White Chocolate Basque Cheesecake
The creamiest white chocolate Basque cheesecake! This version of the classic burnt cheesecake is incredibly rich, with a caramelised white chocolate flavour.
This cheesecake combines a classic burnt Basque cheesecake with a rich white chocolate ganache! If you’re not familiar, this Spanish cheesecake doesn’t have a biscuit base and is baked in a super hot oven, until the top is beautifully caramelised and just the right amount of burnt. The white chocolate & the burnt crust combined gives this cheesecake a caramelised white chocolate flavour that works perfectly in a cheesecake.
Now a Basque cheesecake is incredibly creamy already but when you mix white chocolate ganache into the batter, it makes it richer, creamier and even more luxurious. I’ve included an internal temperature guide in this recipe, so you can get the perfect set every single time. A slice of this cheesecake should just hold its shape! I served mine with some blueberry compote but it’s good with almost anything.
For more easy to follow dessert recipes, take a look at our dessert recipe collection! There’s something for everyone here, including homemade ice creams, chocolate cake, sticky toffee pudding, panna cottas & lots more.
Ingredients For White Chocolate Basque Cheesecake
- White Chocolate – Using a good quality white chocolate is best for this cheesecake. I’d recommend using a chopped up bar of white chocolate instead of chocolate chips, as it will melt better.
- Cream Cheese – Make sure to use full fat cream cheese, for the creamiest texture and flavour.
- Creme Fraiche – Creme fraiche adds a subtle tangy flavour to the cheesecake & gives it a lighter, creamier texture than if you just used cream cheese.
- Sugar – This cheesecake is made with both caster sugar & light brown sugar. I added a small amount of light brown sugar into the batter, to add a subtle caramel flavour. Like caramelised white chocolate! Then the caster sugar is used to add sweetness and to help the top caramelise in the oven.
- Eggs – You’ll need large eggs for this cheesecake plus extra yolks, for richness. To be as accurate as possible, I’ve included the weights needed of each in the recipe.
- Double Cream – We’re using double cream to make a ganache with the chocolate and to also make a cornflour slurry. The cream helps give the cheesecake creaminess so make sure to use double cream (or heavy cream).
- Cornflour – Adding cornflour to Basque cheesecake helps stabilise the batter & stops the cheesecake from weeping (releasing liquid) as it sets in the fridge.
- Vanilla – For the best flavour, add a generous amount of good quality vanilla paste to your cheesecake batter. Or scrape the seeds out of a pod if you like!
- Salt – Added to enhance the flavours. A good quality fine sea salt works best.
How To Make White Chocolate Basque Cheesecake
This version of a Basque cheesecake is made the same way as a regular one but with the addition of a white chocolate ganache that’s added to the batter at the very end. There’s a couple of handy tips, tricks & techniques in this recipe, that will help you make the creamiest burnt cheesecake!
1. Lining The Tin
One of the great things about making a Basque cheesecake is that you don’t have to spend any time neatly lining the tin. You can just scrunch up a large piece of baking parchment then lay it in. Just make sure that the baking paper is overhanging the tin by a couple of inches, as it will prevent the batter from leaking out. You may need to overlap 2 pieces of baking paper if one isn’t big enough.
2. White Chocolate Ganache
The first step when making the batter for this cheesecake is to make a white chocolate ganache, so that it has time to cool before we add use it. This is made the classic way, by pouring steaming hot cream over chopped chocolate then stirring to melt & combine.
3. Basque Cheesecake Batter
This Basque cheesecake batter is made by adding room temperature cream cheese & creme fraiche into the bowl of a stand mixer, along with sugar, vanilla & a good pinch of sea salt then mixing with the paddle on a medium-low speed until combined & smooth. It’s important not to over mix though, so this will only take a couple of minutes.
Next, we mix eggs & yolks into the cream cheese, followed by a paste made by mixing cream with cornflour and the cooled chocolate ganache. Once it’s all combined, we pour the batter into the lined tin, through a sieve to remove any lumps.
4. Baking
Before baking, it’s best to give the tin a firm tap on the counter to pop any air bubbles in the batter. Then you place it in the oven and bake until the top is a deep, almost burnt colour and the batter is still very wobbly.
I’ve found that it’s best to best Basque cheesecake at 210°c/410°f until the cheesecake reaches an internal temperature of 60°c/140°f. This will take around 45 minutes and it gives the cheesecake the perfect set and ideal level of burnt caramelisation on top. Using a food probe also takes away any guesswork! And if you place your tin on a baking tray, it will be easier to take it in and out of the oven. Just make sure to probe the cheesecake through the side (near the top), otherwise you’ll end up with a hole in the top!
5. Overnight Set
Once baked, let your cheesecake cool at room temperature then chill it in the fridge overnight. The cheesecake will rise as it cooks then sink down as it cools, so don’t worry if you see this happen!
