This earl grey basque cheesecake is perfectly caramelized and burnt on top and super creamy on the inside with the fragrant aroma of earl grey tea.
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Notes from the baker
This earl grey basque cheesecake has been in the works for a while. I wanted the texture to be just right - ultra creamy without falling apart. I think I finally nailed it.
On an Instagram poll, you guys voted for an 8" cheesecake but this recipe can easily be halved for a 6" pan. An 8" cake is great for get-togethers or holiday parties to feed many people. The 6" is great if you want to make a smaller cheesecake for yourself or to share with 1-2 people!
Once you've made your first burnt basque cheesecake, I fear you can never really go back to regular cheesecakes. Basque cheesecakes are just so much easier to make with fewer components and the taste is divine.
What is basque cheesecake?
Basque cheesecake (also known as burnt basque cheesecake or San Sebastian cheesecake) is a crustless cheesecake that is baked at a very high temperature to achieve a burnt and caramelized exterior with a very creamy interior.
It was first created by chef Santiago Rivera from cafe La Viña in the town of San Sebastian, located in the Basque region of Spain (hence the name). Since then, it has become a viral sensation around the world with many variations of it.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Fragrant earl grey tea aroma and flavour. This cheesecake is flavoured with both earl grey tea-infused cream and loose leaf earl grey tea added directly to the batter for maximum flavour.
- Super creamy cheesecake. The texture is perfectly rich and creamy, especially towards the middle of the cheesecake.
- Caramelized exterior adds flavour and character. The intentional burnt look means you don't need to worry about cracking or the appearance - it's meant to look rustic!
- Easy to make with simple ingredients. Basque cheesecake is crustless so all you need to do is mix the cheesecake batter and bake it directly in the pan.
Tools
- 8" round pan - You'll need a regular 8" round cake pan. A taller pan that's 3" deep works best for basque cheesecake because it puffs up like a souffle during baking but you can also use a regular 2" deep pan and use excess parchment paper to add to the height (which was what I did).
- Small pot - Any small pot will work to steep the earl grey tea in the cream.
- Electric hand mixer - A hand mixer is essential for making most recipes with cream cheese because it can be very firm and hard to mix by hand even when softened.
Ingredient notes
As always, the full recipe card with ingredient amounts and instructions is at the bottom of this post! Keep reading for more details on each ingredient or skip ahead to the recipe.
- Whipping cream or heavy cream - You can use whipping cream for a lighter cheesecake or heavy cream for a richer taste and texture.
- Earl grey tea bags - This recipe works best with regular earl grey tea bags with finely ground tea leaves inside since you'll need to add some of the loose tea leaves directly to the batter. The stronger and more fragrant the tea the better.
- Cream cheese - Use cream cheese that comes in bricks, not the spreadable kind that comes in tubs. The spreadable kind usually contains other ingredients and isn't intended for baking. Make sure your cream cheese is softened to room temperature. If it's cold, it'll be hard to mix and you'll end up with small chunks of cold cream cheese that will make the batter appear grainy.
- Granulated sugar
- Salt
- Eggs - These should also be at room temperature before adding them to the batter to ensure they mix seamlessly into the batter without curdling or causing the cream cheese to harden.
- Vanilla extract
Tips for making the best earl grey basque cheesecake
- Use room temperature ingredients. This is key to making a cheesecake with a smooth texture without any graininess.
- Mix the batter on low speed. Whipping too much air into the batter will create a cheesecake with too many air bubbles leading to a grainy cheesecake or large air bubbles that collapse and cause excessive cracking. Mixing on low speed will ensure the smoothest batter.
- Ensure your pan is tall enough or use parchment paper to add height. I would recommend using a pan that is at least 3" tall if you have one. Otherwise, use a regular 2" tall pan but leave the excess parchment paper sticking up above the pan. Basque cheesecake rises quite a bit during baking but deflates back down after taking it out of the oven so you'll need extra height to prevent any spills.
- Bake with a baking sheet underneath the pan to catch any spills. I recommend this in case the cheesecake rises higher than expected or if the parchment paper barrier doesn't hold. If you're using a springform pan, I would definitely recommend this because they almost always leak.
