Basque Burnt Cheesecake recipe: A Spanish dessert treat for this Christmas

This Spanish treasure of cheesecake recipe is a trans-Atlantic alternative to the classic New York–style cheesecake, boasting a press-in cookie crust that will leave your guests pining for more.

It is inspired by a cheesecake from Spain’s Basque Country, an autonomous, coastal community located in the northern region of the Iberian peninsula.

Like a Crème Brule, this is a cheesecake that is intentionally cooked to get burnt, cracked, and cooked at high heat.

So don’t worry about overcooking—because that’s the idea! And don’t worry, ADN America is here to walk you through the steps.

First, make sure you’ve got some takers who want something tasty. We suspect this won’t be too difficult, especially as we get closer to the Christmas holidays and you’ll be spending time with loved ones.

Second, preheat your oven to 400 degrees with a rack in middle.

Third, butter a pan, and line it with 2 overlapping 16x12" sheets of parchment. The parchment should come at least two inches above top of pan on all sides, and it should be pleated and creased in some areas to fit in the pan.

Fourth, place the pan on a rimmed baking sheet.

Fifth, now for the messy part. Beat sugar and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer. Turn the fitted paddle attachment on medium low speed for about two minutes, and scrape down the sides of the bowl, until the mix is smooth.

Sixth, turn the speed from low to medium and add eggs—one at a time—making sure you beat each egg thoroughly. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and turn the mixer back to medium-low.

Seventh, add some cream, salt, and vanilla for about 30 seconds and beat them until they blend.

Eighth, turn off the mixer and sift the flour over the cream cheese mixer using a fine-mesh sieve. Continue beating on low speed for about 20 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl and beat until the batter is super smooth.

Ninth, pour that smooth batter into a pan and bake for about an hour or more until you see it blossom into a golden-brown cheesecake. Note: The cheesecake will be golden brown on top but still a little loose in its center.

Tenth: Now for the fun part. Let the cheesecake cool and unmold. Peel away the parchment from its sides and slice it. This cheesecake should be served at room temperature. If storing it for later, shield it and refrigerate it, but then let it sit out until it warms back up to room temperature.

While this little treasure takes a little time and effort, we can almost guarantee you will not regret the effort. As the French would say… Bon Appetit—or as we say in Spain… ¡Buen Provecho!

Here are the precise ingredients we recommend:

Unsalted butter for a 10-inch diameter springform pan.

Cream cheese

1.5 cups of sugar

6 large eggs

2 cups of heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon of kosher salt

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/3 of a cup of flour