It was a bit like meeting Meryl Streep, or Liam Gallagher or even Pat Cummins…Back in October, I flew to Spain to have coffee and cake with a culinary hero of global renown. It would seem like I’m shamelessly name-dropping, apart from the fact that Santiago Rivera’s name isn’t even well- known in Spain, let alone a worldwide household name to rival Gordon Ramsay, Jamie Oliver or Nigella Lawson.

Yet one dish he invented is. Santiago Rivera is the chef who invented the cheesecake that took over Australia during lockdown – a dessert that is now a fixture in bakeries and on restaurant menus around the world – the globally feted Basque cheesecake.

Wonderfully creamy, stupidly simple, this wasn’t a dish that was known before the turn of the century, when Rivera first came up with it at La Viña, his quaint little cafe in Donostia-San Sebastian’s old town.

Sure, there were other cheesecakes made in the Basque country of Spain’s north, but these were more complicated recipes built around goat’s cheese. Rivera just plumped for supermarket cream cheese – something that still makes some snooty chefs a little sniffy, especially given the cake’s success.

Rivera gave me the recipe for his cheesecake back when I was writing a culinary guide to the town for delicious. in 2009, and it subsequently ended up in my third cookbook as the ‘La Viña Burnt But Creamy Cheesecake’.

Credit: Matt Preston

Rivera is an unassuming bloke. He’s always been generous with the recipe, and seems unbothered that he’s not made a cent out of its global success. He’s more concerned that you cook it in an oven hot enough to create a dark golden crust while still ensuring that the centre remains distinctly creamy. He explains that this is important, because that way, you don’t need to serve it with cream. While the Basque cheesecake has since evolved with a number of successful customisations, that’s not something that Rivera wants to do at La Viña.

But then, when tourists start queuing for a slice hours before he even opens, he hardly feels he needs to mess with the OG.

Credit: Chris Court

I’m not sure how he’d feel about my Chocolate Basque cheesecake recipe (pictured at top), which continues to be a big hit online. Over the cooler months, we saw interest spike in richer, more indulgent cheesecakes like Carina La Delfa’s Brown butter and sugar cheesecake, my Roasted white chocolate cheesecake with peanut brittle and Phoebe Wood’s Melopita (Greek honey and cinnamon cheesecake). But queen among them all was a new recipe from baking whiz Natalie Paull. Interest in her Chocolate and sherry Basque cheesecake recipe still shows no sign of abating, even with the arrival of summer.

Searches for cheesecake recipes spike over the summer, with the warmer weather calling for lighter, fruit-driven, no-bake cheesecakes. As the name suggests, a no-bake cheesecake doesn’t need to be baked in the oven, and will usually set in the fridge in about three hours.

Around this site are hundreds of cheesecake recipes – both baked and no-bake. You’ll find everything from classics like ricotta cheesecakes to more adventurous versions that take their flavour cues from everything from Turkish delight and Cherry Ripe to banoffee pie, pina colada, limoncello, tea and toast… we even have a Vegemite cheesecake.

What is Basque cheesecake?

Invented by Santiago Rivera in the 1980s, Basque cheesecake went global through the internet and social media. It’s recognisable by its custard-like filling and signature, almost burnt crust. Also goes by burnt Basque cheesecake and San Sebastian cheesecake.

How to make Basque cheesecake

For a classic burnt Basque cheesecake recipe, try the original recipe Rivera shared with Matt Preston.

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