Brownie Chocolate Basque Cheesecake

This ultra creamy Chocolate Basque Cheesecake with a brownie bottom is one of the most delicious and luxurious cheesecakes you will ever make! This unique style of cheesecake is intentionally "burnt" or bruléed on top to form a deep, rich, dark caramelized crust. It is for chocolate lovers with a thin layer of fudgy brownie on the bottom and unbelievably silky chocolate cheesecake on top. The best part of this chocolate Basque cheesecake recipe aside from its creaminess is that it requires NO crust and NO water bath so it saves you several extra steps. If you love this idea, try my classic Burnt Basque Cheesecake, and if you're searching for a more traditional recipe, try my New York Style Cheesecake or my popular Perfect Vanilla Cheesecake.

HOW IS THIS BURNT BASQUE CHEESECAKE RECIPE DIFFERENT?

• More cream and egg vs. cream cheese. This cheesecake is different than the classic American cheesecake because it contains a higher ratio of eggs to cream cheese, and it contains a lot of cream. It is a much thinner, wetter batter compared to the dense American-style cheesecake.
• Bake at a very high temperature. this cheesecake is baked at a very high temperature (450 degrees F) compared to American cheesecakes that are baked slowly at a lower temperature between 300 and 325 degrees F. As a result, it takes on a lovely deeply browned top and soft creamy center. The pleasant bitterness of the burnt top complements the sweet richness of the custardy center in the most wonderful way.
• NO water bath! Since the goal is to encourage browning, this cake is baked in a dry oven and there's no need for a water bath!
• NO crust! That's right - this recipe doesn't require a typical graham cracker crust. Even though I've added a brownie base, you can actually bake this cheesecake without it like my Creamy Burnt Basque Cheesecake.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Easy to make - although Basque cheesecake uses a slightly different preparation than traditional cheesecake, it is still simple to make with only a few ingredients. It's impossible to accidentally burn this cheesecake since it is supposed to burn on top.
• No water bath - this cheesecake stays nice and smooth without even without using a water bath. That's because there is much more liquid in this type of cheesecake compared to dense American-style cheesecakes.
• Fudgy chocolate brownie base - this is a special surprise as traditional Basque cheesecake has no crust and no base. When you slice through the creamy cheesecake and into a thin fudgy brownie at the bottom, it is such a delight!
• Smooth and creamy cheesecake - the filling is enriched with cream to make it super creamy and silky. It is not too heavy or dense.
• Double chocolate - big chocolate flavor comes in the form of melted dark chocolate and unsweetened cocoa powder in the cheesecake batter.
• Cracks are acceptable - cracks are part of the recipe! But really, it doesn't actually crack at the surface - just around the very edges where it deflates.

INGREDIENTS

• Cream cheese - you will need just 2 blocks of brick cream cheese for this recipe. Do not use the whipped or spreadable kind as it can have a higher water content and thus a lower fat content. This is nearly half as much as American-style New York Cheesecake.
• Granulated sugar - simple fine white granulated sugar keeps the flavor clean so the chocolate flavor shines.
• Vanilla - vanilla will enhance the chocolate and the cream cheese. I prefer this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
• Eggs - three whole eggs will set the filling into a silky smooth custard. After all, cheesecake is essentially a baked cheese custard! Basque cheesecake has a higher ratio of eggs compared to American cheesecake.
• Cream - a whole cup of cream goes into this batter and that's one of the things that differentiates it. The added moisture from cream means that the cheesecake will not dry out and can withstand the very high baking temperature.
• Cocoa powder - use good quality cocoa powder! It's the main flavor and you want it to shine so use the best you can find. I love to use this Dutch Process cocoa powder for this recipe. Make sure you use unsweetened cocoa powder and not cocoa mix.
• Dark chocolate - as mentioned for cocoa powder, it is also important to use good quality chocolate. Inferior quality chocolate has less cocoa butter and less complex flavor which can affect the texture and taste of what you're baking. I prefer dark chocolate with 60-70% cocoa solids for a stronger chocolate taste, but you can also use this semisweet couverture chocolate.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

I prefer to use an electric hand mixer, but you can also use a stand mixer with the whip attachment. First step is to make sure you have softened cream cheese and place it in the bowl.

