Basque-Style Cheesecake

Aitor Garate Berasaluze

Basque cheesecake is having a moment in the U.S. thanks largely to social media shares of its striking torched and caramelized top and its mousse-like creamy custard. This popularity is music to the ears of Aitor Garate Berasaluze, chef/owner of Edan Bistro, who hails from Spain’s Basque country, where he learned culinary craft and the foodservice business by working in the family bakery. When he opened his own modern Spanish concept late in 2023, featuring Basque cheesecake on the menu was a natural move.

But this isn’t just any Basque cheesecake. Berasaluze’s Tarta de Queso is over-the-top creamy, with an interior that is so rich, it’s almost fluid, flowing out like a runny Brie. The outer layer is baked to a traditional toasted finish, adding an element of bitterness that contrasts with the sweet center. “Our customers are curious and want to try it,” Berasaluze says. “It’s gotten a very pleasant reaction because it’s a different dessert—very creamy, not too sweet—and people really like it.”

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