Basque Burnt Cheesecake
Basque Burnt Cheesecake is a rustic dessert made with cream cheese, eggs, sugar and whipping cream, baked until deeply caramelised on top with a creamy, custardy centre. The Thermomix weighs every ingredient directly in the bowl and blends the batter until perfectly smooth, making this impressive Spanish classic surprisingly simple to prepare at home.
About this recipe
Basque Burnt Cheesecake Thermomix TM7 style brings the famous San Sebastián dessert straight into your kitchen with minimal effort. This rustic cheesecake recipe deliberately skips the biscuit base and the water bath: instead, the cream cheese batter is baked fiercely hot so the top burns to a deep mahogany while the centre stays wobbly and custardy. Searching for an easy showstopper dessert made in an all-in-one kitchen machine? This is it. The TM7 weighs the cream cheese, sugar and flour directly into the mixing bowl, melts the butter gently without splattering, and blends everything into a silky, lump-free batter in minutes. Heavy whipping cream and eggs give the interior its cloud-like richness, while a pinch of salt balances the caramel notes. Serve it at room temperature for the ideal texture, whether for a festive dinner, a birthday table or a Sunday treat with coffee.
Preparation tips
- Line the tin with two overlapping sheets of baking paper, crumpled first so they mould easily into the corners; this rustic, wrinkled look is characteristic of Basque cheesecake and prevents the batter from sticking.
- Take the cream cheese and eggs out of the fridge well ahead so they reach room temperature; cold cream cheese blends into the batter with lumps that are difficult to remove later.
- Serve the cheesecake only after it has cooled completely and rested, ideally a few hours or overnight in the fridge; the centre sets to a creamy custard and the caramelised flavour deepens considerably.
Recipe variations
- Lactose-free version: replace the cream cheese and heavy whipping cream with lactose-free alternatives widely available in supermarkets, and use plant-based butter; the burnt top and creamy centre remain virtually identical.
- Festive variation: add the zest of an orange and a teaspoon of cinnamon to the batter, or fold in dark chocolate chunks before baking for a Christmas-worthy twist on this Basque classic.
Thermomix TM7 Benefits
- Built-in scale - The TM7 weighs the cream cheese and sugar directly in the bowl to the exact gram. [Weighing]
- Gentle melting - The Thermomix melts the unsalted butter softly without splattering or burning it. [Heating]
- Silky batter - The TM7 mixes eggs, cream and flour into a completely lump-free cheesecake batter. [Mixing]
- Perfect cream - The Thermomix whips the heavy whipping cream to soft, even peaks for extra airy richness. [Whipping]
- Fine texture - The TM7 grinds the sugar to a finer crystal so it dissolves instantly into the batter. [Grinding]
Ingredients
- unsalted butter
- cream cheese
- sugar
- large eggs
- heavy whipping cream
- all-purpose flour
- vanilla extract (optional)
- salt