Basque Burnt Cheesecake
A crustless cheesecake baked hot enough to blacken the top on purpose, kept jiggly and loose in the center instead of set firm.
- Serves
- 8
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Written
Method
-
Heat the oven to 475°F and line a 9-inch springform pan with one large sheet of parchment, pressed into the corners so the edges stand up well above the rim.
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Beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth, scraping the bowl until no lumps remain.
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Add the eggs one at a time, beating just until each disappears into the batter before adding the next.
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Beat in the cream, vanilla, and salt, then sift in the flour and mix until the batter pours like heavy cream.
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Pour into the prepared pan and bake until the top is deeply browned, almost black in spots, and the center wobbles like loose gelatin when the pan is nudged.
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Cool at room temperature for an hour, then chill uncovered for at least 6 hours before peeling back the parchment and slicing.
Notes
The scorched top isn’t a mistake to work around — it’s the point. Skip the water bath and the low-and-slow instinct that governs most baked custards, and let the high heat do two things at once: cure a bittersweet, almost-burnt crust on top while leaving the center closer to underbaked than set. That center is what makes the slice taste creamy instead of dry; if it looks fully firm when it comes out, it’s gone too far.
It needs the full chill before it’s sliceable — warm, it’s closer to a spoonable pudding than a cake. Eat it plain, or with nothing more than a spoonful of macerated berries on the side so the burnt edge stays the loudest flavor on the plate. It keeps four days in the fridge and is arguably better on the second.