Thai Tea Basque Burnt Cheesecake

This unique rustic looking cheesecake has caramelized burnt top, light and creamy interior with subtle Thai tea flavor.

When I first learned about basque burnt cheesecake, I was fascinated. No water bath required? Crust-less? It’s supposed to look imperfect? Cracked and burnt top is acceptable? Sign me up! I must admit, I ate half the cheesecake all by myself. There is something about this cheesecake that is absolutely addictive and dangerous. Don’t say that I did not warn you.

To explain this cheesecake is like explaining ripped jeans to my 80 years old grandpa. Every time I wear ripped jeans, I have to explain to him that I did not get those from a dumpster, and that they are supposed to have holes and look distress. Similarly, burnt cheesecake is supposed to have dark and burnt surface and cracked edges. If anyone question you, you can proudly say you did that on purpose!

WHAT IS BASQUE BURNT CHEESECAKE?

Originated from Spain, burnt cheesecake was invented in the Spanish town of San Sebastian, located in Basque County. Basque cheesecake was first baked in a tapas bar called “La Viña,” and later became popular in the U.S.

It is a crustless cheesecake that is baked in a very high temperature to create a deep caramelized and cracked top. Basque burnt cheesecake is not as dense as New York style cheesecake, and not as fluffy as Japanese cheesecake, but just as equally delicious.

Most recipes for burnt cheesecake require the same 4 basic ingredients: heavy cream, cream cheese, eggs, and sugar. I added my own twist by steeping Thai tea mix with heavy cream, to create a subtle Thai tea flavor and gorgeous deep orange color. (I ordered my Thai tea mix here – Amazon)

If you like Thai tea, you might also like my other recipe – Choux au Craquelin (Cream Puffs) with Thai Tea Diplomat Cream.

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE THAI TEA MIX?

You can, of course, omit the Thai tea mix, if that’s not your cup of tea. Simply mix the batter with cold heavy cream and you’ll still get a delicious burnt cheesecake. You can also try adding other flavors such as Early Grey, Matcha, Chai, etc.

NOTES:

• Cream cheese and eggs should be at room temperature in order to get a smooth texture.
• Use a 6″ round cake pan, and line it with 2 layers parchment paper. It’s okay to have wrinkle for the imperfect look – that’s the beauty of this cake! You want to make sure that the paper hangs about 2-3 inc above the rim as the cheesecake will rise quite a bit as it bakes.
• I use cake flour in this recipe. But feel free to substitute with all purpose flour.
• Every oven is different. It took my oven 30 minutes at 425F to get the creamy interior and golden exterior. Then I increased the oven temperature and added another 5 minutes for a darker caramelized burnt top. I would suggest doing this first, then +/- time depending on the color and texture you desired. Basically, baking for a longer time will yield a firmer cake, and a shorter time will yield a softer cake.
• Be patient and let the cheesecake cools down completely. The cake will rise and look wobbly in the middle when you first take it out from the oven. Give some time and let it rest as the cake will deflate and the residual heat will continue to slowly bake away.

If you make this recipe, please leave a comment below and let me know what you think. Make sure you also tag me @onehappybite on Instagram and hashtag it #onehappybite so I can see your creations!

Thai Tea Basque Burnt Cheesecake

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• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 55 mins
• Yield: 6 people 1x

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Description

This unique rustic looking burnt cheesecake has caramelized burnt top, light and creamy interior with subtle Thai tea flavor.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 cup + 1 tbsp heavy cream
• 3 tbsp Thai tea mix
• 16 oz (452g) cream cheese, room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp cake flour

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Instructions

Thai Tea Cream

1. In a small saucepan, bring heavy cream to a simmer over medium-low heat. Add Thai tea mix, stir to combine, until heavy cream becomes pale orange color. Remove the pan from heat and let the cream cool down. Transfer the Thai tea cream mixture to the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour, or until cold. Strain the tea cream mixture into another bowl or cup. Depending on how fine your strainer is, you may have to do this 2-3 times. It’s okay if there are flecks of tea leaves in the cream. Place the Thai tea cream back to the refrigerator if you are not going to use it right away.
   

Burnt Cheesecake

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
2. Line a 6″ cake pan with two parchment paper. Let the parchment paper overhang above the rim. The cake will rise quite a bit as it bakes.
   
3. In a mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar, until smooth and well combined.
4. Add eggs, one at a time. Mix until smooth and well combined. Scrape the side of the bowl in between each addition. Then add vanilla extract and mix.
5. Completely whisk the chilled Thai tea cream into the batter. Then sift the cake flour on top and fold into the batter, until no lumps are visible.
6. Pour the batter into the 6″ pan lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30 minutes. For a more burnt look, increase the oven temperature to 450°F and bake for another 5-10 minutes,.
7. Let the cake cool completely before serving. The middle will wobble at first, but it will set and deflate once the cake cooks down. Enjoy!

Notes

You can substitute cake flour with all purpose flour.

Cheesecake can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

• Category: Dessert
• Cuisine: American, Thai

Keywords: burnt, cheesecake, thai tea

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