Serving Suggestions
This white chocolate Basque cheesecake is great served on its own or with fruit compote, poached or roasted fruit or a drizzle of dark chocolate sauce. I served mine with my blueberry & lime compote! It’s best to serve Basque cheesecake at room temperature as it will have a creamier texture than if you served it straight from the fridge. I’d recommend slicing the cheesecake straight from the fridge then let slices sit out for 15 minutes or so.
Tips & Tricks
- For an evenly mixed cheesecake batter, let the cream cheese & creme fraiche sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before using.
- Let your oven preheat properly. This is key to getting the best bake.
- Avoid over mixing the batter! If you incorporate too much air into the batter, the cheesecake can crack on top as it bakes.
- Make a ganache with the cream & chocolate, as it will mix into the batter more evenly than if you mixed them in separately.
- To portion the cheesecake, use a knife that has been dipped in warm water & dried between cuts. This is how you get the cleanest slices!
- Let slices of cheesecake sit out of the fridge for 15 minutes before serving. This make the cheesecake as creamy as possible!
Frequently Asked Questions
White chocolate Basque cheesecake needs to be stored in the fridge and is best eaten within 3 days.
To cook white chocolate Basque cheesecake in an Aga, bake the basque cheesecake on a grid shelf placed on the floor of the roasting oven. Turn the cheesecake around after 30 minutes so that the top browns evenly.
To get clean slices of cheesecake, run your knife under warm water and wipe clean between cuts. A large, flat edged knife works best.
For this Basque cheesecake, it’s best to let it chill in the fridge overnight before serving so that it sets properly. If you’re short on time, at least 4 hours in the fridge will work but overnight is best.
More Dessert Recipes To Try
- Scoopable Vanilla Panna Cotta (Restaurant Style)
- Profiteroles With Chocolate Sauce
- Brown Butter Sticky Toffee Pudding
- Dark Chocolate Mousse
- Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta With Poached Rhubarb
- Blueberry & White Chocolate Stracciatella Ice Cream
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White Chocolate Basque Cheesecake
Equipment
- 8" Springform Tin
- Stand Mixer
- Baking Tray
- Sieve
- Digital Food Probe
Ingredients
- 180 g White Chocolate
- 400 g Double Cream
- 560 g Cream Cheese (Room Temperature)
- 300 ml Creme Fraiche (280g – See Notes)
- 120 g Caster Sugar
- 60 g Light Brown Sugar
- 2 tsp Vanilla Paste
- ½ tsp Fine Sea Salt
- 165 g Whole Eggs (3 Large Eggs)
- 50 g Egg Yolks (3 Yolks)
- 30 g Cornflour (Cornstarch)
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 210°c/410°f (190°c/374°f fan).
- Tear off a large piece of baking parchment, scrunch it up then unravel and press into an 8" springform tin. Place the tin onto a baking tray then set to one side.The parchment should overhang the tin by at least a couple of inches. Use 2 overlapping pieces of parchment if necessary.
- Chop the white chocolate into small pieces then place into a heatproof mixing bowl.
- Add 250 grams of the double cream into a small saucepan then set over a low heat & warm until steaming hot. Then pour the warm cream over the chocolate, leave to stand for 1 minute then stir to combine. Set this to one side.Stir the cream just until the chocolate melts. It's best to start in the middle of the bowl & slowly work your way outwards (like when you make ganache). Also, don't let the cream boil!
- Add the cream cheese, creme fraiche, both of the sugars, vanilla & salt into the bowl of a stand mixer then mix with the paddle attachment on a medium-low speed until combined & smooth. This will only take 2-3 minutes.Make sure to scrape the bowl down regularly with a spatula as you mix the batter!
- Next, add the eggs & yolks into a jug then lightly beat together with a fork.
- With the mixer still running on a medium-low speed, gradually pour in the eggs. Make sure to let each addition mix into the batter before adding in more. Turn the mixer off once the eggs have been mixed in.
- Add the cornflour into a small mixing bowl then gradually whisk in the remaining 150 grams of double cream, to make a smooth paste. Don't over whisk though, you don't want whipped cream!Don't worry if there's a few tiny lumps, we'll be passing the batter before baking.
- To finish the cheesecake batter, add the cooled chocolate and the cornflour into the cream cheese then mix on a medium-low speed until incorporated. This will only take a minute or two.
- Pour the batter into the tin, through a sieve then tap the tin on your work surface a couple of times to pop any air bubbles.
- Bake the cheesecake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until the top is a deep, brown colour but is still quite jiggly in the middle.If you take the internal temperature of the cheesecake with a food probe, it should be 60°c/140°f once baked. Make sure to probe the cheesecake through the side (near the top) so you don’t end up with a hole in the top!
- Once baked, let the cheesecake cool to room temperature then chill in the fridge overnight. The cheesecake will sink as it cools, this is normal!
- To serve, take the cheesecake out of the tin then cut the into portions. I’d recommend letting the cheesecake slices sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving.For the neatest portions, cut the cheesecake using a knife that has been run under warm water & dried between cuts. A non serrated knife works best!
Notes
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