Hojicha Basque Burnt Cheesecake

Creamy basque style hojicha cheesecake topped with a burnt caramelized top. This hojicha basque burnt cheesecake is simple to make, delicious, and perfect for all gatherings.

So much has happened in the past month.

Earlier this month, my sisters hosted a bachelorette party for me and just this past weekend, we had a Chinese tea ceremony for the first part of our wedding events. Less than three months left until our wedding. I need to share updates with you soon. <3

But first, it’s National Cheesecake Day so let’s celebrate with, of course, cheesecake.

In the past year or so, I’ve been obsessed with the basque burnt cheesecake. I love how soft and creamy the cheesecake is. If baked just right, the center is still super creamy and oozing. While it’s not as light as the Japanese style cheesecake, it is definitely lighter than the New York style cheesecake that we all know and love.

For this version of my basque burnt cheesecake, I used hojicha powder. Hojicha is green tea that has been roasted at high temperatures. It has the tea flavor but with smoky and caramel like notes. Between hojicha and matcha, I might just prefer hojicha. Have you had hojicha before?

These days, you can easily find hojicha powder online.

This hojicha basque cheesecake is one of my favorite desserts right now. I hope you’ll get the chance to try it and enjoy it as much as I do.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Prepare a 7-inch spring form baking pan by greasing it with butter. Line the baking pan with two sheets of parchment paper overlapping each other so that it hangs off the sides at least 2 inches. This will help you lift the cheesecake later. Place the baking pan on a baking sheet. Set aside for now.

In a large sized bowl, add cream cheese and granulated sugar. Use a hand mixer to mix the ingredients until well incorporated and smooth.

Next, add large eggs, mixing until well incorporated.

Add heavy cream and vanilla extract to the bowl and beat until combined.

Sift all purpose flour and hojicha powder evenly over the cream cheese mixture through a fine sieve. Mix until all the flour and matcha has been combined. The batter should look smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cheesecake for about 30-33 minutes until the cheesecake is set but the middle is still jiggly.

Set the oven to broil. Broil the cheesecake for about 1-2 minutes until the top as browned and caramelized. Make sure to watch the cheesecake so that it doesn’t burn.

Allow the cheesecake to cool a little before taking out of the spring form pan. Allow the cheesecake to cool completely before removing the parchment paper.

Serve the hojicha basque burnt cheesecake at room temperature.

You can refrigerate the cheesecake, but make sure to let the cheesecake come to room temperature before serving. The cheesecake is also best eaten fresh.

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