Japanese Cheesecake
- Total Time
- 1½ hours, plus cooling and chilling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 3tablespoons/45 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing
- 5large eggs, at room temperature
- 1cup/225 grams cream cheese
- ½cup/120 grams crème fraîche
- 1teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼teaspoon kosher salt
- ½cup/100 grams plus 1 tablespoon superfine sugar
- ½cup/65 grams cake flour
- 1tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, for garnish
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)
302 calories; 20 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 24 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 17 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 197 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Place rack in the center of the oven and heat to 400 degrees. Line bottom of an 8-by-3-inch round cake pan with parchment paper and butter only the bottom of the pan (so the cheesecake can rise). You can also use a springform pan; just wrap the bottom and sides with a double layer of foil, so the seams are covered.
- Step 2
Separate eggs. Place whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; place yolks in a small bowl.
- Step 3
Place cream cheese in a large metal bowl or double boiler insert and place over a pot filled with 1 inch of simmering water. Stir until cream cheese is melted and smooth. Whisk in crème fraîche and 3 tablespoons butter until well combined and smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in lemon zest, vanilla and salt. Whisk in egg yolks and 3 tablespoons/40 grams superfine sugar. Sprinkle cake flour evenly over the top, then whisk it in.
- Step 4
Beat the egg whites on medium speed until you start to see the wires of the whisk leave a trail in the whites. Slowly add the remaining 6 tablespoons superfine sugar, a tablespoon at a time while beating. Continue to beat until whites are fluffy and hold a soft peak when beaters are lifted. Gently fold about one-quarter of the whites into the yolk mixture to lighten it. Then gently fold in remaining whites, taking care not to deflate batter. Pour into prepared pan.
- Step 5
Place cake pan in a roasting pan or other pan that is at least as deep as the cake pan; transfer to the oven. Fill the larger pan with enough hot tap water to come one-quarter of the way up the sides of the cake pan. (The cake is really light, so if you pour in too much water it may float.)
- Step 6
Bake until top of the cake is golden and doesn’t give when you press it gently in the middle, 35 to 40 minutes.
- Step 7
Turn off oven and crack the oven door so that it cools off. Leave cheesecake in the cooling-off oven for 2 hours so it cools slowly, which keeps the top from cracking.
- Step 8
Lift cheesecake pan out of water and place on a wire rack. Let cool for another 2 hours. Cheesecake will deflate slightly.
- Step 9
Run a knife around the edges of the cheesecake to loosen it from sides of pan. Remove sides of springform pan. If you used a regular cake pan, invert the cake onto a plate, lift off pan, peel off parchment, then invert it right side up on a serving plate.
- Step 10
Chill cake for at least 2 hours before serving. Cake can be stored, well wrapped, for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Sift confectioners’ sugar over top of cake just before serving.
Private Notes
Comments
I've made this cheesecake twice. The first time I made it as written, and though it rose beautifully, the taste was bland. I ended up making lemon curd to serve with it to amp up the flavor. The second time, I took the advice of other reviewers and doubled the vanilla, and added the zest and juice of one lemon. This version was perfect! I topped it with raspberry whipped cream. Everyone loved it! I'll be making this recipe again and again.
you butter the bottom only and stick the parchment only on the bottom, the butter being the adhesive (technically speaking you can use any neutral tasting fat for this purpose). No fat on the sides so the cheesecake can rise like a souffle
Cake flour is lower protein than AP flour (so less gluten). You can make a substitute by sifting AP flour and corn starch (85g AP and 15g corn starch = 100g cake flour).
Worth the effort. As others suggested, I doubled the vanilla and added all the zest and juice of one medium lemon. Did not add any additional flour. Next time, I’d be a little more aggressive folding in the whites — I think unfolded whites led to cracking — and I’d check it 3-5 minutes before the minimum time. Mine was just a skosh dry. Overall 9/10.
I know we’re trying to get away from using so much plastic, but for those who had problems with their water bath leaking into their springform pans, use a plastic roasting bag instead of foil.
I followed the advice in the comments to add the zest and juice of a whole lemon and double the vanilla. I also reduced the heat by 25 degrees F. I checked it after 35 minutes and it was golden brown on top (rather than borderline burnt as it appears in the photo). I made a berry sauce and drizzled a little of the leftover creme fraiche over it. It was excellent. It’s still excellent two days later.
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