Move over pumpkin pie – there’s a new showstopper at the dessert table. Burnt Basque cheesecake, with its caramelized top and creamy center, was recently named Nevada’s most iconic dessert by Conde Nast Traveler.
The decadent treat is baked at a higher temperature—typically around 400 to 475 degrees—forming the rich dark caramelized surface while also allowing for a soft, custardy center.
Nevada’s Basque roots run deep. Basque shepherds settled in the state in the 19th Century, but the cheesecake itself was born in San Sebastian, Spain in 1988 at La Vina, where chef Santiago Rivera first baked the now-famous dessert. By the 2010s the dessert’s fame had exploded, fueled by social media foodies eager to taste the culinary magic of San Sebastian—a city with world renowned pintxos (Basque tapas) and Michelin-starred chefs.
When Flour Bakery owners Alana and Gianni Saporiti took over two Cake by the Slice locations in Northern Nevada, they were looking for a creative and new offering.
“I was inspired by it, figured it out, and then started with simple flavors of chocolate and vanilla,” says Alana.
From there, Flour’s offerings grew to include hazelnut, matcha, black sesame seed, and the bakery’s best-seller: Ube, which turns the cheesecake into a stunning shade of electric purple. Seasonal flavors rotate and December’s star is dragon fruit.
Flour Bakery offers a personal four-inch takeaway cheesecake, or a large ten-inch cheesecake that can feed 25.
Adding a personal touch, one of Flour’s employees is Basque and grew up baking the dessert with his grandmother. “He said ours tastes just like he remembers,” Alana says.
Where to find Basque Cheesecake locally:
· Flour Bakery: 9570 S. McCarran Blvd #109, Reno; 113 Los Altos Parkway #102, Sparks
· Louis Basque Corner, 301 E. Fourth St.
“I was inspired by it, figured it out, and then started with simple flavors of chocolate and vanilla,” - Alana Saporiti