Creamy Sourdough Basque Cheesecake {Same Day Or Overnight}

What happens when you combine two popular concepts into 1 powerhouse recipe? You’ll get a light & creamy, Basque-style cheesecake made better with sourdough discard. Bake it on the same day or ferment the batter overnight (no water bath required). And yes: the top is supposed to look burnt like that!

If you think sourdough is a rabbit hole, welcome to cheesecake. Out of all the recipes out there- baked, no-bake, NY-style, light, fluffy, creamy, dense- I chose to adapt the mighty Basque cheesecake for 3 standout reasons.

For one, it’s crust-less which means there’s literally one less thing you have to make (or buy). Two, no water bath. Again, that’s one less thing you have to struggle with, especially if you’re in no mood to deal with boiling hot water seeping into your springform pan. And three, just look at that glorious caramelized top! What does that even taste like?

Basque Vs. NY-Style {They’re Not The Same}

Please, pretty please, do not assume Basque cheesecake tastes like NY-style and vice versa. Although made with similar ingredients, the difference boils down to ingredient ratio, moisture content and baking temperature.

Basque cheesecake uses less cream cheese and more heavy cream to create a pourable batter. When baked at a high temperature (425 F), the batter puffs up like a soufflé creating a mousse-like texture around the edges, a creamy, pudding center and a golden, caramelized top which tastes like burnt sugar (think: creme brûlée). It’s rustic and sunken, with a few cracks on the surface.

NY-style cheesecake uses more cream cheese and less liquid to create a slightly thicker batter. It’s baked at a lower temperature (300+ F), usually in a hot water bath to prevent cracks on the surface. The texture is more dense. Also, NY-style cheesecake is baked in a graham cracker crust whereas Basque cheesecake is crust-less.

There’s going to be a quiz at the end…

Ok, So Why Sourdough?

Because flour is a common ingredient in most cheesecake recipes, it made sense (to me) to replace it with sourdough discard– 60 g is perfect. It lends a unique depth of flavor and texture, and is a practical use beyond sourdough bread.

For timing, like most sourdough discard recipes you can bake this cheesecake on the same day, or start the day before and ferment the batter overnight in the fridge- your choice. After 10+ recipes tests with various brands of cream cheese, heavy cream and more/less eggs, I’ve decided that you can barely differentiate between the same day or overnight option!

How To Make It {Step-By-Step}

The visual instructions below outline what you need to do, step-by-step (full detailed recipe at the end of this post). I recommend using a stand mixer for ease and convenience, room temperature ingredients for best texture, and thinking ahead re: how and when to serve your decadent sourdough cheesecake. In the next section, we’ll cover my non-negotiable notes, tips and expectations for best results.

Notes, Tips & Expectations:

Creamy Sourdough Basque Cheesecake {Same Day or Overnight }

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• Author: Emilie Raffa
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 45
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: Serves 8-10
• Category: Sourdough Discard Recipes
• Method: Oven-Baked
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

This creamy, 5-ingredient sourdough Basque cheesecake recipe is made with cream cheese, sugar, eggs, heavy cream and sourdough discard (or active sourdough starter if you prefer). It’s baked without a crust in an 8-inch springform pan. Baking at a high temperature of 425 F is the Basque cheesecake’s signature move: it creates a golden brown top, a mousse-like texture around the edges, and a light and creamy center. No water bath required.

For timing, you can bake the cheesecake on the same day, chilling it until ready to serve. Or, start the day before and ferment the batter overnight in the fridge. In both cases, please make sure to use room temperature batter appx. 69-72 F, which is ideal for best texture. This recipe was adapted with changes from the lovely Nagi of Recipe Tin Eats.

Notes & Tips:

• Weigh your ingredients for precise results. I’m using a new digital scale!
• If you don’t have an 8-inch springform pan, use a deep, high-sided 8-inch pan instead. It needs to be at least 3 inches high otherwise the batter will spill out. A normal cake pan won’t work.
• A digital thermometer is not required. However, it’s extremely helpful. For example, when doing the overnight fermentation option, cold cheesecake batter will be approximately 36-37 F after sitting in the fridge overnight. It needs to reach at least 69 F before baking, which will take several hours at a moderate room temperature of 69-72 F.

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Ingredients

• 678 g (24 oz) block cream cheese, at room temperature
• 220 g (appx. 1 cup) granulated sugar
• 220 g eggs (cracked weight w/o the shell), about 4- 5 large eggs
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
• 60 g sourdough discard or active sourdough starter

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Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 425 F (skip this step if doing an overnight ferment).
2. Lightly coat the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Line the pan (horizontally) with 1 sheet of non-stick parchment paper. Place a second sheet of parchment paper on top (vertically) to create an X. Smooth out the bottom and sides to fit the pan- it won’t look perfect. Tip: I scrunch up my parchment paper first, which seems to fit better.
3. Add the softened cream cheese and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix until smooth and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes on medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
4. With the machine on low, add the eggs one at a time.
5. Combine the heavy cream and sourdough starter in a separate bowl. Mix with a fork to dissolve the starter (just like you would do when making sourdough bread dough). It’s easier to incorporate into the batter this way.
6. With the machine on low, gradually pour the the heavy cream mixture into the stand mixer bowl. When finished, turn off the machine. Gently mix the batter with a rubber spatula to ensure the texture is cohesive (check the very bottom of the bowl- sometimes a bit of cream cheese will get stuck down there!).
7. Pour the batter into your lined pan. Note: at this point, if you are fermenting the batter overnight, cover the pan with an inverted dinner plate and place it into the fridge. In the morning, let it sit at room temperature until the cheesecake batter reaches 69-72 F before baking. This will take several hours. Use a digital thermometer to check.
8. Place the cheesecake pan onto a baking sheet. Bake on the center rack for approximately 43-45 minutes. The cheesecake is done when it puffs up like a soufflé, is golden brown on the surface, and has a very wobbly center. There will be cracks on the surface too.
9. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Cool the cheesecake at room temperate for 2 hours. Transfer to the fridge to cool for another 2-3 hours (for a creamy, pudding like consistency) or 6 hrs-overnight (for a firm, creamy and fluffy consistency). Note: If opting for a longer chill time, I do recommend letting the cheesecake sit out at room temperate for at least 1 hour, or until a digital thermometer reads 55-60 F before serving.

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