The Famous Canarian Cheesecake: Tarta de Queso in Gran Canaria
If you sit down for a meal anywhere in the Canary Islands, there is one dessert you can almost bet your life will be on the menu: Tarta de Queso. It is creamy, simple, comforting, and quietly iconic. And yes, Gran Canaria has its very own version.
Below you’ll find a bit of history, a local twist, and a recipe that works every single time.
🍽️ A Little History From Ancient Greece to Your Table
Tarta de queso might feel like a modern café favourite, but its roots go way back. We are talking roughly 4,000 years, all the way to ancient Greece. Texts from the Island of Samos already mentioned a cake made with cheese, once considered an energizing food for athletes taking part in the Olympic Games.
The modern cheesecake as we know it started much later. In 1872, a man in New York tried to recreate Neufchâtel cheese. He miscalculated, created something entirely different, and accidentally gave the world cream cheese. A few years later, it took the name we all know today: Philadelphia Cream Cheese. Thank you, culinary mistakes.
🧀 How Tarta de Queso Arrived in Spain and the Canary Islands
Cheesecake became popular in northern Spain first, a natural result of cattle farming and easy access to dairy. When refrigeration spread and ingredients could travel safely, the dessert started popping up everywhere, including here in the Canary Islands.
In Gran Canaria, chefs often add a touch of local goat cheese (queso de cabra) to give the dessert a sharper, more Canarian personality. It is subtle but delicious, and once you try it, you will understand why it remains a favourite.
🥣 The Recipe: Classic Tarta de Queso
This recipe is easy, creamy, and practically foolproof. It is the style that most local restaurants serve: baked, soft in the middle, and lightly golden on top.
Ingredients
- 1000 g cream cheese (Philadelphia or similar) at room temperature
- 400 g sugar
- 7 eggs at room temperature
- 13 g flour
- 500 g whole fat cream
Instructions
- Mix the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
- Add the eggs one at a time.
- Sift the flour and combine.
- Add the cream and mix well.
Bake at 200°C in a static oven for 30 to 45 minutes. Every oven is different, so keep an eye on the top. If it starts browning too quickly around minute 25, cover the cake with tin foil and lower the temperature to 180°C.
Let it cool for 2 hours at room temperature, then 4 hours in the fridge. Remove from the fridge about 15 minutes before serving.
🐐 Want a Canarian Twist? Add Goat Cheese
If you want that gentle Canarian edge, swap 10 to 20 percent of the cream cheese for local goat cheese. For this recipe, that means replacing 100 to 200 g of cream cheese with goat cheese.
A blender or hand mixer will give you an even smoother texture.
🧊 Storage Tips
This is a dairy and egg based dessert, so store it in the fridge and enjoy it within 2 days. The flavour gets even better on day two, so do not rush it.
Buen provecho, and welcome to the most beloved dessert in the archipelago.
