Japanese Cheesecake

Photo: Natalie Levin

A few months ago I watched a video of a Japanese cheesecake and ever since just couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was one of the fluffiest, airy and super delightful cheesecakes I’ve ever seen, and I just had to give it a try at home.

After quite a long time, I finally got to bake it. I found lots of different recipes all over the web, and after a few tests made my own version, which combines two of them.

This cake is high and so soft; it’s so hard to resist a piece (or two, or twelve, for that matter). It is at its best on the day of preparation (as opposed to most classic cheesecakes), which makes it definitely worth a shot.

So if you love cheesecakes and prefer them in their most airy and fluffiest version, I urge you to try this recipe. The cake that will come out of your oven will drive you crazy, and I assure you everyone will want to have the recipe and/or you making it again and again. Yes, it is so delicious!

Photo: Natalie Levin

Based on this recipe and this recipe with my adjustments.

Ingredients:

125 ml. (1/2 cup) milk
225 grams (1 pack) cream cheese
75 grams (2/3 stick) butter
6 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla extract
70 grams (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour (see notes for gluten-free version)
20 grams (2 tbsp.) cornstarch
6 egg whites
Pinch of salt
150 grams (3/4 cup) sugar

For serving:

sugar powder

Preheat oven to 160c degrees and place a large pan with water on the bottom of the oven. Line your pan with baking paper on the base and the sides.
In a pot, place milk, cheese and butter and heat over low heat until everything is melted and mixture is smooth.
Remove from heat, allow cooling for 2-3 minutes at room temperature and add the egg yolks one by one, whisking between additions. Add vanilla and whisk until smooth.
Add flour and cornstarch and whisk the batter until incorporated.
In a clean mixer bowl with a whipping attachment, whip egg whites and salt until pale foam begins to form.
Add the sugar gradually and continue whipping until stable, flexible and shiny meringue is formed.
Fold the meringue into the cheese mixture gradually until you get a smooth and thick batter.
Pour the batter into the pan and level the top using a spatula.
Place the pan in the oven pan relatively deep and fill it with water.
Bake for 25 minutes at 160c degrees. Then lower the oven temperature to 130c degrees and continue to bake for another 60-70 minutes. The cake is ready when it is golden, and slightly wobbly at the center.
Cool the cake at room temperature and extract from the pan.
Place on a serving plate, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

The cake is at its best on the day of preparation, preferably relatively warm.
Keep the cake in a closed container in the refrigerator up to 5 days. It is recommended to warm it slightly before serving.
You can serve the cake with chocolate sauce, caramel or berry coulis, but it really is perfect as it is.
Gluten-free version: replace the flour with the same amount of cornstarch (a total of 90 grams in this case).