• STEP 1). Make the brownie batter. Combine dark chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and heat in the microwave in 30 second bursts until completely melted and smooth. You can also heat it gently on the stove in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the egg, sugar and salt and whisk until the batter is glossy and smooth. Sprinkle over the flour and fold it in gently. Spread the brownie batter evenly into the base of the lined pan and place it in the fridge while you make the cheesecake batter.
• STEP 21). Mix the cheese and sugar. Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Then add the sugar and beat for about 2 minutes until very smooth and creamy. Make sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl often to ensure you get a homogeneous mixture.
• STEP 3). Mix in eggs. Beat in the eggs one at a time until thoroughly combined. Scrape down the bowl between each addition.
• STEP 4). Mix in vanilla. Mix in the vanilla extract and salt.
• STEP 5). Mix in chocolate. Add the melted chocolate mixture and sifted cocoa powder and mix it in.
• STEP 6). Mix in cream. Warm the cream in the microwave for 20-30 seconds just so it is lukewarm, but not hot. Very gradually beat in the slightly warm cream until combined and the batter is smooth and silky.
• STEP 7). Sieve and bake. Pour batter through a sieve (to remove any lumps) and into prepared pan and bake for 22-25 minutes until deeply dark brown on top. Do NOT over-bake. The cheesecake should still be very jiggly when you take it out the oven. Transfer pan to a cooling rack and let cool completely in the pan (it will fall drastically as it cools). Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

• Crumple the parchment to line the pan. If you crumple it up first, it will be more pliable and easier to shape into the pan. The other way is to make pleats with the parchment up the sides so it holds flat along the base and straight up along the sides.
• Warm up the cream to ensure it incorporates evenly.
• Pass the batter through a sieve. This is not entirely necessary if you are careful about using room temperature ingredients and combining them gradually so there are no lumps, however this will absolutely guarantee a silky smooth texture as you see in the photos.
• Do not over-bake. This cheesecake will still be wobbly and jiggly in the middle when it is ready. It will continue to cook as it cools and it will set into a smooth creamy texture. If it is too firm then it has been over-baked and it will have a coarse texture.
• Use the broiler if it is not dark enough on top instead of baking longer in order to prevent over-cooking it. If the surface isn't as dark as you'd like after 25 minutes, turn on the broiler for just 30 seconds to 1 minute. Don't take your eyes off it or it will ACTUALLY burn.

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Video

Brownie Chocolate Basque Cheesecake

Christina Marsigliese

This ultra creamy Chocolate Basque Cheesecake recipe with a brownie bottom is one of the most delicious and luxurious cheesecakes you will ever make! It is for chocolate lovers with a thin layer of fudgy brownie on the bottom and unbelievably silky chocolate cheesecake that's bruléed on top to form a deep, rich, dark caramelized crust.

4.97 from 27 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Chill Time 8 hours hrs

Servings 10 servings

Ingredients

  

Brownie Batter:

• 3 oz (85g) dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa), coarsely chopped
• ¼ cup (56g) unsalted butter
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup (35g) all-purpose flour

Chocolate Basque cheesecake batter:

• 18 oz (500g) brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• ⅔ cup (135g) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 6 oz (170g) dark chocolate (60-70%% cocoa), melted and kept warm
• 3 tablespoon (18g) cocoa powder (I prefer this Dutch cocoa or this one), sifted to remove lumps
• 1 cup (237ml) 35% heavy whipping cream, slightly warmed

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line an 8-inch round non-stick springform pan or high-sided 8-inch round cake pan with 2 overlapping 16x12-inch sheets of parchment, making sure parchment comes at least 2" above top of pan on all sides. Lay the second piece at a 90° angle to the first piece to make sure there are no sides of the pan uncovered. Because the parchment needs to be pleated and creased in some areas to fit in pan, you won't end up with a clean, smooth outer edge to the cake, and that's okay!
• Make the brownie batter. Combine dark chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and heat in the microwave in 30 second bursts until completely melted and smooth. You can also heat it gently on the stove in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the egg, sugar and salt and whisk until the batter is glossy and smooth. Sprinkle over the flour and fold it in gently. Spread the brownie batter evenly into the base of the lined pan and place it in the fridge while you make the cheesecake batter.
• Make the cheesecake batter. Add cream cheese to a large bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer on medium-high speed until very smooth. Gradually add in sugar and continue mixing until very well combined and sugar is dissolved and there are no lumps. Scrape down the bowl at least 2 times during this process. The more you mix at this stage, the smoother the batter will be. You can also do this using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed, scraping down sides of bowl frequently.
• Beat in eggs one at a time, mixing well before adding the next. Scrape down sides of bowl between each addition. Beat in vanilla and salt. Add the melted chocolate mixture and sifted cocoa powder and mix it in.
• Warm the cream in the microwave for 20-30 seconds just so it is luke warm, but not hot. Very gradually beat in the slightly warm cream until combined and the batter is smooth and silky.
• Pour batter through a sieve (to remove any lumps) and into prepared pan and bake for 22-25 minutes until deeply dark brown on top. Do NOT over-bake. The cheesecake should still be very jiggly when you take it out the oven. Transfer pan to a cooling rack and let cool completely in the pan (it will fall drastically as it cools). Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Carefully peel away parchment from sides of cheesecake. Slice into wedges and serve at room temperature, preferably with a glass of sherry alongside.