Last year, I went to the Basque region of Spain and France, purely to eat. On a pintxo crawl in San Sebastián, Spain, I tried La Viña’s burnt Basque cheesecake – the one that put Basque cheesecake on the map and is world famous. It was incredible and one of the best desserts I’ve ever had. While tarta de queso translates to and is similar to American cheesecake, it has a very different taste and texture.

La Viña’s burnt Basque cheesecake is simple, yet perfect, made with only five ingredients. It’s also the easiest and quickest dessert to make at home. You put the ingredients into a blender, pour into a pan, and bake. It takes minimal effort, yet people think you’re God’s gift to earth when they try it. Enjoy!

P.S. You’ll need a kitchen scale (I can’t live without mine!) and a springform pan for this recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1 kg Philadelphia cream cheese (room temperature)

  • 500 ml heavy cream (room temperature)

  • 7 large eggs (room temperature)

  • 400 grams sugar

  • 1 tablespoon flour

Directions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F / 200°C.

  2. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, making sure the parchment rises about 2 inches above the top of the pan to hold the cheesecake in as it rises in the oven.

  3. Put all ingredients (make sure they’re at room temperature!) in a blender and blend until smooth.

  4. Pour into the parchment-lined pan and bake for 35-50 minutes.

    • If you want a runny center like at La Viña (see the second photo above), check at 35 minutes. If you want it more cooked through in the center, 40-45 minutes is the sweet spot. When it’s done, the cheesecake should look set on top but jiggle like jello when you move the pan (it will firm up as it cools in the fridge). It should also be caramelized and burnt looking around the edges (see the third photo above). If you’re not sure, bake longer in 5 minute increments. It’s better it be creamier in the center than dried out on the sides from overcooking.

  5. Take the cheesecake out of the oven and leave it at room temperature for about an hour.

  6. Move the cheesecake to the fridge to cool for several hours, preferably overnight. Once it has cooled completely, you can unmold the cheesecake from the pan and plate it. Make sure to let the cheesecake sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!