- Don't overbake. The key to a creamy texture is to slightly underbake the cheesecake. It will firm up as it cools. The top should be set but the whole cheesecake should still be very jiggly when you take it out of the oven.
- Use the broiler to help scorch the top of the cheesecake. Instead of baking the cheesecake for a longer time if the top isn't as burnt as you'd like, turn on the broiler in your oven (the heating element on the roof of your oven) for the last few minutes of baking until it becomes your desired colour.
Storage
This earl grey basque cheesecake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can serve it straight from the fridge for a denser texture or let it return to room temperature for a softer and creamier texture.
Leftovers can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for 1-2 hours before eating.
Frequently asked questions
If the top of your cheesecake isn't burning or isn't as dark as you'd like it to be, it's usually because the excess parchment paper at the top of your pan is blocking the heat from reaching the top of the cheesecake. In this case, use the broiler in your oven to heat the top of the cheesecake in the last few minutes of baking.
To make a 6" basque cheesecake, halve the recipe. Bake it at the same temperature for slightly less time. I would start checking on it at around 30 minutes and use visual cues and a jiggle test to determine doneness.
Baking by weight is much more accurate than volume. When using US standard cups, ingredients like flour and sugar can easily be overpacked into the cup causing you to add too much of certain ingredients. Recipes with weight measurements are also easier to scale to smaller or bigger batches without dealing with weird fractions. To measure by weight, you simply need a kitchen scale which you can usually pick up for less than $20.
Small measurements are given in tablespoons and teaspoons because most kitchen scales are not accurate under about 10g. Tiny amounts like a ¼ teaspoon may not register accurately unless you have a drug scale. Mixing these measurements is a common practice among other recipe sites and commercial kitchens.
More cheesecake recipes to try
Recipe
Earl Grey Basque Cheesecake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 400 g whipping cream or heavy cream
- 7 earl grey tea bags, reserve 1 for later
- 750 g cream cheese, softened to room temperature (about 3 bricks)
- 225 g granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line an 8" round cake pan with a large sheet of parchment paper, creasing the paper to fit around the sides. Leave about 1-2" of excess parchment paper sticking straight up above the pan, trimming any longer pieces down with scissors. Set aside.
- Steep cream: In a small pot, add the whipping cream and 6 earl grey tea bags. Cover and bring it to a simmer on the stovetop. Turn off the heat and let the tea steep for 10 minutes. Use a spatula or a gloved hand to squeeze all the liquid out of the tea bags before discarding them. Let the steeped cream cool at room temperature while you prepare the next steps.
- Beat cream cheese: In a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese, sugar, and salt. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the cream cheese mixture until it becomes very creamy and smooth.
- Mix in eggs: Add the eggs one at a time, mixing in between each addition, until the batter becomes thick but fluid and very smooth. Mix in the vanilla extract with the last egg.
- Add tea mixture: Pour in 270g of the steeped cream. If you end up with less than 270g, top it up to that amount with some extra whipping cream. Cut open your last earl grey tea bag and add the loose tea leaves to the batter. Mix until well combined.
- Fill pan: Pour the batter into your lined pan, filling it almost all the way to the top of the pan (if your pan is 2" tall).
- Bake: Bake cheesecake for about 45-50 minutes until the top is browned and the cheesecake is still very jiggly when shaken. If the top isn't sufficiently browned by 40 minutes, turn on the broiler for the last 3-5 minutes of baking to give it more colour. Watch it for the entire time the broiler is on as it will burn very quickly!
- Let cool: Let the cheesecake cool completely before lifting it out of the pan. Run your knife under hot water before slicing for clean cuts.
Notes
- Earl grey cream: We're starting with 400g of cream and end up with about 270g after steeping from evaporation and the tea leaves soaking it up. If any of the tea bags broke during steeping, you can choose to pour the cream through a sieve to ensure you measure out exactly 270g.
- Storage: This cheesecake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Be careful not to let any condensation drip onto the cake from the container lid or plastic wrap as it will create slightly lighter spots on the surface if not wiped off right away.
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