Japanese cheesecake is a fluffier, lighter, and more jiggly version of the classic cheese cake. It has an airy and chiffon-like texture and a slightly sweet, tangy, and rich taste.

Yield: 6–8 servings

Ingredients:

Cake:

8 oz. cream cheese

¼ cup butter (½ stick)

½ cup milk or heavy cream

½ cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla sugar

5 eggs, separated (at room temperature)

¼ cup flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

¼ cup granulated sugar

Topping ideas:

Confectioners’ sugar

Apricot jelly

Ganache

Fruit

Whipped cream

Directions:

Prepare a 7”x3” or 8”x3” cake pan with a pop-out bottom, or you can use any springform or cake pan.

Note: Anything bigger than 7 or 8 inches will result in a much lower cake. If the pan is lower than 3 inches, the cake will rise over the pan but it should be okay; just make parchment strips higher than the cake pan.

Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Also line the sides of the pan with rectangular strips of parchment paper.

Place cream cheese, butter, sugar, and vanilla sugar in a pot over low flame and allow to melt. Mix until there are no clumps and you have a smooth mixture.

Remove from heat and add egg yolks into the cream cheese mixture. Mix well but gently.

Add flour and cornstarch. Mix well so there are no clumps.

Add milk and lemon juice and mix until mixture is smooth. Set batter aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg whites. When a little foamy, add cream of tartar. When egg whites become very foamy, add sugar. Continue beating until egg whites have stiff peaks. Peaks should hook over slightly; do not overmix until stiff, straight peaks form.

Preheat oven to 330°F.

Fill a deep pan with water. (Make sure the cheesecake pan fits in the deep pan. Also make sure that there isn’t too much water so it won’t spill out once you add the cheesecake pan.) Place in the oven.

Add a little of the beaten egg white mixture into the cream cheese batter. Fold gently.

Repeat another 2 times.

Wrap 2 layers of aluminum foil around the bottom of baking pan (to keep the cake from getting wet). Pour batter into pan and place into the water bath.

Bake for 25 minutes. (You may have to adjust oven temperature if your cake is not rising. If necessary, raise by 10 degrees.)

After 25 minutes, open oven door for 10 seconds. Lower oven temperature to 245°F and bake for another 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes, shut oven but leave cake inside for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and from water bath. Cake should be jiggly. It firms when chilled.

Remove cake from pan and plate.

Most Japanese cheesecakes are topped with confectioners’ sugar, but any of the topping ideas will do, especially if you like a sweeter cheesecake (Japanese cheesecakes are not as sweet as New York-style ones).

Note: This recipe worked well for me, but each oven is different. Follow the instructions as directed. The Japanese cheesecake may not come out as desired your first time around. Don’t worry if your cake falls or cracks; the taste will still be delicious. You can cover any cracks with fruit or whipped cream.