Japanese Cheesecake 🍰🇯🇵

Japanese Cheesecake 🍰🇯🇵

Ingredients:

• 140g cream cheese
• 50g unsalted butter
• 100ml milk
• 40g all-purpose flour
• 20g cornstarch
• 5 large eggs, separated
• 100g granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions:

Preheat the oven and prepare the pan:

Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F). Grease and line the bottom and sides of a 8-inch (20cm) round cake pan with parchment paper.

Prepare the cream cheese mixture:

In a heatproof bowl, combine the cream cheese, butter, and milk. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water (double boiler) and stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.

Add the egg yolks:

Once the cream cheese mixture has cooled down a bit, whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time, until well combined.

Sift the dry ingredients:

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and cornstarch.

Combine the dry ingredients:

Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients to the cream cheese mixture, stirring until smooth.

Add lemon juice and vanilla extract:

Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla extract until incorporated.

Whip the egg whites:

In a clean, dry mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form.

Fold the egg whites into the batter:

Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the cream cheese mixture in two or three additions until no white streaks remain.

Bake the cheesecake:

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and tap the pan gently on the counter to remove any air bubbles.

Place the cake pan in a larger baking dish and fill the larger dish with hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the cake pan (this helps prevent the cheesecake from cracking).

Bake in the preheated oven for about 60-70 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center is set.

Cool and serve:

Once baked, remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Dust the top of the cheesecake with powdered sugar before serving.

Tips:

Be sure to use room temperature cream cheese and eggs for best results.

Do not overmix the batter when folding in the egg whites to maintain the cake's fluffy texture.

Japanese cheesecake is best enjoyed chilled, so refrigerate any leftovers.