Lemon Squares
Dena Kleiman, Susan Mahnke Peery
2008 ratings with an average rating of 4 out of 5 stars
2,008
1 hour
Basque Cheesecake
- Total Time
- 1 hour 40 minutes, plus cooling
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- About 1 ½ hours, plus cooling
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:12 servings
- Unsalted butter or nonstick spray, for greasing the pan
- 1¾cups/350 grams granulated sugar
- 2¼pounds/36 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- ¼teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
- 5large eggs
- 2cups/480 milliliters heavy cream
- ¼cup/30 grams all-purpose flour
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (24 servings)
302 calories; 24 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 19 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 17 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 174 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 10-inch springform pan and line with parchment paper, leaving 2 to 3 inches overhanging the top of the pan. (You can trace and cut a circle to fit the base and then cut a band of paper to fit neatly around the sides, but the more rustic and simple method is to press an entire sheet into the pan, pleating the paper where it begins to crease. If you use multiple sheets of parchment, grease in between the layers so that they stick and lay flat.)
- Step 2
In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the sugar and cream cheese until smooth. (This can be done by hand as well; beat with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes.)
- Step 3
Add the salt and mix. Add the eggs one by one and beat until fully incorporated. Beat in the cream. Sift in the flour, then mix it in on low.
- Step 4
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until browned and almost burnt on top, 50 to 60 minutes. The center will still be quite jiggly. Remove the cake from the oven and cool completely on a rack. It will have risen significantly, nearly past the top of the pan, but it will sink in the center as it cools.
- Step 5
Before serving, remove the rim of the springform and gently tug away the parchment paper. Serve at room temperature.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Elizabeth K
Parchment paper tip: WET the parchment paper, wring it out, blot it dry. It will now be malleable and can easily be molded to fit your pan. No need to cut several pieces or use multiple layers.
David G.
I have the original recipe from La Vina restaurant in San Sebastian that was used as the inspiration for this recipe. No idea where I got it from but it uses a 6" pan (I use a Fat Daddio) and it's amazing. It's also super quick to make. It fits in our toaster oven. The big difference I noticed was that this recipe doesn't specify letting it sit in the fridge overnight, which helps to solidify the cake. I also make a quick graham cracker crust for it, as it sometimes leaks out the bottom.
Ricard
Been doing these cheesecake for years and its much better if you undercook it, around 30 min in the oven and then keep it in the fridge overnight for perfect texture. Real deal like in La Viña de San Sebastián :)
Sally Ann
Re. Resizing the recipe for an 8” pan, here are quantities that should work, converted to easy measurements: 1 1/4 cups sugar 3 2/3 packs cream cheese Scant 1/4 tsp salt 4 large eggs 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 22 1/2 Tbsp flour Hope this helps!
Edith
Another trick to make parchment paper pliable is to wrinkle it up into a tight ball so that it has lots of creases. It's equivalent to wetting and wringing it out, without having to dry it off.
Liz Lev
This was bomb but I note that it makes 24 servings?! What kind of a magician can get a slice that thin out of a room-temp cheesecake?! What I’m saying is that I had a ~750-calorie slice of this cake and it was worth every bite.
christa
here is a recipe resizer: https://www.webstaurantstore.com/recipe_resizer.html
Shar
I made this for the first time. The pleated parchment paper was better in theory than practice. Thanks to others for the tips offered here. I took the cheesecake to a potluck and the platter looked like it had been scavenged by hyenas.
Gus
Nothing better than this delight with a portion of cooked peppered strawberries and a dollop of creme fraiche.
LindaN
Cooked peppered strawberries...?!
linda
Should it be refrigerated after making?
Nicholas Boncardo
In Northern Spain, I discovered that many cooks add a little blue cheese to the recipe. It tastes amazing!
Fred
An 8 inch pan is 64/100ths the size of a 10 inch, so reduce by a third.
Nancy Miles
For those asking for a smaller recipe, this one from King Arthur is wonderful. Have made it numerous times. https://pin.it/3P8mB2K
Rob
Has anyone made a smaller version of this in an 8 inch pan? Wondering how to reduce ingredients.
kay
2 lb cream cheese 2 c heavy cream 6 eggs 1.5 c sugar
Denise
300 g of sugar
Emily
Really loved this one! I wanted to make the top extra dark so popped the grill setting of my oven on for the last 5 mins and it worked perfectly. I accompanied it with some simmered blueberries and it was delicious.
Bixiji
Instead of cream cheese, try farmers cheese for an even lighter texture. I’m pretty sure the Basques aren’t using Philadelphia cream cheese.
melyssa
I made this without a mixer, just by hand. I was concerned because there were little clumps of cream cheese throughout my batter. It came out ok though!
Erin
This turns out perfectly every time. I add 1 teaspoon vanilla. I make it gluten-free by using Bob’s Redmill one to one baking flour as a substitute for the wheat based flour.
Faran
Amazing. I made mine two days in advance for a dinner party. Made the recipe as is but added a little vanilla extract. Served it with a berry compote. Absolutely divine. A chef I follow on Instagram recently made one with Humboldt Fog cheese and I'm dying to try that!
Marguerite
Added 1t vanilla for flavor. Baked it in a silicone-ringed springform pan with a glass base — no greasing or parchment needed — on a cooling rack in a sheet pan. Came out beautifully after cooling and served it right off the base. One guest: “This is the best cheesecake I ever had in my life.” Mine, too.
laura
Use less sugar
N Of Seattle
This was a pretty easy assembly and bake. It tasted great! I left out flour since one of our household is gluten intolerant. It was not m8ssed.
Stella
Too sweet, would use less sugar next time
Lee Jordan-Anders
Cheesecakes are so forgiving--don't overthink this recipe. I sent my husband to the store for 3 12-oz pkgs. of cream cheese, and he came home w/4 8-oz. pkgs. Of course, that's how they come, so I added a big dollop of sour cream already in the frig to make up the difference. I have an aversion to using parchment paper, so I buttered and sugared my spring form pan, then lightly whipped the cream before adding it to the rest of the ingredients. Worked fine--no leaks!
ChiNJ
I crumpled the parchment, used 2 large pieces that overlapped. Used avo oil to grease pan and parchment. Used 9 inch pan and did not alter recipe. Kept it one shelf lower than middle rack. 400 deg, total bake time over 50 minutes and it did not burn. Rotated it a couple of times. Nice dark brown top and sides. Middle was extremely jiggly. Don't need the tray under, no drips. Refrigerated overnight, perfect consistency. I forgot the lemon juice.... Served with plain sliced strawberries.
Mike C
I live in a particularly benighted part of the world, but even here in Wyoming, the internet has an oz to gram calculator. Recipes come out fine.
paula726
Hosted a party of 25 - the cake was on a sideboard for dessert. The cake went first!
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