Japanese Cheesecake 日式奶酪蛋糕

Japanese cotton cheesecake by Diana's desserts recipe is very popular in online community. Earlier i don't bother the look of this cheesecake, you can see my old post here, shrunk and cracked top. After Dr. Leslie Tay shared his modification version, his beautiful bake is attracting more bakers to try out his recipe.

I also excited to try out his recipe but unfortunately it didn't turn out well (it was last year). I was upset then stop for quite long time did not attempt again, but this week suddenly i just like to attempt again. So i read very detail of his recipe again and few other bloggers who had tried out his recipe. Then i realized that his recipe even adapted from Diana' desserts ( earlier i just read the steps but didn't bother to read his recipe as i thought he adapted from Diana's dessert recipe should be the same one), but chef Yamashita has modified the recipe by split out sugar into two parts, less sugar for meringue. After i tried out, even now i still facing little crack top but not as bad as last time. I guess less sugar in meringue resulted weaker meringue  !

This time i also realized that using 6 eggs in the original recipe yield too much volume that can't fill into a 8" cake pan. So i reduced to 5 eggs and it perfectly for a 8" cake pan.

Please check my Instagram account as i shared the method of how to remove cake from cake pan in order to minimize shrinkage . I would said now my cheesecake has no shrinkage at all, smooth and steady. 

If one day i managed to bake a smooth top of this cheesecake, i will update it here...Also the title of this cheesecake has been changed to Japanese cheesecake instead of Japanese Cotton cheesecake as the cake texture of this modified recipe is more creamy type rather than cottony soft.

Japanese Cheesecake 日式奶酪蛋糕

250g cream cheese

70g caster sugar

60g butter (salted)

100g fresh milk, cold from fridge

5 egg yolks (A size ~65g each)

1/4tsp salt

1tbsp +1tsp lemon juices

60g cake flour

20g corn flour

5 eggs white

1/4tsp Cream of Tartar

70g caster sugar

Method:

1. Line bottom of a 8in x 3in aluminium round cake pan and grease the sides (I use corn oil). If you use a removable bottom cake pan, wrap with aluminium foil and also grease the sides.

2. Melt cream cheese (cut into small cubes), butter and sugar over a double boiler. Using a silicone spatula, mix it together and almost melt, then change to a hand whisk, stir the mixture till smooth (it is ok when you see the mixture still slightly grainy).

3. Remove the bowl from heat. Add in cold milk, and whisk until combined.

4. Transfer the mixture into a large and clean mixing bowl (the mixture is slightly warm at this time), then add egg yolks one at a time and use a hand whisk, stir until smooth for each addition.

5. Add in salt and lemon juices, and stir well. Sift in cake flour and corn flour (3 batches), until fully combined ( it is ok when you see the mixture slightly grainy).

6. Add cream of tartar into egg white, beat till foamy. Gradually add in sugar in 3 batches and beat till soft peak formed (when you lift up and upside down the bowl, meringue stay still on the bowl).

7. Take 1/3 meringue and mix with egg yolk batter using a balloon hand whisk. Change to silicone spatula, fold in 1/3 of meringue till slightly combine, then fold in balance 1/3 meringue and gently fold till mix well. Pour batter into the prepared cake pan (pour from 2’ height as to remove air bubbles), also lightly tap on countertop to remove air bubbles.

8. Bake over waterbath method, place cake pan in another bigger pan ( about 1” -2” extra but not too big), fill with 1/2cup-1cup hot water (you can use the water from double boiler). Bake at pre-heated oven at  155C for 70mins at lowest level. Every oven is difference, please adjust temperature accordingly.

9. To minimize shrinkage, remove cake pan immediately from the oven once done. Place on a wire rack to cool down. When you see the cake pull away from the sides (less than 10mins), place a piece of non-stick baking paper (large enough to cover the whole cake),  then place a piece of flat board, invert the cake pan, peel off the baking paper, place a cake board then invert back the cake and continue to cool down completely.

