Mini Basque Burnt Cheesecake Recipe

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I made Basque cheesecake in a mini muffin mold, showcasing its distinctive burnt texture and delightful melt-in-your-mouth consistency. It's an ideal treat for gifting.

Recipe Video

Basque cheesecake in muffin molds

Here's the recipe for a smaller version of the Basque cheesecake, baked in a muffin tin, which I tried after receiving a comment from a fellow dessert enthusiast who wanted to make smaller ones for gifting but struggled to achieve the gooey center. It turned out to be quite challenging, and I had to experiment with the ingredients to get it right.

As I mentioned in my previous post about Basque burnt cheesecake, many tend to focus on the burnt surface, but I personally believe that the key is to bake it at high temperature, firming up the edges while leaving the center semi-raw and gooey. That's the essence of this delightful cake.

Portuguese egg tarts and Neapolitan pizzas are baked at high temperatures for a short period of time, creating a grainy char on the surface and a soft and fluffy inside.

In the Ovar region of Portugal, they also employ a similar technique for Portuguese sponge cake pão de ló to achieve a semi-raw interior by reducing the baking time, even though it doesn't involve high temperatures.

In Japan, cakes are often baked using a water bath (bain-marie) or steam baking at relatively low temperatures and longer durations to achieve a moist and tender texture.

Similarly, New York Cheesecake in the United States is often baked using a water bath to keep the center moist. This technique of achieving a soft and moist interior seems to be reminiscent of the Spanish-Portuguese (or South European) approach used in the baking of Basque Cheesecake.

Baking time for basque cheesecake baked in muffin molds

When baking Basque Cheesecake in muffin molds, the most challenging aspect is indeed controlling the baking time. Since the cheesecake is smaller in size compared to a larger 15cm mold, it tends to cook much faster, and even a difference of 1 minute in baking time can lead to varying results.

To address this issue, I have experimented with adjusting the ingredients (which I will mention later), but still, controlling the baking time remains somewhat challenging compared to larger batches.

In the photos above, I used the same ingredients but varied the baking times. Please note that these results are specific to my oven (electric oven, fan-assisted mode, preheated to 250°C / 482°F). Your oven may yield slightly different outcomes.

Baking times and results:

1. 5 minutes: Undercooked and the shape collapses even after cooling.
2. 6 minutes: The center is soft and shaped nicely, but the browning is minimal.
3. 7 minutes: Perfect result with a nicely browned surface, a soft and smooth center, and a beautiful shape.
4. 10 minutes: The cheesecake becomes quite firm and the surface does not brown much (due to muffin molds being close together and reduced airflow). The result is not as desirable.

It's essential to consider that your oven may behave differently, but generally, baking for around 6-7 minutes tends to yield the best results. Staying within the range of 5 to 10 minutes is advisable to minimize any potential mishaps.

Ingredients

The ingredients for the small-sized Basque cheesecake are almost the same as the large one, but this time, I used only egg yolks instead of whole eggs.

This applies to custards and tart crusts as well, but when using whole eggs, even a slight increase in temperature can make it easier for the filling to set too firmly. Using only egg yolks tends to result in a relatively moist and soft texture.

I experimented with both whole eggs and egg yolks, but when baking at high temperature for a short time, the cheesecake with whole eggs tended to become firmer with longer baking times. On the other hand, when using only egg yolks, it stayed softer even with slightly longer baking times. Therefore, I opted for a recipe using only egg yolks this time.

• cream cheese
• granulated sugar
• egg yolk
• cake flour
• heavy cream
• vanilla extract

Instructions

Preparations

• Bring the cream cheese to room temperature and soften it.
• Preheat oven to 250°F / 482°F. (with fan running)
• Cut oven sheets into 15cm x 15cm (6" x 6") squares and line each muffin cup with a sheet. Place them as far apart as possible.

In silicone muffin molds, the oven sheet is easy to line as it doesn't slip.

Basque Cheesecake Batter

Put the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar in a bowl, and mix them together with a rubber spatula.

Add the egg yolks and mix them in. Sift in the cake flour and fold it in gently.

Add the heavy cream and mix it in. Then, add the vanilla extract and mix again.

Pour the batter into the prepared molds and bake in the middle rack of the 250°C (482°F) preheated oven for 6-7 minutes. Set the oven temperature as high as possible and make sure the top is slightly burnt before removing from the oven.

After allowing it to cool slightly, refrigerate the cheesecake before serving. If the cheesecake is still too soft even after cooling, you can refrigerate it in the mold to help it set.

Storage

Refrigeration

Store the cheesecake in an airtight container or wrap it with plastic wrap and refrigerate it. It will stay fresh for about 3 to 5 days.

Freezing

If you need to store the cheesecake for an extended period, you can freeze it. Wrap each piece of cheesecake individually with plastic wrap and place them in a zipper bag for better odor protection. It will stay good in the freezer for about 1 month. When thawing, do so slowly in the refrigerator.

Equipment

In silicone muffin molds, the oven sheet lays easily since it doesn't slip. When using the oven with the fan on, it's best to space each cheesecake apart as much as possible. This allows the heat to circulate more evenly, resulting in a slightly toasted surface.

Silicone Muffin Pan

For this recipe, I used cut oven sheets and laid them directly in the mold, just like they do with the authentic Basque cheesecake. However, if you find it troublesome, you can use glassine cup liners instead.

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