PEI·Recipe

Japanese-style cheesecake

Chef Ilona Daniel, a hospitality consultant and freelance food writer, calls this Japanese-style cheesecake "part souffle, part cheesecake, and an absolutely perfect way to show mom some love!"

Chef Ilona Daniel says the complexity of this Japanese-style cheesecake lies in its simplicity

Chef Ilona Daniel says this Japanese-style cheesecake is 'an absolutely perfect way to show mom some love!' (Submitted by Ilona Daniel)

Ingredients

  • 140 grams sugar.
  • Six egg whites.
  • Six egg yolks.
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar.
  • 50 grams unsalted butter.
  • 250 grams cream cheese.
  • 100 millilitres fresh milk.
  • One tablespoon lemon juice.
  • 60 grams cake flour (use cake flour, not all purpose!).
  • 20 grams cornstarch.
  • ¼ teaspoon salt.

Note: The use of parchment paper here is a must. Make sure when you line the sides of the round cake tin to ensure parchment is approximately 2" above the rim of the tin. Also, the use of a water bath is also a must for a successful result.

Instructions

  1. Melt cream cheese, butter and milk over a double boiler. Cool the mixture. Fold in the flour, the cornstarch, salt, egg yolks, lemon juice and thoroughly combine (do not over mix).
  2. Make the meringue by whisking egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. You can beat with a stand mixer or handheld mixer. Add in the sugar and whisk until soft peaks form.
  3. Take 1/3 meringue and fold into the cheese mixture, then fold in another 1/3 of meringue. After incorporated, pour the batter back to the remaining 1/3 meringue and fold. Fold gently. Pour the mixture into an eight-inch round cake pan (lightly grease and line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper).
  4. Bake cheesecake in a water bath for one hour and 10 minutes or until set and golden brown at 160 degrees C (325 degrees F). Allow cheesecake to cool in water bath in a draft-free space, or in the oven (oven off) with door slightly ajar.

Yields one eight-inch round cake.

Submitted by Ilona Daniel