Original Burnt Cheesecake from San Sebastian

Today you will get the best cheesecake from San Sebastian from the Basque country in the north of Spain. This tarta de queso is the same recipe as from the restaurant La Viña. It contains five ingredients: cream cheese, eggs, heavy cream, sugar, and a bit of flour. As the cake is baked at high heat (200-210 degrees Celsius), it has a caramelized (or burnt) surface and thus looks a lot like crème brûlée. Inside though it is extra creamy. As all ingredients only need to be mixed, it is pretty fool-proof and thus perfect for beginners. You may enjoy this cake plain or you can serve with some fruits and/or a fruit sauce. Below recipe is similar to the one from the restaurant, I only reduced the amount of sugar. Feel free to increase the amount if you wish to.

We were lucky enough to be in San Sebastian in May 2023 again and managed to eat this delicious cheesecake. Once the New York Times declared the burnt cheesecake the flavor of the year of 2021 and the restaurant was featured in a one-and-a-half long documentation in Japanese TV the same year, you probably will understand why it is in high demand. In this reel you will see how many of these cakes are sold in just one day. I myself baked this cake the first time while we were still on holiday. I mean, why not make it with Spanish ingredients when it is possible? My relatives devoured the cake within a day. As it is only the two of us when going back to Munich, I will for sure make a smaller version of it. I normally don’t like cheesecakes too much (I know I am crazy), but this creamy and wonderful cake also makes me happy.

Credit: Cocina familiar (in Spanisch)

Print Recipe

Burnt Cheesecake from San Sebastian

Serves: One 26cm/9 inch ∅ springform

Prep Time: 30min – Cooking Time: 55min – Total Time: 1hr 30min

This burnt cheesecake from San Sebastian contains five ingredients and is perfect for baking beginners.

Ingredients

• 800 grams of cream cheese
• 5 eggs
• 280 grams of regular sugar
• 400 grams of heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon of flour
• Optional: 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and/or zest and juice of one lemon

Instructions

1

In this reel you will see the consistency of the cake. Line a 26cm/9inch springform with parchment paper. I like to crumple up the parchment paper before placing it in the form. Preheat oven to 200-210 degrees Celsius.

2

Mix the cream cheese either with a whisk or mixer for a few minutes until creamy. Then add all the other ingredients and mix until you have a homogeneous batter. Pour into prepared springform and bake for about 40-55 minutes. Baking time depends largely on your oven. The cake will rise and should definitely caramelize on the top, it will sink down once cool. If the center is still a bit wiggly, this is fine. Let the cake come to room temperature in the turned off oven. Then move to the fridge. You can most certainly leave the cake in the fridge overnight. However, before eating I would recommend letting it come to room temperature for 1-2 hours. You may serve with fresh fruit or a fruit sauce, but it will already be delicious eating plain.