Japanese Cotton Cheesecake

Before you start

Japanese cotton cheesecake sits between a soufflé and a sponge cake. A small amount of cream cheese is melted with butter and milk, thickened with egg yolks and a little flour, then lightened with a large volume of meringue. The result is tall, pale gold, faintly tangy and so soft it trembles when the pan moves.

Success depends on the meringue and the oven. Whip the whites only to soft, glossy peaks that curl over at the tip; stiff meringue expands too fast and splits the top. Then bake in a water bath at a low temperature and let the cake cool gradually in the oven, because a sudden temperature change makes it shrink and wrinkle.

Ingredients

• Cheese base250 g (one 8-oz block plus 2 tbsp) full-fat cream cheese — cut into cubes
• 50 g (3½ tbsp) unsalted butter
• 100 ml (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp) whole milk
• 6 large egg yolks — room temperature
• 60 g (½ cup + 1 tbsp) cake flour
• 20 g (2 tbsp + 1 tsp) cornstarch
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ⅛ tsp fine salt
• Meringue6 large egg whites — cold
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar
• 120 g (½ cup + 2 tbsp) granulated sugar

Method

1. Heat the oven to 150°C (300°F) with a rack in the lower third. Grease the pan and line the bottom with parchment and the sides with a parchment collar that stands 5 cm (2 in) above the rim. Put a kettle of water on to boil.
2. Melt the cream cheese, butter and milk in a bowl set over simmering water, whisking until completely smooth. Remove from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.
3. Whisk in the yolks one at a time. Sift the cake flour and cornstarch over the mixture and whisk until smooth, then whisk in the lemon juice and salt. Strain the batter through a sieve into a large bowl.
4. Whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy. Add the sugar gradually and continue on medium-high until the meringue is glossy and holds soft peaks that bend over at the tip, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stop before it becomes stiff.
5. Whisk one-third of the meringue into the cheese batter to loosen it. Fold in the rest in two additions with a spatula until no white streaks remain. Pour into the pan and tap it twice on the counter.
6. Set the cake pan in the roasting pan and pour in about 2 cm (¾ in) of hot water. Bake at 150°C (300°F) for 25 minutes, until the top is lightly colored and the cake has risen. Lower the oven to 140°C (285°F) and bake for 50 minutes more, until golden and set; it should spring back when pressed gently.
7. Turn the oven off and leave the cake inside with the door closed for 15 minutes, then open the door a crack for 15 minutes more. Lift it out and cool on a rack for 30 minutes before turning it out and removing the paper.

Tips for success

• Use a solid pan. If you only have a springform, wrap it in a double layer of foil to keep water out.
• A small crack is usually a sign of a slightly overwhipped meringue or a hot oven. Check your oven with a thermometer, as many run 10 to 15 degrees off.
• Brush the warm top with 1 tbsp warmed apricot jam for a shiny bakery finish.

Substitutions

Cake flour and cornstarch

Use 70 g all-purpose flour and 10 g cornstarch. The crumb is slightly less fine but rises well.

Cream of tartar

Use ½ tsp lemon juice in the egg whites. It stabilizes the foam in the same way.

Whole milk

Half-and-half gives a richer, creamier cake. Skim milk works but the texture is a bit drier.

Variations

Matcha cotton cheesecake

Sift 1 tbsp matcha powder with the flour and cornstarch.

Chocolate cotton cheesecake

Melt 60 g dark chocolate into the warm cheese mixture and reduce the cake flour to 50 g.

Troubleshooting

Top cracked during baking

The meringue was too stiff or the oven too hot. Whip just to soft, curling peaks and start at 150°C (300°F) or slightly lower.

Dense, wet layer at the bottom

The meringue was underwhipped or deflated during folding, or the batter sat too long. Fold quickly and get it into the oven at once.

Cake shrank and wrinkled after baking

It cooled too quickly or was underbaked. Bake until springy and cool it gradually in the oven.

Storage

Refrigerate the cooled cake, covered, for up to 3 days. It becomes denser and creamier when cold. Do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Freezing damages the delicate texture.

Safety notes

Do not taste the raw batter; it contains raw egg and flour. Contains milk, egg and wheat.