A recipe from Basque Country
Damien Dufour
I grew up with summers spent on the Bay of Biscay, and in the foothills and valleys of Spain’s green Basque Country, in my Grandmother’s (Abue) house. One of my earliest memories was the ritual of merienda (the Spanish version of ‘teatime’), and the flavours of the traditional Basque Cheesecake. Specifically, La viña: a crustless cheesecake, baked on a high oven setting that keeps the middle jiggly, with a burnt, caramalised top. The name comes from the café where it was first made in Donostia, San Sebastian in 1951.
This cheesecake is special to me because in my family, it was a ritual that belonged to the youngest and oldest members. While my parents caught up with adult things, my grandparents (along with their elder friends) would sit down with the grandchildren and enjoy slices of sweet and creamy cheesecake outside a café, or made by my grandmother’s friend on her terrace in Donostia. It will always remind me of that special feeling of time with grandparents, who’d let me steal spoonfuls off their own plates away from the watchful eyes of my parents.
It was only in lockdown that I ever tried making it myself from my small kitchen in East London. While others kneaded sourdough, I tracked down the recipe from my Grandmother’s oldest friend (who was known in the village for making the best), and whisked up cream, cheese, eggs and sugar. It made me feel connected to my family who felt far away.
It’s incredibly simple to make. But a note of caution: this is not an American cheesecake. In Basque, a cheesecake is only considered good by the quality of the jiggle; straight out of the oven, it should be so wobbly it looks undercooked. Once cooled, you cut through the golden top, and it should spill open, a bit like a burrata. Other tips include whisking with a fork, not a whisk. I don’t know why, but I trust the Spanish grandmothers who always told me this. Eat at merienda or for breakfast with an espresso if you’re feeling fancy. ¡Buen provecho!
Harriet Matthews
Ingredients:
500g soft cheese
200g sugar
4 eggs
250 ml double cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp plain flour
Recipe:
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.
Line a round cake tin with greaseproof paper. Don’t worry about being neat - the folds in the paper help give the cake its unique rustic character.
Whisk the soft cheese together with the sugar
Add in the eggs, cream and vanilla, then sift in the flour
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, and do the ‘jiggle’ test. It should be caramelised on top, but still have a really good wobble (and look pretty uncooked - but don’t worry, it will firm up later).
Turn the oven off, but keep the cheesecake in the oven for five minutes.
Remove, keep in the cake tin and transfer to the fridge to cool completely. For the best flavour, eat the day after making.
Harriet Matthews
For more exclusive insights into slow travel, overland journeys and insider tips, subscribe to our newsletter.
