Mini Basque Cheesecake

The burnt basque cheesecake originating from San Sebastion in Spain is now a worldwide dessert. This is the mini version, a smooth and creamy cheesecake with a slightly charred and bitter top. Perfect for 2-4 people or just yourself!

I know that basque cheesecakes blew up last year and I’m a little late to the trend, but I still wanted to make a contribution to the 1000s of cheesecake recipes that have been uploaded. That being said, out of the 1000s of cheesecake recipes there wasn’t a mini cheesecake recipe, so here it is! The size of these makes them so cute, but the unique texture of the basque cheesecake with a firmer edge and softer centre isn’t lost.

I find it so fascinating how a cheesecake without a base, toppings or sides can create a dessert that is so deep in terms of flavour and texture. To be honest I was a little hesitant when first recreating the cake. I was like “uh… no crust? but that’s what makes a cheesecake…”. Whoops I was wrong. The slightly charred top gives the cake a little smokiness that pairs so well with the creaminess of the cheese. And the textures of the soft creamy centre with the firmer outside…. why do other cheesecakes even exist. I honestly think I have found my ultimate cake.

Because there are no fancy twists it makes this cheesecake so easy its not even funny. Literally slap all the ingredients in a bowl and pop it in the oven. The hardest part is probably waiting overnight for it to set before you can eat it!

Perfecting the flavour of the burnt basque cheesecake

Vanilla

Flavour wise there is one thing I found that made a huge difference to its overall taste. Vanilla. For the first few tries I used some lemon zest. Nope. Took away from the cheesy creamy taste. Then my regular supermarket vanilla extract. It was okay. Way better than the lemon for sure, but it could be better.

When making this cheesecake vanilla is definitely needed as it takes away some of the eggy taste and enhances the cheeeese, but using vanilla bean paste is what I found made the biggest difference.

To be honest I never really thought about the kind of vanilla in my desserts. I just used whatever I had on hand and that tended to be some artificial vanilla flavouring… that was until I was on Zumbo’s Just Desserts. It was then I used my first ever vanilla bean… I was never the same…. Let’s just say I am now officially a vanilla snob.

The Cheese

I didn’t think too much of the type of cream cheese when testing this recipe. Because I bake so much I reach for the more budget friendly options 😅, which tend to be homebrand… But while I was testing this recipe those cream cheeses didn’t have that “cheesiness” that I was looking for.

After some research I found that in San Sebastian they use Philadelphia cream cheese. Not some fancy cheese from their region, but something we all have easy access to in the supermarkets too! Trust me, using the right cheese was a game changer and you’ll love this cake even more.

Tips on Creating the Perfect Burnt Basque Cheesecake

As this is such a simple recipe it relies heavily on two things: the ingredients and the texture. The ingredients we addressed above, but when it comes to texture you need to have that slightly softer and creamy centre whilst also have a charred top.

• Using room temperature ingredients
  • The texture of the cheesecake relies on the bake time, so having room temperature ingredients ensures that we have optimal control over the baking
  • If your ingredients are cold it will take longer for the inside of the cheesecake to cook and could result in an overbaked exterior
• The jiggle!
  • When testing the doneness of the cheesecake the jiggle is a good gage
  • It should be slightly firm with a good wobble (check the video out to see what that perfect jiggle is!)
• Placing the cheesecake in the fridge to cool completely
  • This step is important as it stops the cooking process. While the cake is cooling it is still warm, so it will continue to cook the centre of the cake. If we let it sit at room temperature after baking we won’t have the soft and creamy interior we are looking for!

Let’s get baking

I hope you like this recipe! I’ve posted a video up on my YouTube channel to help you through the steps and give you a good visual representation of that cheesecake jiggle, hope it helps~ As always, tag me on instagram @catherine.justdessertsau and hashtag #cattycakes so I can find and share your creations. Happy caking!

Mini Basque Cheesecake Recipe

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