Cupcake Jemma's Burnt Basque Cheesecake Tutorial
An original Basque cheesecake demonstration. The creator uses cream and flour and allows a softer center; FOOD instead uses sour cream and cornstarch and requires a fully set 71°C center. Follow FOOD's quantities and high-temperature parchment guidance.
Official cooking video · CupcakeJemma · YOUTUBEFully Baked Basque-Style Burnt Cheesecake
An 8-slice, 20 cm Basque-inspired caramelized cheesecake baked through to a safe egg-dish temperature. Allow 4 hours chilling separately.
Ingredients
servings: 8 · Check ingredients
Steps
- 01
Preheat a conventional oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Use only parchment explicitly rated by its maker for at least 220°C; paper rated only to 425°F (about 218°C) is not suitable at 220°C. Line a 20 cm springform pan with two overlapping sheets rising 5 cm above the rim, keeping paper away from heating elements and oven walls.
Check that your parchment's stated maximum oven temperature is at least the actual setting (220°C conventional or 200°C fan). Some parchment is limited to about 218°C. Secure the paper inside the tin so it cannot touch an oven element, sidewall or blow upward. Do not begin baking at this temperature without suitably rated parchment. - 02
Beat 500 g cream cheese with 160 g sugar until smooth, about 3 minutes. Beat in three eggs individually, then 250 g sour cream, 5 ml vanilla and 1 g salt. Sift in 25 g cornstarch and mix gently.
- 03
Pour into the lined pan and gently tap to release large bubbles. Bake on the middle rack 45–55 minutes until the top is deep golden brown. Reduce heat if smoke or acrid burning occurs.
- 04
Insert a clean food thermometer into the center and verify at least 71°C. If lower, bake in 5-minute intervals and recheck. Tent loosely with foil if the top darkens too much. Do not taste raw batter.
- 05
Cool in the pan about 20–30 minutes, then move promptly to the refrigerator at 4°C or below for at least 4 hours. Unmold cold and slice into eight. Do not leave this egg-and-dairy dessert at room temperature for two hours or longer.
Before you cook
Contains milk and egg. Use pasteurized dairy and eggs; measure the center temperature to at least 71°C and never taste raw batter. Refrigerate at 4°C or below within two hours and serve chilled. At 220°C use only parchment rated at least 220°C and keep it away from oven heating elements.
Allergens: milk (cream cheese, sour cream), egg, check vanilla/cornstarch manufacturer labels
Image & source credits
These illustrations stand in for food photos.


