How often is it that I’m craving something sweet after dinner, but not necessarily everyone in my house wants a dessert? I’ve come across many recipes for burnt basque cheesecake, but most of them are for a large number of servings.
And with self-isolation, I honestly haven’t been able to get outside and do much exercise (eeeek!)
But that’s OK, because I’ve come up with the perfect Mini Triple Layer Matcha & Hojicha Burnt Basque Cheesecake recipe. It’s great for the indecisive (me!), as well as those who can’t justify eating a whole cheesecake by themselves (also me)! However, this one’s small enough that no one will judge you if you do finish the entire mini cake by yourself!
WHAT IS A BURNT BASQUE CHEESECAKE?
Unlike a traditional cheesecake, the burnt basque cheesecake has no crust. The primary ingredient is cream cheese, with egg and a bit of flour. The cheesecake is baked at a high temperature so it becomes burnt and has cracks. It’s very much the opposite of the classic New York-style cheesecake.
This Matcha & Hojicha Burnt Basque Cheesecake is a small-batch, mini cake. There are lots of recipes out there for 8″ or 10″ cheesecakes, but this one makes a 4″ cake. I haven’t tried it with a 6″ round pan, but it could possibly work — it will just look a bit flatter.
TIPS TO MAKE MINI TRIPLE LAYER MATCHA & HOJICHA BURNT BASQUE CHEESECAKE
- Place parchment paper onto a round pan, making sure it is about 2″ taller in height than the pan
- Keep the dairy and egg (cream cheese, heavy whipping cream) at room temperature so that it combines together more cohesively
- Use a good quality hojicha and matcha powder
- Remove the cheesecake while the centre is slightly jiggly — it will firm up later
- Use the broiler to burn the top of the cheesecake
The flavour of this Mini Triple Layer Matcha & Hojicha Burnt Basque Cheesecake is phenomenal! It’s not too sweet, creamy and rich, and full of tea flavours from the hojicha and matcha. My son loves this cheesecake chilled, as do I! Be sure to give it a try, and let me know if you do — tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer
Also, if you love matcha and hojicha together, check out my Hojicha Matcha Affogato. And if you’re looking for another style of cheesecake, try my Matcha Cotton Cheesecake.
Mini Triple Layer Matcha & Hojicha Burnt Basque Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 200 g cream cheese room temp
- 50 g (¼ C) granulated cane sugar
- 1 large egg lightly beaten, room temp
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 120 ml (½ C) heavy whipping cream room temp
- 12 g all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp hojicha powder
- 1 Tbsp matcha powder
Instructions
- Prepare a 4" round cake pan (or spring form pan) by placing parchment paper to line it. You may need to crinkle the parchment (this is OK -- the more rustic, the better) and make sure it overhangs about 2" from the pan.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whip together the cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add in the beaten egg, salt, and vanilla extract.
- Pour in the heavy cream.
- Sift in the flour over top of the wet ingredients and mix until the batter is smooth.
- Divide the batter into half (approximately 200g). Sift matcha powder over top of the batter. Mix until all the matcha is incorporated.
- If you want to make 3 layers like I did, divide the plain portion into another half (100g). Sift hojicha powder over top of that portion, mix into the batter, and leave the remainder plain.
- You can divide the layers into 3 equal portions, but I wanted the base matcha to be thicker.
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Bake for 25 minutes at 400F and then turn it to broil @ 500F for 3-5 mins, until the top is browned. Watch the cheesecake carefully as it can burn very quickly.
- Remove from the oven (the cake should still be slightly jiggly in the centre). Let cool. (The cake will deflate -- this is normal).
- Cut into slices and serve at room temperature. Or, place into the fridge once cooled and serve chilled. (My eldest and I prefer it chilled).
This looks delicious! May I please know how deep your cake pan is?
Hi there, my cake pan for this cheesecake is 4″ across and 1 3/4″ deep.
Thank you so much! So excited to make this 🙂
This was perfectly creamy and absolutely delicious! Made it for father’s day and will definitely be making it again 🙂
Thank you Renee! That is such a special gift for Father’s Day! Glad you enjoyed the cheesecake recipe 🙂
Did you bake layer by layer? How did u make them not mixed tgh?
No, the entire cheesecake is baked at once. Each layer is thick enough that it will sit on top of each other.
Wow, this was sooooo simple and easy to make, just be mindful when you are browning the top, as it burns quickly!
Thanks for the recipe!
The mini 4” is the perfect size for my husband and I! We enjoyed this cake most after it has been chilled!
Ahh thank you so much Eva! I’m glad you agree that it tastes even better chilled!! 🙂
Do you think I can make this in a muffin tray? Looks and sounds yummy!!
Yes, you could! You’d have to adjust the baking time, though 🙂
I love that these are mini sized! They are the perfect serving for someone like me who wants some cake but not a huge amount because mr. husband won’t finish it with me!!! I also really enjoy the layers here!
Yes, glad you agree — my hubby isn’t terribly into sweets as well, so it’s just the perfect portion size! 🙂 Thanks Christie!
I love this recipe! It was a hit with my friends and family and I will continue to make it. Thanks Michelle for sharing it.
Hi Lynn, thank you so much for the feedback! I’m glad to hear it! 🙂
Wow this looks so good! I want to bake a 8” version of this cake since I don’t have a 4 or 6” round pan. If I just double everything will that work? What will the cooking time be like? Thanks for always making such mouth-watering recipes!!
Yes, if you want a larger 8″ cake, double the ingredients. I’m not sure exactly the baking time since I haven’t tested it myself, but I would imagine it would need a longer time in the oven. Do report back if you try it. 🙂
I doubled the recipe and the cake look a little short.
I will triple the recipe the next time round.
Regards,
Mel
Hi Michelle,
How do i make the cake 3 layers? I tried making only 2 layers, and i wanted to make the plain one on top. I poured in the hojicha mixture 1st followed by the plain one.
But the plain one sank to the bottom. Do i need to bake the bottom layer 1st?
Hi there, the layers are all baked together at once. Sorry, I’m not sure why your plain layer sank to the bottom. The mixture should be thick enough to sit on top. Did you make any adjustments to the recipe?
Yes, i did. As my cake tin is 6 inch. How much should i increase the ingredients? I would want to try again
You can double each of the ingredients for a 6″ cake tin.
Michelle, you’ve outdone yourself with this cheesecake. It’s gorgeous and I love how perfect the layers look!
Thanks Leanne! 🙂 The layers are indeed mesmerizing!
I love all the tasty flavors you’ve incorporated into each layer of this burnt basque cheesecake. And the size is perfect for portion control!
Thanks Heidi!! Exactly my thoughts!
Lovely recipe! Baked this yesterday and the sweetness level is just perfect. The recipe is very easy to follow. And most importantly, it didn’t take too much time to prepare and bake. I could make this cake while my 6-months baby were napping with extra ‘me time’ to spare.
Thank you so much for making the recipe! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Turned out amazing, my family loved it!
Awesome, happy to hear it! 🙂
Hi Michelle, how many grams of sugar and cream are you using ?
Hi Michelle, may I know how many grams of sugar and cream are you using ?
Hi there, I used 50g granulated sugar and 120ml of cream. I’ve updated the recipe to include these measurements.
Thank you! 🤗