Japanese Cheesecake

For a long time I've been looking for the perfect cheesecake: not dense and not loaded with lots of cheese, but soft as a cloud. Once you make a Japanese cheesecake, you'll understand what I mean.

It's simple and quick to make, and the result is wonderful. True, it's not the classic cheesecake you know, but once you make it, it'll be a star in your kitchen, and not just for Shavuot.

Ingredients for one 9-inch (22 cm) round pan or a square cake ring

• 250 g cream cheese, at room temperature.
• 6 eggs at room temperature, separated into yolks and whites.
• 50 g butter.
• 100 ml milk.
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
• 60 g all-purpose flour.
• 20 g cornstarch (about 2½ tablespoons).
• A pinch of salt.
• 135 g sugar (about ⅔ cup).
• A little lemon zest (optional, but it adds a lot).

For the topping

• 300 ml heavy cream.
• 30 g instant vanilla pudding mix, such as Jell-O.
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
• ⅓ cup milk.
• ½ cup good-quality dulce de leche.

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 320°F (160°C). Fill a baking pan a third of the way with water and let it heat up in the meantime (the cake will sit inside the pan of water).

2. Line the bottom and sides of the cake pan with parchment paper (on the inside), then wrap the pan in 2 layers of aluminum foil so the water doesn't seep into the cake (on the outside).

   

3. Put the milk, cream cheese and butter in a saucepan.

4. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until everything melts and the mixture is smooth.

5. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool for a few minutes.

6. In a large bowl, whisk the yolks until pale and fluffy.

7. Once the cheese mixture has cooled a little, pour it into the yolks in a thin stream, whisking all the time.

8. Sift the flour and cornstarch into the batter and whisk again.

9. Add the lemon zest, vanilla and salt and whisk until combined.

10. In a clean, dry mixer bowl, whip the egg whites until they start to foam. Add the sugar gradually and whip into a stable, glossy meringue.

11. Fold the meringue into the cheese mixture a few times, until combined.

12. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap it on the counter a few times to release air bubbles.

13. Set the cake in the pan of hot water and bake for 25 minutes at 320°F (160°C).

14. Then lower the oven to 265°F (130°C) and bake for about another 60 minutes.

    The cake is done when it's golden and jiggles slightly in the center.

15. Turn off the oven, but leave the cake inside for about another 15 minutes.

16. After 15 minutes, take the cake out of the oven and let it cool a little at room temperature.

17. Peel off the paper and let the cake rest in the fridge overnight.

18. After a night in the fridge, make the topping: whip the heavy cream with the vanilla pudding mix, vanilla and milk into a stable whipped cream that isn't too thick.

19. Spoon it into a piping bag fitted with a plain round tip and pipe stripes along the cake with gaps between them (just like in the photo).

20. With another piping bag, pipe the dulce de leche into the gaps.

Good to know

• Store the cake in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• You can skip the topping and dust the cake with powdered sugar instead.
• The cake loses a little height as it cools. No need to panic 🙂
• For a gluten-free version, replace the flour with the same amount of cornstarch.