Basque cheesecake
Basque cheesecake, also known as cheesecake San Sebastian or burnt Basque cheesecake, is a crustless cheesecake originating from the Basque Country, Spain. It is characterized by a caramelized surface and a creamy, custard-like interior, achieved by baking at high temperatures.
In English-language media, the dessert is frequently described as "burnt Basque cheesecake". In Spain, it is also commonly associated with San Sebastián and referred to as tarta de queso de La Viña or a San Sebastián–style cheesecake, while the "burnt" descriptor is less commonly used locally.
History
Basque cheesecake was created in 1988 by Santiago Rivera at his pintxo bar La Viña in San Sebastián, a coastal city in the Basque Country, Spain.The dessert achieved widespread popularity online during the 2010s. By 2021, it had become widely shared on social media platforms such as Instagram and was described as "ubiquitous" in the United Kingdom. That same year, The New York Times listed it among its food trend predictions for 2021.
Prior to the international popularity of the La Viña version, other cheesecakes had already gained recognition within the Basque culinary scene. Among them, the cheesecake served at the restaurant Zuberoa in Oiartzun, developed by chef Hilario Arbelaitz, became particularly influential within Spanish haute cuisine. This version typically incorporated blue cheese alongside other dairy products and was often prepared with a crust, differing in both composition and structure from the later La Viña-style cheesecake.
As the La Viña-style cheesecake spread internationally, it became increasingly associated with a crustless format and a dark, caramelized surface. Spanish food writers have noted that this framing reflects an internationalized interpretation rather than a fixed or uniformly applied characteristic in its place of origin, where browning levels may vary.