This matcha basque cheesecake is a green tea spin on the famous burnt cheesecake. It's caramelized and scorched on the outside with an ultra-creamy interior and fresh whipped cream on top.
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This matcha basque cheesecake is the perfect balance of sweet and rich with bitterness from the signature burnt top.
The whipped cream topping is optional but it adds a light and fluffy contrast to the decadent cheesecake while adding a nice finishing touch to the cake. It's delicious with or without it if you want to show off that beautiful caramelized top!
What is basque burnt cheesecake?
Basque burnt cheesecake (also known as 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 became a viral sensation around the world.
Why you'll love this recipe
- This cheesecake is so delicious with sweet, earthy, and bitter flavours.
- It's insanely creamy, rich, and decadent!
- As with all basque cheesecakes, it's crustless and easy to prepare with just parchment paper in your pan.
- Even if your burnt cheesecake isn't sufficiently burnt on top, the whipped cream on top can hide any pale tops while adding a light and airy sweetness.
Tools you'll need
- Silicone spatula & whisk - You can use an electric hand mixer to make this cheesecake but I would highly recommend mixing the cheesecake batter by hand with a silicone spatula and whisk to prevent whipping too much air into the batter.
- 9" springform pan - Use a 9" springform pan with sides that are about 2 ¼" high. Springform pans have a removable bottom so that you can release your cheesecake easily after baking.
- Electric hand mixer - I use my Kitchenaid hand mixer because it's the most convenient but occasionally I'll also use my stand mixer. You'll only really need this for whipping up the whipped cream topping but you can also whip it by hand with a whisk.
- Offset spatula - An offset spatula is optional but it makes smoothing the whipped cream layer on top very easy. If you're skipping the whipped cream topping, you won't need this.
Ingredients
- Cream cheese - Use cream cheese bricks, not the spreadable cream cheese in tubs. Be sure to let it soften very well to room temperature before using otherwise you'll end up with small chunks of cream cheese in your cake.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs - Use large-sized eggs. Add them to the batter one at a time to prevent curdling.
- Heavy cream or whipping cream - This adds richness and creaminess to the cheesecake. You can also use whipped cream (with about 33% fat content) instead for a lighter cheesecake.
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Matcha powder - Use your favourite high-quality matcha powder. I always recommend using a ceremonial grade matcha powder but since this burnt basque cheesecake is baked at a very high temperature, even a vibrant green matcha powder will be dulled after baking. Ceremonial grade or culinary grade matcha powder will work fine in this recipe.
- Powdered sugar
- Thyme - Optional, for garnish on top of each cheesecake slice for a minimal and whimsical look!
How to make matcha basque cheesecake
For the cheesecake
Prep oven and pan - Preheat the oven to 450℉. Grease and line an 8" springform pan with two layers of parchment paper, creasing the paper to fit around the curves. Trim the excess parchment paper to about 2-3" overhang to prevent it from burning in the oven. Set aside.
Smooth out cream cheese - In a large mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar. Use a spatula to smush the cream cheese around until it's very creamy and smooth, making sure there aren't any chunks remaining.
Mix in eggs - Add eggs, one at a time, to the cream cheese mixture, whisking between each addition.
Mix in ingredients - Sift in the matcha powder to break up any clumps. Add salt and vanilla extract. Whisk together until smooth. Pour in the heavy cream and whisk until combined. Finally, add the flour and whisk until just combined.
Fill pan - Pour the batter into your lined pan until about ¾ full. Pull the excess parchment paper overhang straight up to prevent spilling as the cheesecake rises during baking.
Bake - Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the top is dark brown, the edges are set, but the middle is still very jiggly. At around 35 minutes, if the top of the cheesecake hasn't browned enough, turn the oven up to 500℉ for the remaining time.
Chill cheesecake - Immediately transfer the cheesecake to a wire rack in the fridge to stop the baking process. Let it cool completely in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
For the whipped cream
Whip cream - In a large mixing bowl, add whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer to beat until it becomes firm peaks.
Put together the cake
Release cheesecake - Release the cheesecake from the pan and peel back the parchment paper or transfer the cheesecake to a serving plate.
Top with whipped cream - Pile all of the whipped cream on top of the cheesecake. Use an offset spatula to spread the cream across the top of the cake and smooth the top.
Decorate - Garnish with sprigs of thyme (optional). Serve right away or chill the cake in the fridge for 1 hour before slicing into it for the whipped cream to firm up.
Storage
This matcha basque cheesecake can be stored in the fridge by wrapping it with plastic wrap or in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezing
Leftovers can be frozen by wrapping them well in plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil or keeping them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
Tips & tricks
- Use very softened cream cheese. Take your cream cheese bricks out of the fridge several hours before using them or warm them slightly in a microwave. Soft cream cheese will be much easier to mix and will produce the smoothest result.