10. Chill the cheesecake to have better flavours and texture.

Original recipe by Diana’s desserts, modified by IeatIshootIpost, reference: Baking Diary

, with slight modification

Updated on 13 March 2016
I was on the cloud nine when i finally managed to bake two of smooth top, no crack and no shrinkage Japanese cheesecake. It look exactly like the store-bought. So happy!
Thanks to few of IG members who gave me advise on the control of oven temperature.

This cake you have to bake using waterbath method, therefore not to over beat the meringue, just close to soft peak formed. Anyway you can't under beat the meringue too, just make sure the meringue is stay on the bowl when you lift up the bowl and up side it down. This time i baked two x 6" round cake, my prefer size as it just nice to be given away sometime. Below picture shown you how i arranged the waterbath. Since I only have a large square pan to hold these two 6" cake pan. So i fill the space with two extra empty small cake pan (fill with little water too) as to lower down the temperature.

This time i also changed from the normal rack (with holes) to this grey tray (the last tray at this picture) to hold the waterbath pan. I am not sure was this also one of the reason resulted the cake didn't crack this time. 

Phew, after i used up 2kg of cream cheese, finally i managed to bake a perfect Japanese cheesecake.
For whoever wish to try this recipe ( after several failed attempts), wish you Best of luck !

Japanese Cheesecake 日式奶酪蛋糕

*for 2 x 6” round cakes

250g cream cheese

70g caster sugar

60g butter (salted)

110g fresh milk, cold from fridge (increased from 100g to 110g)

5 egg yolks (A size ~65g each)

1/4tsp salt

1tbsp +1tsp lemon juices

60g cake flour

20g corn flour

5 eggs white

1/4tsp Cream of Tartar

70g caster sugar

Method:

1. Line bottom of Two x 6” aluminium round cake pan and grease the sides (I use corn oil). If you use a removable bottom cake pan, wrap with aluminium foil and also grease the sides.

2. Melt cream cheese (cut into small cubes), butter and sugar over a double boiler. Using a silicone spatula, mix it together and almost melt, then change to a hand whisk, stir the mixture till smooth (it is ok when you see the mixture still slightly grainy).

3. Remove the bowl from heat. Add in cold milk, and whisk until combined.

4. Transfer the mixture into a large and clean mixing bowl (the mixture is slightly warm at this time), then add egg yolks one at a time and use a hand whisk, stir until smooth for each addition.

5. Add in salt and lemon juices, and stir well. Sift in cake flour and corn flour (3 batches), until fully combined ( it is ok when you see the mixture slightly grainy).

6. Add cream of tartar into egg white, beat till foamy. Gradually add in sugar in 3 batches and beat till soft peak formed (when you lift up and upside down the bowl, meringue stay still on the bowl).

7. Take 1/3 meringue and mix with egg yolk batter using a balloon hand whisk. Change to silicone spatula, fold in 1/3 of meringue till slightly combine, then fold in balance 1/3 meringue and gently fold till mix well. Pour batter into the prepared cake pan (pour from 2’ height as to remove large air bubbles), also lightly tap on countertop to remove air bubbles.

8. Bake over waterbath method, place cake pan in another bigger pan ( about 1” -2” extra but not too big), fill with 1cup hot water (you can use the water from double boiler). Bake at pre-heated oven at 150C for 50min at lowest level, increase to 170C and bake another 15mins ( open oven door for 1-2 seconds on every 5mins to release hot vapour) . Every oven is difference, please adjust temperature accordingly.

9. To minimize shrinkage, remove cake pan immediately from the oven once done. Place on a wire rack to cool down. When you see the cake pull away from the sides (less than 5mins), place a piece of non-stick baking paper (large enough to cover the whole cake),  then place a piece of flat board, invert the cake pan, peel off the baking paper, place a cake board then invert back the cake and continue to cool down completely.

10. Chill the cheesecake to have better flavours and texture.

Recipe by Sonia a.k.a Nasi Lemak Lover