TOTAL TIME 1 hour 45 minutes (plus cooling and chilling)
There are three kinds of cheesecake generally present in Japan: a baked selection much like New York–fashion cheesecakes; an unbaked model set with gelatin; and soufflé-like Japanese cheesecakes corresponding to this one. The final, typically known as cotton cheesecake, is by far my favourite due to its fluffy texture and refined lemon taste that provides to its lighter-than-air character.
I’ve been baking jiggly soufflé cheesecakes my complete life, however I’ve not too long ago revisited my recipe to good it. The important thing to nailing the dessert’s signature texture is within the meringue, which will get folded right into a evenly sweetened cream cheese combination. Whipping the egg whites in a calming bowl protects towards overbeating. Watch carefully while you begin to see mushy peaks kind: The meringue ought to droop ever so barely, like a hook, while you upend the whisk. If the meringue is simply too stiff, you threat deflating the batter by overmixing. (Undermixing is most well-liked—a couple of wisps of unincorporated meringue are completely high-quality.) Rubbing lemon zest into the sugar unlocks the fruit’s aromatic oils and perfumes the batter with vivid taste. And, whereas salt is just not typical of Japanese cheesecake recipes, a small addition right here brings out the citrus much more.
You’ll bake the cheesecake in a bain-marie, or sizzling water tub, so as to add steam. This helps regulate the oven temperature, stopping overbaking and cracks. In the event you don’t have a roasting pan, any heavy-duty rectangular baking pan will work—simply be sure that your cake pan matches inside it earlier than you begin.
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Substances
12 servings
½ Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
Powdered sugar (for pan)
2 Tbsp. plus ⅓ cup (92 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
⅓ cup plus 1 Tbsp. (50 g) all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. cornstarch
½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt
4 giant eggs, separated
8 oz. cream cheese
1 cup complete milk
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. contemporary lemon juice
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
A 9"-diameter springform pan
Step 1
Place a rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°. Deliver 10 cups water to a boil in a kettle or medium saucepan and hold heat. Butter backside and sides of springform pan with about half of ½ Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature. Line backside of pan with a parchment paper spherical, then wrap a strip of parchment round sides; it ought to lengthen 1" above the perimeters (like a collar; use 2 sheets for the perimeters in case your parchment is just not lengthy sufficient.) Brush remaining butter on parchment alongside sides to coat (don’t coat the underside). Generously mud sides with a good layer of powdered sugar, tapping out any extra. (Some powdered sugar on the underside is okay.) Tightly cowl outdoors of pan in a number of layers of foil to stop water from seeping in.
Step 2
Mix 2 Tbsp. (25 g) granulated sugar and 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest in a small bowl. Utilizing your fingers, work zest into sugar till sugar begins to clump and combination could be very aromatic, about 1 minute. Set lemon sugar apart.
Step 3
Sift ⅓ cup plus 1 Tbsp. (50 g) all-purpose flour and 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. cornstarch right into a medium bowl, then combine in ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Set dry components apart.
Step 4
Place 4 giant egg whites within the bowl of a stand mixer and chill, uncovered.
Step 5
Mix 8 oz. cream cheese and 1 cup complete milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on excessive in 30-second bursts, stirring after every burst, till cream cheese is melted, about 2 minutes whole; whisk till clean. (Alternatively, warmth cream cheese and milk in a small saucepan over low, whisking sometimes, till clean, 5–7 minutes. Switch to a big bowl.)
Step 6
Add 4 giant egg yolks and whisk till clean. Add 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. contemporary lemon juice, reserved lemon sugar, and reserved dry components and whisk once more till clean. Set cream cheese combination apart.
Step 7
Take away bowl with egg whites from the fridge and match onto a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium pace till egg whites are foamy and opaque, about 1 minute. Add about one third (a scant 2 Tbsp.) of remaining ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar and beat, scraping down sides of bowl as wanted, till sugar is dissolved and combination is frothy (like the highest of a latte), 1–2 minutes. Add half of remaining sugar (one other scant 2 Tbsp.) and proceed beating till sugar is dissolved and combination is fluffy, 1–2 minutes. Add remaining sugar and beat till sugar is dissolved and meringue is shiny and thick and holds medium peaks (it ought to look marshmallowy), about 2 minutes.
Step 8
Add about one fourth of meringue to reserved cream cheese combination and blend with a rubber spatula till mixed. Add one third of remaining meringue and gently fold in, attempting your greatest to keep away from deflating meringue and overmixing. Add remaining meringue in two extra batches, gently folding till simply included after every addition. Scrape batter into ready pan. (If there are any giant air bubbles on the floor, pop with a toothpick.)
Step 9
Place pan inside of a giant, deep roasting pan and switch to oven. Rigorously pour boiling water into roasting pan to return midway up sides of springform pan. Bake cheesecake till deep golden brown on high and a tester inserted into the center comes out clear, 60–70 minutes.
Step 10
Flip off oven and crack door open. (In case your oven door gained’t keep ajar, use a picket spoon to prop it open.) Let cheesecake sit in oven (precisely) 10 minutes, then take away from water tub and switch to a wire rack. Take away foil and let cheesecake cool in springform pan, about 1 hour. Switch cheesecake to fridge and chill till chilly, about 2 hours.
Step 11
When able to serve, take away sides from pan and peel parchment paper away from sides of cheesecake. Slice, peel parchment away from backside, and switch to plates.
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