Basque Cheesecake

side view of a piece of cheesecake topped with silky bittersweet chocolate sauce

5 from 5 votes

Incredibly creamy, crustless burnt Basque Cheesecake with the uniquely caramelized crust and exquisite flavor. No hot water bath required!

Prep Time30

Cook Time55

Cooling2

Total Time3 25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Spain

Keyword: cheesecake, dessert

Servings:

Calories: 475kcal

Author: Tricia

Equipment

9-inch springform pan
parchment paper
14-cup food processor or electric mixer

Ingredients

unsalted butter for greasing the pan
1 ½ cups granulated sugar 335g
5 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks
32 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream (8oz)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup all-purpose flour (30g)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan. Crumple two 12x16-inch pieces of parchment paper into balls. Gently uncrumple then layer in the prepared pan. Overlap the parchment and press into the bottom and sides of the pan. Fold the overhanging parchment over the edge of the pan.
In the bowl of a large (14-cup) food processor combine the sugar, eggs and egg yolks. Process until the mixture is frothy and pale yellow, about 1 minute. Add the cream cheese, heavy cream, salt, vanilla and flour. Process until the cream cheese is broken into large even pieces, about 10 pulses. Continue processing until the mixture is completely smooth, about 45 to 60 seconds. Scrape down the side of the bowl and pulse again.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan set over a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the top of the cheesecake is deep chocolate brown and the edges are set, about 50 to 55 minutes. The center will be very jiggly. Keep your eye on the cheesecake as the browning can happen quickly.
Transfer to a wire rack and let the cheesecake cool in the pan for at least 2 hours. Remove the side of the pan and gently peel the parchment paper away from the cheesecake.
To serve run a large, thin, sharp knife under hot water and carefully wipe dry. Cut into slices repeating the process after each cut. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Cheesecake can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Allow the cheesecake to come to room temperature for an hour before serving.

Notes

Mixing process adapted from Cook’s Country. Inspiration for our recipe came from Cook’s Country, Bon Appetit and Serious Eats

For the Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce Recipe from Cook’s Illustrated:

3/4 cup heavy cream (6oz)
3 tablespoons light corn syrup (66g)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into three pieces
pinch of table salt
6 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine

Pour the cream, corn syrup, butter and salt in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil then remove from the heat. Add the chocolate and swirl the pan to combine. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes. Uncover and gently whisk just until blended. Serve warm. Store cooled sauce well sealed in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Reheat in the microwave at 50% power for 1 to 3 minutes.

Nutritional information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered as an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

Nutrition