Tarta de Queso (Basque Burnt Cheesecake)
Photo: Ana.quiroga · CC BY-SA 4.0

History

Tarta de queso was invented at La Vina restaurant in San Sebastian in 1990 by Santiago Rivera. The crustless burnt-top format went viral globally in the 2010s. Bilbao adopted it across every pintxo bar; Gure Toki, La Camelia and Berton all run notable versions, with Gure Toki's pintxo-sized one slice the local cult.

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Common allergens: Dairy, Egg, Gluten

Make it at home

Yield 10Hands-on 15 minTotal 12 hr 30 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 1kg full-fat cream cheese (Philadelphia or Spanish curd cream cheese), at room temperature
  • 350g caster sugar
  • 6 large eggs
  • 500ml double cream
  • 30g plain flour
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 220C (or 240C for a darker finish). Line a 23cm springform tin with two large crisscrossed sheets of parchment paper, letting them stick up 5cm above the rim. Crumple before lining so the parchment folds cleanly.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese with the sugar until smooth and not a single lump remains. Use an electric whisk; do this for at least 3 minutes.
  3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next.
  4. Whisk in the cream, vanilla and salt until smooth.
  5. Sift the flour over the surface and whisk through gently.
  6. Pour into the lined tin. Tap the tin on the work surface twice to release air bubbles.
  7. Bake on the centre rack for 45 to 55 minutes. The top should be deep mahogany, almost black around the edges; the centre should jiggle like loose custard.
  8. Take out and cool to room temperature on a rack, about 2 hours. Do not move while hot; the cake collapses pretty.
  9. Refrigerate at least 8 hours, ideally 12, before unmoulding. The centre firms but stays creamy.
  10. Peel back the parchment, slice with a hot knife and serve at room temperature with a glass of Pedro Ximenez sherry on the side.

Tip from the editors. Black on top is the point; pale tarta de queso is failed tarta de queso. Pull when the centre wobbles; carryover heat sets it after 12 hours in the fridge.

Where to eat tarta de queso (basque burnt cheesecake)

Tarta de Queso (Basque Burnt Cheesecake) in Bilbao

Gure Toki ★ 4.6

€€€ Cocktail barPintxo bar

Gure Toki on Plaza Nueva in Bilbao won the Euskal Herria pintxo championship 2016 with Idiazabal cheese soup, oxtail croquettes and cheesecake.

DrinkTxakoli, by the glass

FoodIdiazabal cheese soup, oxtail croquettes, Basque cheesecake

Directions

La Vina del Ensanche ★ 4.5

€€€ Cocktail barPintxo bar

La Vina del Ensanche on Diputacion in Bilbao since 1927 runs three rooms under the third family generation, Joselito Iberian ham the house pintxo.

DrinkSpanish wines by the glass

FoodJoselito ham on crystal bread, croquetas de jamon, bonito

Directions

Berton ★ 4.0

€€ BasqueUntil Fri-Sat until 00:00

Berton on Calle Jardines in Bilbao's Casco Viejo runs a standing pintxo bar and a Basque dining room with rabas and hand-cut Iberian ham daily.

TryRabas, Iberian ham, bacalao pintxos

Directions

Bar Charly ★ 4.2

€ Basque

Bar Charly on Plaza Nueva in Bilbao since 1973 keeps a traditional Casco Viejo pintxo counter with bacalao croquettes, bonito and the gilda.

TryPintxo gilda, bacalao croquette

Directions

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