FOOD NEWS
Why Making Basque Cheesecake Will Have You Fighting Your Instincts
By Carly Weaver
Basque cheesecake, created by Santiago Rivera in 1990, is unlike any other cheesecake you may know, as part of its baking process is to burn it.
Most cheesecakes are baked slowly using a water bath to ensure the cake doesn't dry out, crack, or overcook, but the Basque cheesecake does the opposite.
Basque cheesecake is baked on high heat (400°F to 450°F) with no water bath. Your goal is essentially to burn the outside and slightly undercook the inside.
This cooking method gives the Basque cheesecake a more nutty, unique depth of flavor and a gooey, creamy interior that's more like a crème brûlée in texture than a cheesecake.
Where a classic cheesecake is smooth, uniform, and light in color, Basque cheesecake is wrinkly, rough around the edges, and caramelized to a deep, dark, brown.