Fluffy Japanese Cheesecake (Printer-friendly)
Light, airy cheesecake with soufflé texture and subtle lemon flavor.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dairy
01 - 7 oz cream cheese, room temperature
02 - 1.8 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
03 - 3.4 fl oz whole milk
→ Dry Ingredients
04 - 0.5 cup cake flour
05 - 1.5 tbsp cornstarch
06 - 0.5 cup granulated sugar, divided
07 - 1/4 tsp salt
→ Eggs
08 - 6 large eggs, separated
→ Flavorings
09 - 1 tsp lemon juice
10 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
11 - Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
# How to Prepare:
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 (if using) 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 tbsp 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 Advice:
01 -
- Its less sweet than American cheesecake but feels more luxurious somehow
- The texture is somewhere between cake and cloud, which makes it feel special
02 -
- Cake flour creates the delicate crumb, and substituting allpurpose will make the texture denser and more breadlike
- The water bath is not optional—without it, the cake will crack and the texture becomes dry instead of creamy
03 -
- Separate your eggs while theyre cold—its easier to keep bits of yolk out of the whites, which would prevent them from whipping properly
- Use room temperature eggs for beating whites—they whip up faster and hold more volume than cold ones