The Best Japanese Cheesecake Recipes

JAPANESE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 200°C / 392°F (Top and bottom heat, no fan force), at least 20 minutes before sending your cake batter into the oven for baking.
• Grease 8″ x 3″ cake pan with butter, line bottom with baking or parchment paper
• Whisk cream cheese till smooth over a warm water bathAdd yolks and whiskAdd half the sugar (70 gram) and whiskWarm milk and butter in microwave (high, 1 min) or stove, whisk into batterAdd salt, lemon juice, lemon zest, and whiskRemove from the water bath, sift cake flour and corn starch and fold into a mixture
• Whisk egg whites at low speed till foamyAdd cream of tartar and beat at high speed till bubbles become very small but still visibleGradually add the balance of 70 gram of sugar and beat till soft peaks
• Fold whites into batter 1/3 at a time
• Pour into the cake pan and tap the pan on the counter to release air bubbles
• Bake with water bath on the bottommost rack in a preheated 200°C / 392°F for 18 mins, then lower to 140°C / 284°F for another 30 mins (let the heat in the oven to drop gradually with the door closed) and turn off the oven and leave the cake in the closed oven for another 30 mins. Remove water bath and open the door of the oven slightly at the end of the baking for another 30 mins for the cake to cool.

FLUFFY JAPANESE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F and place a rack in the center of the oven. Line the bottom of an 8x3" round cake pan with a parchment paper circle or generously butter ONLY the bottom of the pan. Set it aside.
• Separate the eggs and place the whites in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Place the yolks in a small bowl. Set both aside.
• Place the cream cheese in a metal or heatproof glass bowl and place over a pot of simmering water. Stir occasionally until the cream cheese softens and melts and becomes totally smooth. Whisk in the crème fraîche and butter until well combined. Remove from the heat and whisk in the lemon zest and vanilla. Whisk in the egg yolks and 3 Tbsp. (40 g) of the superfine sugar. Sprinkle the cake flour and salt evenly over the top. Use the whisk to gently fold in the flour.
• Whip the egg whites on medium speed until you start to see the wires of the whisk leave a trail in the whites. Slowly add the remaining superfine sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, whipping all the while, until all the sugar is mixed in. Continue whipping for another 30 seconds or so, until the whites hold a soft peak and look a bit like soft seafoam. Stop the mixer and take a few spoonfuls of the whites. Gently fold them into the cream cheese mixture. Once that mixture has been lightened up with some of the whites, go ahead and add the rest of the whites and fold gently and quickly to combine thoroughly.
• Carefully pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Place the pan in a larger roasting pan or another baking dish that is at least as tall as the cake pan. Place both pans in the oven and fill the larger pan with water so that it comes about one-quarter of the way up the side of the cake pan. (This will protect the cheesecake from baking in direct heat, giving it a nicer texture.) The cake is really light so if you pour in too much water it will float. Bake the cheesecake for 35-40 minutes, until the top of the cake is golden brown and it doesn't give when you press it gently in the middle.
• Turn off the oven and crack the oven door so that it cools off. Leave the cheesecake in the cooling-off oven for 2 hours so that it cools slowly, which keeps the top from cracking.
• Remove the cheesecake pan from the pan of water and let it cool completely on a wire rack, at least another 2 hours. It will deflate by a half inch or so. Run a knife around the edges of the cheesecake. Very quickly invert the cheesecake onto a flat plate, lift off the pan, carefully peel off the parchment, then invert it right side up on a serving plate. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Dust the cheesecake with confectioners' sugar before serving.
• The cheesecake can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.