but never thought to make it. Recipe was spot on, and stress free to make. Made it ahead of time and kept it in the fridge a couple of days. Was gorgeous – a real winner! Thanks for the inspiration
Katrina Manalac
I LOOOOVE THIS RECIPE!! I know it says to serve room temperature but can I keep this in the fridge to prevent from spoiling? And what’s the shelf life
The Real Person!
I’m glad you love it! I always keep mine in the fridge as I prefer it cold actually 😛 You can keep it in the fridge for around 1 week, but try to keep it in an airtight container. If you want to leave it at room temperature, I’d leave it max for 2 days only.
Preetee
Hi Just wondering if this cake can be made in a 8” inch pan?
What temperature would you do it on if can use the 8 inch pan. Thanks
The Real Person!
yes you can! Just don’t overfill your pan cause the cake does rise quite a bit. I’d keep the temperature and reduce the baking time to around >45 minutes, but keeping an eye for that browning of the cake.
Kitty
what kind of flour should be used?
The Real Person!
all purpose flour
Anonymous
Hi, if I’m using a toaster oven, what is the temperature and time for baking?
The Real Person!
same temperature and baking time as the recipe!
Virgini
Hi can i use double cream
The Real Person!
yes you can.
Amal
I tried this recipe and it was the best cheesecake I’ve ever had! Absolutely loved it!!! So rich and creamy, it has a class of its own. Tastes perfect even without any berries or anything else.
Thanks for the recipe!
카지노 룰렛
Best view you can finde , in this side of world!
Tammy
A couple of questions:
1. Regardless of how much I’ve tried tweaking the recipe (less flour, more eggs, less time in the oven), the center always comes out more solid than I’d like. I’m looking to achieve a semi-molten center. Any recommendations?
2. Why is there a syrupy liquid that forms at the bottom, between the side and the baking paper. It’s quite a lot, so I usually tilt the cheesecake (with the plate underneath it) to move all the syrup to one side, and then let it get absorbed into a napkin.
The Real Person!
Hi Tammy 🙂
1. If you’re looking for a more molten center, I’d actually try adding a little more cream, increase the temperature (maybe 215-220 degrees) and reduce the oven time as well.
2. The syrup sounds like the cheese may have split a little actually. Was your cream cheese softened / at room temperature?
Tammy
I’ll try your recommendations. Thanks!
The cheese is usually softened through the constant mixing and whisking but I would say the batter overall when poured into the pan is usually still somewhat cool. Could that be the reason?
CC
Not sure why my cheesecake came out watery/oily at the bottom and texture was not smooth/runny but more egg custardy, despite following the instructions 🙁
The Real Person!
There’s quite a chance that the cheesecake could have been overbaked. Ovens can be quite unpredictable, it may come out hotter than expected. Suggest getting an oven thermometer
Anonymous
Hi S,
Can I use the exact recipe to make Burnt Match Cheesecake? How much do I have to put for the Matcha powder?
Thanks! 😉
YL
The Real Person!
Hi YL! 🙂 I’m sure you can. I’d add reduce the flour to 25g and add around 12g of matcha powder.
Anonymous
Thank you so much, S! ^.^
Ivan
Hey S thank you for your post. Firstly I was looking for something else re San Sabastian and had saw Basque cheese cake. I happened to click on your blog and as I was reading I had realized that we had also been to La Vina – while in San Sebastian. We were amazed in the amount of cheese cakes that were sitting on the bar. And like you high expectations and they were surpassed…….. their Pintxos are also Awesome….. Thank you for sharing. I look forward to making this wonderful recipe…… and enjoying the result and to re live that moment.
Sean
If you bake this cheesecake for 50+ minutes, doesn’t is bake all the way through? The cheesecake we had in San Sebastián had a slightly runny center and was marvelous. The recipe we were given by the tour guide recommended a very similar recipe but a cook time of only 22 minutes at 500° F.
The Real Person!
I suppose you are right that they are much runnier indeed. I bake it at a slightly lower temperature for a slightly longer baking time for a slower “burning” of the cake. It’s still really creamy, but it’s not wet. If you do try 22 minutes at 500, let me know how it goes 🙂
Carolyn
Hi S! The cake looks really delicious! Was wondering if this can be done with an oven without fan?
The Real Person!
Hi Carolyn, yes you can use an oven without a fan! I would raise the temperature to 215 degrees celsius on a conventional (no fan) oven. Good luck!
Carolyn
Thank you for your reply! 🙂
Erika
What kind of sugar did you use? Just normal sugar? Or does it have to be caster/confectioners sugar?
The Real Person!
I used caster sugar! Granulated sugar is fine as well.
Zieqahs
Hi S, is it possible to halves the ingredients for a small portion cheesecake?
The Real Person!
Hello Zieqahs, I haven’t tried it myself so can’t comment much. Even though it’s usually not quite recommended, I think it should be fine 🙂 Use a smaller springform pan though, maybe 6 inches. Also, reduce the baking time to 45-50 minutes instead. Over-baking cheesecakes will cause the cheese to split and result in a wet cake.
Victor
Caramelised on the outside, pillowy-soft on the inside. Brought me back to San Sebastián!
The Real Person!
yay, that’s great! 🙂
Ashley
This recipe is very creamy, very delicous. Leaving it after 3 hours to cool makes it even better! Thank you S 🙂
The Real Person!
I’m glad you like it! 🙂
Joelin
I think your burnt cheesecake looks great! Though would suggest darker brown for more caramalising effect. Great work! 🙂
The Real Person!
I very much agree. The pictures may come off a bit light in colour, but I made sure in my recipe to alter for that. 🙂