A burnt-top Basque cheesecake with a creamy center, flavored like a London Fog latte and finished with tart blackberry sauce.
Prep25 min
Cook45 min
Total1 hr 10 min
Serves8
LevelIntermediate
What makes it special
Cream cheese
Granulated sugar
Eggs
A London Fog is my favorite café drink: Earl Grey tea, steamed milk and vanilla. This cheesecake takes those flavors and puts them inside a Basque cheesecake, the famously rustic one with the dark, caramelized top and the soft, creamy middle. A spoonful of tart blackberry sauce makes it sing.
What makes Basque cheesecake different
It comes from San Sebastián in Spain and breaks all the usual cheesecake rules:
No crust.
No water bath.
Baked hot and fast until the top is deeply browned.
Cracks and rough edges are part of its charm.
The result is caramelized on the outside and almost custard-like inside.
Infusing the Earl Grey
Warm the cream, add the tea and let it steep, then strain it out. Bergamot gives a lovely floral, citrusy aroma, and vanilla softens any bitterness. Don't steep too long, and let the cream cool a little before adding it to the batter.
The blackberry sauce
Simmer blackberries with a little sugar and lemon until they burst and thicken. The bright, tangy sauce cuts through the rich cheesecake and looks gorgeous spooned over each slice.
Tips
Mix gently. You don't want lots of air in the batter.
Line the pan well with two overlapping sheets of parchment, letting it stand up above the sides.
Don't cover it. The top needs to get dark.
Chill overnight. The flavor and texture are best the next day.
Variations
Raspberry: swap the blackberries for raspberries.
Lavender: a pinch of culinary lavender with the tea.
Orange: a little orange zest in the batter.
Serving
Serve with afternoon tea or espresso, or as the grand finale of a dinner party. The cheesecake keeps for 4 days in the fridge and the sauce for a week.
A crustless, deeply caramelized Basque cheesecake infused with Earl Grey tea and served with a bright, tangy blackberry sauce.
Desserts Intermediate Spanish-Inspired
Prep
25 min
Cook
45 min
Total
1 hr 10 min
Servings
8
Ingredients 5 items
Tap to check off as you go
Instructions 4 steps
1
Warm the cream and steep the Earl Grey tea in it, then strain and let it cool slightly.
2
Gently mix the cheesecake batter, adding the tea-infused cream at the end.
3
Pour into a parchment-lined pan and bake at high heat until the top is deeply browned.
4
Let it cool completely, chill, and serve with blackberry sauce.
Nutrition per serving
Calories
460
Protein
7g
Carbs
34g
Fat
33g
Sugar
28g
Fiber
2g
Sodium
280mg
Questions, answered
Is the top supposed to look burnt?
Yes! A deeply browned, almost black top is the signature of a Basque cheesecake. It tastes like caramel, not burnt.
Does it need a water bath?
No. It bakes at high heat in a parchment-lined pan, with no crust and no water bath.
Can I make the sauce with frozen berries?
Yes. Frozen blackberries work perfectly for the sauce.
Recipe by
Denise
Home cook, baker and serial recipe tweaker. I share the dishes my family asks for most, written step by step so they turn out right in your kitchen too.
