Fluffy Japanese Cheesecake (Printable Version)
Light, airy cheesecake with soufflé texture that melts in your mouth. A delicate, less-sweet treat perfect for dessert enthusiasts.
# What You Need:
→ Dairy
01 - 7 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
02 - 1.8 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
03 - 6.8 tablespoons whole milk
→ Dry Ingredients
04 - 0.5 cup cake flour
05 - 1.6 tablespoons cornstarch
06 - 0.5 cup granulated sugar, divided
07 - 0.25 teaspoon salt
→ Eggs
08 - 6 large eggs, separated
→ Flavorings
09 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - Zest of 1 lemon
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 320°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil to prevent water from seeping in during baking.
02 - In a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water, melt the cream cheese, butter, and milk. Stir until smooth, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
03 - Sift the cake flour, cornstarch, and salt together. Add to the cream cheese mixture and whisk until fully incorporated.
04 - Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and lemon zest to the mixture. Mix until smooth and set aside.
05 - In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add 5 tablespoons of the sugar in three parts, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.
06 - Gently fold one-third of the meringue into the cream cheese batter to lighten the mixture. Carefully fold in the remaining meringue in two additions, taking care not to deflate the batter.
07 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Tap the pan gently on the counter to release air bubbles.
08 - Place the cake pan into a larger roasting pan. Add hot water to the roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cake pan.
09 - Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the cake is golden, set, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
10 - Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside with the door ajar for 15 minutes to prevent cracking.
11 - Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan before unmolding. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Its barely sweet, letting the creamy tang shine without that sugar coma feeling
- The texture is impossible to describe until you experience it, like eating a flavored cloud
02 -
- Rushing the egg white folding stage will deflate your cake into something dense and disappointing
- Skipping the water bath guarantees cracks, no matter how carefully you control the oven temperature
03 -
- Separate your eggs while theyre cold, then let everything come to room temperature
- The meringue is ready when you can invert the bowl and nothing moves