San Sebastian cheesecake at MuffinTaffin in Budva

In San Sebastian, a bar in the old town baked a cheesecake so hot that the top turned dark while the center stayed soft. MuffinTaffin keeps that Basque dessert among its cakes in Budva.

Santiago Rivera of La Viña shaped the style in the 1990s: no biscuit base, a tall tin lined with paper, and a short, fierce bake. Guests in the Basque Country ate it warm from the tin or cold the next day.

How the burnt top is made

The batter is cream cheese, eggs, sugar, cream and a spoon of flour. High heat browns the surface in the oven; the middle sets only as the cake cools. That contrast is the whole point of the method.

In Montenegro, November evenings suit a dense slice more than a light summer tart. At the counter in Budva, the cake is chilled and cut into wedges so sales stay neat and the creamy center does not slump.

Orders for a whole cheesecake, or for other cakes, can be placed ahead when a table needs dessert after dinner. The same counter also handles everyday sales of slices.