Air Fryer Basque Cheesecake
The ultimate easy cheesecake, this Basque-inspired delight comes together in no time with the help of your trusty air fryer. It’s gooey and creamy and we can’t get enough! As an added bonus, this cheesecake is served at room temperature, meaning you’ll be scoffing cheesecake goodness in a fraction of the time!
Basque cheesecakes have had a bit of a moment lately. And why not? They’re quick, easy, absolutely delicious and need only basic ingredients and equipment. The result is simply addictively delicious!
Though the origins of this cake are fairly recent – it was invented in 1990 by Spanish chef Santiago Rivera, the burnt Basque cheesecake has become a true classic. This is largely thanks to its custardy texture, simple ingredients and no-fuss or frills preparation.
We’ve made this one using the Instant Vortex air fryer, but you can always pop it into the oven if you don’t have an air fryer. See the FAQS below for oven instructions!
To make this burnt Basque cheesecake, you’ll only need 7 ingredients and an air fryer or oven. This recipe is vegetarian and is ready in under an hour! You can play with the flavours and see what you like best. Try lemon, vanilla or orange!
If you try this recipe, let us know how it goes! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag your photo #theculinarycartel on Instagram so we can see what you come up with. Happy cooking!
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I bake this cheesecake in the oven?
Heat the oven to 240 degrees C, ensuring plenty of space above the middle tray. Proceed as per the recipe below, and bake for 30 minutes, or until the middle is just jiggly and the surface of the Basque cheesecake is blackened.
Why did my basque cheesecake fall in the centre?
Don’t be concerned if your cake comes out with a fallen centre. This is the traditional appearance of the cheesecake and is a result of the characteristic “undercooked” centre of Basque cheesecakes.
Can I make a Basque cheesecake ahead of time?
Absolutely yes. To make this cake ahead, simply bake your cheesecake and refrigerate. Remove the Basque cheesecake from the fridge one hour before serving time. This will ensure a creamy and soft centre at serving.
Air Fryer Basque Cheesecake
- Total Time: 48 Minutes
- Yield: 8-10 Servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
The ultimate easy cheesecake, this Basque-inspired delight comes together in no time with the help of your trusty air fryer. It’s gooey and creamy and we can’t get enough! As an added bonus, this cheesecake is served at room temperature, meaning you’ll be scoffing cheesecake goodness in a fraction of the time!
Ingredients
- 750g full fat cream cheese
- 200g castor sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 1/2 cups cream
- generous 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 30g cake flour
- zest of 1 orange (optional)
- butter for greasing the cake tin
- baking paper for lining the cake tin
Equipment: 23 cm Cake Tin
Instructions
- Lightly butter the cake tin with a knob of butter. Cut two large squares of baking paper, big enough to hang over the sides of the tin. Line the tin with the 2 overlapping pieces of baking paper, making sure parchment comes at least 5cm above the top of the cake tin on all sides. Push the parchment into the corners of the tin. The pleats and creases of the baking paper will result in the edges of the cheesecake being a little pleated – but don’t worry about this as this is a break the rules cheesecake.
- Place the cream cheese and sugar into a bowl and beat until smooth, for 1-2 minutes on medium-high speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go, until the sugar has dissolved. Turn the mixer to medium and add the eggs and egg yolk one at a time, beating well between each addition,. Scrape the sides of the bowl then give everything a further beat on medium.
- Add the cream, salt, vanilla, and beat until combined.
- Sift the flour over the cheesecake batter, and beat one final time until the flour is just incorporated into the batter (don’t over beat). Pour the batter into the lined cake tin.
- Set your air fryer to 191 degrees C, for 33 minutes on the bake function. Once preheated, place the cheesecake into the basket, and cook until the top is a deep dark brown. At 28 minutes check the cheesecake, it should be jiggly in the centre, as if undercooked. If the middle is still wobbly, the cake is ready, if not pop it back into the basket and check in another minute or two.
- Once cooked, remove the cheesecake and allow it to cool to room temperature. The set of the cheesecake will be custardy, with a very loose centre even once cool. The centre should just hold a cut once cooled.
- Serve the cheesecake at room temperature with a glass of sherry.
- If making the cheesecake in advance, store it wrapped in the fridge, then remove it from the fridge 2 hours before serving, to achieve the ideal creamy texture at room temp.
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 33 Minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: Spanish
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 622.63kcal
- Sugar: 29.48g
- Sodium: 460.88mg
- Fat: 50.28g
- Saturated Fat: 29.43g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15.01g
- Trans Fat: 1.11g
- Carbohydrates: 34.66g
- Fiber: 0.06g
- Protein: 10.12g
- Cholesterol: 250.65mg
