Vietnamese Coffee Basque Cheesecake

This Vietnamese coffee basque cheesecake is one of the easiest, no-fuss desserts for any occasion. Flavored with espresso powder and condensed milk, it gives you that authentic Vietnamese coffee flavor without the cheesecake tasting too sweet. Learn how to make this cheesecake and how to achieve that signature “burnt” look in this blog post.

This recipe is inspired by my mom. She loves a good cheesecake, but she loves a good coffee cheesecake even more. So I thought I would make my own version of a coffee cheesecake with this Vietnamese coffee basque cheesecake. I’ve been loving this burnt version of cheesecake ever since I made my ube basque cheesecake. This Vietnamese coffee version is made with espresso powder and condensed milk to give you that authentic Vietnamese coffee flavor. The espresso also balances out the sweetness from the sugar and condensed milk, making this a not-too-sweet dessert even my mom would like.

What is basque cheesecake?

Basque cheesecake is a dessert that originates from San Sebastian, Spain. It is said that the origins of this dessert can be traced back to a restaurant called La Vina. They served the first basque cheesecake 30 years ago. This cheesecake is different from American cheesecakes mostly due to its burnt exterior. The dark exterior gives the cheesecake a caramel/brown butter type flavor while the center is creamy and soft. That contrast gives the cheesecake a flavor unlike any other.

How does the cheesecake get its “burnt” look?

I’ve made this type of cheesecake a few times and found there are 2 keys to getting that “burnt” look. The first is having an oven that has a pretty accurate oven temperature. Some ovens have a temperature internally that is different that what it reads on the oven dial, so it’s important to have an oven thermometer. The second key is having enough sugar in the batter. I tested this recipe with 1 cup of sugar and the exterior was not that burnt. I then increased it to 1 1/2 cups and was able to achieve a burnt exterior. My ube basque cheesecake has 1 3/4 cups of sugar which is why it has such a dark burnt color.

Ingredients, Substitutions & Adjustments

• Cream cheese – This is the main ingredient in this cheesecake. Any type of cream cheese should work for this recipe including mascarpone.
• Granulated sugar – Adds sweetness to this cheesecake and helps the cheesecake get that burnt exterior. While testing this recipe, I tested a batch with 1 cup of sugar, and the top didn’t get burnt enough.
• Eggs – Adds richness and creaminess to the cheesecake.
• Vanilla extract – Adds more flavor to the cheesecake. Substitute with a vanilla bean or an equal amount of vanilla paste. I personally prefer vanilla paste, because it has more flavor.
• Salt – Brings out the flavors of the other ingredients.
• Espresso powder – Adds the coffee flavor to the cheesecake. My favorite espresso powder to use is King Arthur espresso powder. If you can’t find espresso powder, you can also grind up coffee grounds into powder.
• Condensed milk – This helps give that Vietnamese coffee flavor since Vietnamese coffee is made with coffee and condensed milk!
• Heavy cream – Adds creaminess to the cheesecake.
• All purpose flour – Gives the cheesecake a little structure

How to make Vietnamese coffee basque cheesecake

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C). Line a 9 inch springform pan by covering it with 2 pieces of parchment paper. Make sure the parchment paper extends 1-2 inches out of the pan. This will help you remove the cheesecake.

Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, whisk cream cheese and sugar together until well combined. Add the eggs and mix until smooth. Add the vanilla extract, espresso powder, and salt. Mix until combined. Finally, add the heavy cream and all purpose flour. Mix until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Bake for 60-65 minutes until the cake is cooked through. To check if it’s done, shake the cheesecake and if it jiggles like jello, it is done.

Let the cheesecake cool down at room temperature for 1 hour and then place in the fridge to set for at least 3 more hours. This cheesecake tastes best if it sets in the fridge overnight.

Tips on how to make the perfect Vietnamese coffee basque cheesecake

I highly recommend a stand mixer

Traditionally, basque cheesecake is made with a metal spoon. Even though that is true, I personally prefer a stand mixer because it is so much easier to get the cream cheese and sugar to combine.

Use room temperature cream cheese

This is really important because cold cream cheese is harder to work with and there will be more clumps in your mixture.

Easy ways to bring cream cheese to room temperature

Below are a few easy ways to bring cream cheese to room temperature

1. The most hands off way to do it is to let it sit at room temperature for a few hours (2-3 hours).
2. Remove the outer packaging from the cream cheese until you’re just left with the foil wrapped cream cheese block. Place them in a bowl of warm water and let it sit for 10 minutes.
3. Remove the cream cheese from the packaging and put it in a bowl. Heat in 10 second increments until the right temperature, stirring in between each increment to allow even heating. This should take 30-40 seconds. This is the method I used.

Alternative bake times

There are versions of basque cheesecake where the center is a little more runny than mine. To get a runnier center, bake the cheesecake for less time (~50-60 minutes). The drawback of baking the cheesecake for less time is the top doesn’t get as brown or “burnt”.

How do you store Vietnamese coffee basque cheesecake?

Store this basque cheesecake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Did you make this dish?

If you made this dish, I would love to see!

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