Japanese Cotton Cheesecake
October 9, 2016
If you asked me back in January if I know what Japanese Cotton Cheesecake is, my answer would have been, "What is that?" I had no idea what the cake was until a few months ago when I was lucky enough to come across the recipe online. And I am so glad I did!
I have not had a lot of exposure to Japanese desserts, beside what they normally serve at a standard sushi restaurant. We do not have a local Japanese bakery nearby (or maybe because I'd never tried to search for one). But I can surely say that I won't be looking for a bakery anytime soon now that I have this recipe! This cheesecake turns out so perfect and can be made from home with most of the common ingredients in your pantry.
PREPARATION OF INGREDIENTS
A few tips I discovered while making this cheesecake are listed below. If you follow these instructions, you will produce a perfect, tasty treat in no time.
First, I start out by weighing the cream cheese and butter using a digital scale (Photo 1 and 2). Then, I weigh cake flour, corn starch and salt and sift them twice (Photo 3).
A few tips I discovered while making this cheesecake are listed below. If you follow these instructions, you will produce a perfect, tasty treat in no time.
First, I start out by weighing the cream cheese and butter using a digital scale (Photo 1 and 2). Then, I weigh cake flour, corn starch and salt and sift them twice (Photo 3).
Once the cream cheese, butter and milk are completely melted, I add egg yolks and lemon juice and hand mix everything together. Then I fold the dry ingredients gently over the cream cheese batter (Photo 4 and 5).
Once the cream cheese, butter and milk are completely melted, I add egg yolks and lemon juice and hand mix everything together. Then I fold the dry ingredients gently over the cream cheese batter (Photo 4 and 5).
Using medium speed on a KitchenAid Standmixer (Speed 4), I whisk the egg whites until soft peak forms (Photo 6). Then, divide into 3 additions, I gently fold the meringue into the cream cheese batter until completely combined (Photo 7). I pour the batter into a prepared cake pan lined with parchment paper. I tap the pan against the counter a few times to break any large air bubbles before popping it into the oven.
Like baking any cheesecake, I use a water bath method to bake this cake. The most important thing is to make sure you bake this cake at 325 degrees F for about 1 hours, and then lower the temperature to 300 degrees F. I also use the lowest rack in the oven to prevent browning. Once the cake is finished, I turn the oven off but leave the cake in the oven for another hour. This is to prevent the cake from drastic shrinkage. Noted that some shrinkage is completely normal and expected with this cake.
As you can see from the look of this cake, it does not have any indication of a standard cheesecake. It is not until you sink your teeth into it that you realize how soft, fluffy and cheesy the cake is. It is definitely a "between cake" of a chiffon cake and a cheesecake.
I introduced this cake to my family and friends soon after I found this recipe. My father, who does not usually eat cakes, complimented how tasty this cake was. A few of my friends who tried this cheesecake have said they may not go back to the regular cheesecake again. So, I urge you to give it a try, and you may say the same thing once you have a chance to taste this light, cottony cheesecake.
Japanese Cotton Cheesecake Recipe
Make: one 6-inch cake
Total time: 2 hours
Ingredients
4 egg whites
4 egg yolks
93 g of granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
34 g unsalted butter
167 g (6 oz) of cream cheese
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
67 ml of (3 oz) half and half/milk
40 g of cake flour
14 g of cornstarch
1 pinch of salt
Instructions
*This recipe is adapted from RasaMalysia Recipes.
Total time: 2 hours
Ingredients
4 egg whites
4 egg yolks
93 g of granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
34 g unsalted butter
167 g (6 oz) of cream cheese
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
67 ml of (3 oz) half and half/milk
40 g of cake flour
14 g of cornstarch
1 pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Line a 6-inch baking pan with parchment paper and slightly grease the sides of the pan.
- Melt cream cheese, butter and milk over a double boiler. Once mixture is cool, add egg yolks and lemon juice and mix well.
- Sift cake flour, cornstarch and salt twice. Gently fold in the cream cheese batter until all combined.
- In a clean bowl, whisk egg whites on medium speed until foamy for about 1 minute. Add cream of tartar and continue to beat for another minute. Add granulated sugar and beat until soft peak forms (about 1-2 minutes).
- Fold meringue gently into the cream cheese mixture, in 3 additions, until mixture if almost homogeneous. Use the same folding technique as the macaron batter (see my Vanilla Macaron Recipes for details). DO NOT STIR.
- Pour the mixture into a cake pan. Tap the pan slightly on the counter to release large air bubbles.
- Bake the cheesecake in a water bath on the lowest rack for 1 hour and then lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees F and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until golden.
- Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for about 1 hour to prevent shrinkage.
- Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours or overnight before serve for best taste.
*This recipe is adapted from RasaMalysia Recipes.
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