Brownie Basque Cheesecake
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Indulge in this heavenly Brownie Basque Cheesecake that combines the best of both worlds! With a rich fudgy brownie base and a creamy cheesecake on top, this dessert will surely satisfy your sweet tooth.
Why choose between cheesecake and brownies when you can have both? This Brownie Basque Cheesecake has a rich, fudgy chocolate base and creamy, delightful cheesecake that is perfectly caramelized on top. It combines the best of both worlds.
The best part? It is super easy to make. Whether you are a chocolate lover, a cheesecake fanatic, or someone who loves indulging in something sweet, this dessert is a must-try.
What Is Basque Cheesecake?
Basque cheesecake is an iconic baked cheesecake that came from San Sebastian in the Basque region of Spain. It is a crustless cheesecake with a golden beautiful caramelized exterior. The intentional “burning” of the cheesecake adds a distinct caramel flavor to the exterior of the cheesecake. Check out the Basque Burnt Cheesecake recipe here!
Ingredients You Need
Brownie
- Dark chocolate. It gives the brownie a much richer, more intensely chocolate taste.
- Butter. For the fudgy texture. You can use salted or unsalted butter.
- Egg. It adds structure to this brownie.
- Castor sugar. To sweeten.
- All-purpose flour. It adds structure to this brownie.
- Cocoa powder. It will bump up the chocolate taste in the brownies.
Basque Cheesecake
- Cream cheese. It is the key to the rich cheesecake batter. Don’t try swapping it with the low-fat version.
- Castor sugar. Caster or superfine sugar is best here as the grains are finer so it dissolves more easily. However, regular sugar can be used too.
- Vanilla. Use vanilla extract or bean paste.
- Salt. To taste.
- Eggs. They add a luscious, creamy texture to the cheesecake.
- Cornstarch. It gives the cheesecake some structure. You can also substitute cornstarch with cake flour.
- Heavy whipping cream. It softens and adds some moisture to the cheesecake.
Pan Size You Need
For this recipe, you will need a 9x4x3-inch/22x10x7 cm pan. If you don’t have it, you can use 8×4-inch/20×10 cm loaf pan or 6×3-inch/15×7.5 cm round cake pan. The baked cheesecake will rise during baking. Therefore, it is important to use a cake pan with a tall rim.
Pro Tips
- Use high-quality chocolate. High-quality chocolate has a richer, more complex flavor.
- Use room temperature ingredients. So that the ingredients blend easily.
- Sift the dry ingredients. If you want the brownie cheesecake to be nice and smooth, it helps to sift the dry ingredients into the batter instead of just dumping it in.
- Don’t overmix the batter. If the ingredients are mixed too long or at too high a speed, the cheesecake batter will rise higher, sometimes unevenly, and then collapse, which creates some cracks. In general, you want to mix in each ingredient until just incorporated.
- Strain the batter. If your batter is lumpy, you can strain it to make it smooth.
- Keep an eye on when baking the cheesecake. Keep a close eye on the cheesecake during the last 5 minutes of baking to be sure that the top reaches your desired level of golden color. If it starts to get too dark, just gently lay a piece of aluminum foil over the cheesecake. Or if it’s not dark enough, switch the oven to broil the cheesecake ever-so-briefly once the center is cooked to your liking.
- Don’t overbake. Overbaked Brownie Basque Cheesecake tastes dry. You want the middle to be gooey and creamy. Take out the cheesecake when it is still wobbly and you will be in clear!
How to Cut the Brownie Basque Cheesecake?
This Brownie Basque Cheesecake is pretty easy to make, but notoriously messy to serve. The crumb sticks to the sides of the knife and often creates slices with a ragged, messy edge. To cut it perfectly, use a clean warm knife. Dip a sharp knife in hot water between each cut, wiping it clean to prevent any sticking!
How to Serve
The cheesecake will look jiggly when you remove it from the oven. Let it cool completely at room temperature. It will continue to slowly cook and solidify with the residual heat. Refrigerate the Brownie Basque Cheesecake to let it set further.
Take out the cake from the fridge for 30 minutes before serving if you want a soft, gooey filling. Or you can serve it cold for a firm filling.
More Cheesecake Recipes
- Chocolate Basque Cheesecake
- Blueberry Crumble Cheesecake
- No-Bake Matcha White Chocolate Cheesecake
- New York Cheesecake
- No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake
Ingredients
Brownie
- 2.6 oz (75 gr) dark chocolate
- 1/4 cup (55 gr) unsalted butter
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup (50 gr) castor sugar
- 6 tbsp (50 gr) all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp (15 gr) cocoa powder
Basque Cheesecake
- 13.5 oz (380 gr) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (100 gr) castor sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla paste/extract
- 3 eggs
- 2 tbsp (15 gr) cornstarch
- 5/6 cup (200 ml) heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Brownie
- Melt chocolate and butter together in a bowl over a water bath (bain-marie) or in microwave until melted. Cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl, add egg and sugar. Whisk until combined. Add the melted chocolate and butter. Whisk until well incorporated.
- Sift in all-purpose flour and cocoa powder. Mix until well incorporated using a spatula.
- Transfer the brownie batter to the prepared pan. Spread evenly on the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
Basque Cheesecake
- Preheat oven to 445F/230°C.
- In a large bowl, add cream cheese. Use a spatula to mix the cream cheese until it becomes spreadable with no lump.
- Add castor sugar, salt, and vanilla paste. Whisk until combined and smooth.
- Add eggs one at a time. Whisk until well incorporated and smooth with each addition of egg.
- Sift in the cornstarch. Whisk just until well combined.
- Add heavy whipping cream and whisk until well incorporated.
- Pour the batter over the brownie layer. If your batter is lumpy, you can strain the batter. Tap the pan a few times on the countertops to remove the air bubbles.
- Place the cheesecake in the preheated oven and lower the heat to 430F/220℃. Bake cheesecake until golden brown on top but still very jiggly in the center for about 25-30 minutes.
- Let the cheesecake cool in the pan on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 4 hours to let it set further.
- Remove the cheesecake from the cake pan and carefully peel back the parchment paper. For the gooey interior, let the cheesecake stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve chilled if you prefer firmer cheesecake.