- Leave room for the cheesecake to rise. Basque cheesecake is a souffle-type of cheesecake that will rise and puff up quite a bit during baking and you don't want it to spill over. Pulling the parchment paper sides straight up is usually enough to act as walls for the rising cheesecake.
- Watch the parchment paper for burning. Trim the parchment paper overhang and make sure it doesn't touch the top of the oven to prevent it from singeing.
- Adjust oven temperature as needed. Controlling the oven temperature is key to making a good basque burnt cheesecake or San Sebastian cheesecake. If your oven runs colder than normal, set the temperature as high as it can go (usually around 500°F) and lower it as it bakes accordingly. If your cheesecake isn't browning enough, turn up the temperature near the end of baking.
- Don't overbake your cheesecake. Burnt cheesecake is done when the edges are set and puffy but the middle is still very jiggly. Just grab both sides of the pan (with oven mitts!) and gently shake it back and forth to test how jiggly it is.
- Chill the cheesecake before serving. Chilling the cheesecake stops the cooking process and helps it firm up so that it won't fall apart if it's too gooey. Let it come back to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Frequently asked questions
If your basque cheesecake isn't burnt on top, the parchment paper may be shading the cheesecake from the heat or your oven runs cool. Turn up the oven temperature near the end of the baking time. Keep in mind that the baking time should be a few minutes shorter at a higher temperature.
A basque cheesecake is done baking when the edges are set but the middle is still very jiggly. Grab both sides of the pan (with oven mitts) and gently shake it to test the jiggliness.
In contrast to New York cheesecake, burnt basque cheesecake is crustless and has a caramelized and burnt exterior with a very creamy and gooey interior. It has a slight bitterness and caramelized flavour.
To make this basque cheesecake in a smaller 6" pan, divide all the ingredients by 2.
More cheesecake recipes to try
- Ube Cheesecake
- Passionfruit Cheesecake
- Strawberry Jelly Cheesecake
- Apple Crumble Cheesecake
- No-Bake Matcha Cheesecake with Oreo Crust
Recipe
Matcha Basque Cheesecake
Equipment
- 1 whisk
Ingredients
Cheesecake
- 920 g cream cheese, (4 bricks), softened to room temperature
- 250 g granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 460 g heavy cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons matcha powder
- 50 g all-purpose flour
Whipped Cream
- 300 g whipping cream or heavy cream, cold
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- thyme sprigs, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Cheesecake
- Preheat the oven to 450℉. Grease and line a 9" springform pan with two layers of parchment paper, creasing the paper to fit around the curves. Trim the excess parchment paper to about 2-3" overhang to prevent it from burning in the oven. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar. Use a spatula to smush the cream cheese around until it's very creamy and smooth, making sure there aren't any chunks remaining.
- Add eggs, one at a time, to the cream cheese mixture, whisking between each addition.
- Sift in the matcha powder to break up any clumps. Add salt and vanilla extract. Whisk together until smooth.
- Pour in the heavy cream and whisk until combined. Finally, add the flour and whisk until just combined.
- Pour the batter into your lined pan until about ¾ full. Pull the excess parchment paper overhang straight up to prevent spilling as the cheesecake rises during baking.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the top is dark brown, the edges are set, but the middle is still very jiggly. At around 35 minutes, if the top of the cheesecake hasn't browned enough, turn the oven up to 500℉ for the remaining time.
- Immediately transfer the cheesecake to a wire rack in the fridge to stop the baking process. Let it cool completely in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Whipped Cream
- In a large mixing bowl, add whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer to beat until it becomes firm peaks.
- Release the cheesecake from the pan and peel back the parchment paper or transfer the cheesecake to a serving plate.
- Pile all of the whipped cream on top of the cheesecake. Use an offset spatula to spread the cream across the top of the cake and smooth the top. Garnish with sprigs of thyme (optional). Serve right away or chill the cake in the fridge for 1 hour before slicing into it for the whipped cream to firm up.
Rora
Hi, I would love to try this recipe! But I’m not sure the right amount for the cream cheese? 4 bricks of cream cheese is how many grams? Thank you in advance & Can’t wait to try this out ☺️
Gail Ng
The cream cheese bricks I use are about 250g each so 4 bricks would be about 1000g 🙂
Elysha
Everyone loved it! The info was very thorough and helpful too. I made mine with a little more matcha, without icing, and with fruit topping and zero sugar reddi wip instead for something a little lighter. Great recipe and cake. Thank you for this!