Japanese Cheesecake

This light and fluffy Japanese cheesecake with an apricot glaze is a combination of part creamy cheesecake and an airy souffle. 

My kids both love Japanese food so when I came across a Japanese Cheesecake recipe on Just One Cookbook I decided to give it a try. I was intimidated by the recipe because I’ve never made a souffle or a full-sized cheesecake before,  but I was excited to give it a try! I took the time to measure out the ingredients as suggested and followed the instructions very carefully. The Japanese cheesecake smelled wonderful while it baked and I was excited to see if it would turn out. Thankfully, it did! It tasted really light,  fluffy, a bit jiggly, and SO delicious! My whole family enjoyed this tasty treat and I’m looking forward to making it again.

Japanese Cheesecake:

I highly encourage you to weigh your ingredients for this recipe

Ingredients:

Cheesecake:

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter (for greasing the pan and parchment paper)
• 6 large eggs (50 g each without shell) (10.6 oz, 300 g without shell)
• 10.6 oz cream cheese
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• ¾ cup + 4 tsp heavy (whipping) cream
• 4½ tbsp sugar (for the cream cheese mixture)
• ⅔ cup cake flour (weigh your flour or use the “fluff and sprinkle“ method and level it off)
• Lemon zest from 1 small lemon
• 2 tbsp lemon juice (from 1 small lemon)
• ½ cup sugar (for beating the egg whites)

Glaze:

• 2 tbsp apricot jam
• 2 tsp hot water

How to Make a Japanese Cheesecake

Prepare the 9×4-inch round cake pan, by cutting parchment paper to line the bottom and sides of the cake pan.

• Cut one circle 9 inches diameter for the bottom
• One rectangular strip 4 x 30 for the sides of the cake pan.
• Two strips of paper 2 x 30 inches each. Used as “straps” to lift the baked cake from the pan.

Use the 1 tablespoon of butter to grease the cake pan and the parchment paper (for the bottom and the sides only; grease the paper on one side). Side Note: You don‘t need to use all of the butter.

Place the two parchment paper “straps” crisscross on the bottom of the cake pan so they form an X. Allow the excess paper to hang over the sides.

Next, line the bottom with the greased round parchment making sure the greased side of the paper circle is facing up.

Finally, place the rectangular strip around the sides of the pan, making sure the greased side is facing toward the center of the pan.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Side Note: You will be baking at 320-325 degrees. However, you’ll lose some heat, when you open the oven to place the cheesecake, so we’ll start the oven off a little higher.

Prepare a double boiler by setting a medium saucepan filled with 2 inches of water over high heat and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, cover and reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer.

Gather all the ingredients together and have them weighed and ready to go when you start the recipe.

Prepare the eggs by separating 6 large eggs (50 g each without the shell) into yolks and whites. Refrigerate the egg whites. Set the yolks aside to use with the cream cheese mixture. Side Note: If you have room in your fridge, place the mixer bowl that you will later use to beat the egg whites, into the the fridge to get it extra cold. This helps the egg whites firm up.

Make the cake batter by combining the 10.6 oz cream cheese, 4 tbsp unsalted butter, ¾ cup + 4 teaspoons heavy (whipping) cream, and 4½ tablespoons white sugar in a large glass bowl.

Rest the bowl on the saucepan above the simmering water.

Using a rubber spatula, mash the cream cheese and butter together. Once they are melted, whisk until well combined. Remove from the heat.

Whisk the egg yolks into the warm cream cheese mixture, one at a time. Make sure each yolk is blended well with the cream cheese mixture before adding the next one.

Sift the cake flour into the batter, using a fine-mesh strainer. Whisk and mix together.

Strain the batter through the same fine-mesh strainer into a clean & dry large bowl. Side Note: This step creates a silky texture for the batter.

Add the lemon zest and lemon juice to the batter and whisk well; set aside.

Prepare the bain-marie by putting the baking sheet inside the preheating oven and pour in hot water until it is halfway up the sides or ½ inch deep. Close the oven door.

Beat the cold egg whites in the cold (clean & dry) mixing bowl of a stand mixer.

Start beating on medium speed until the egg whites become opaque, bubbly, foamy, about 2 minutes. Slowly add ½ cup sugar, one-third of it at a time, while the mixer is running.

Once you’ve added all of the sugar, increase the mixer to high speed and beat the egg whites until you have firm peaks. Side Note: When you lift the whisk and turn it upside down, the egg whites should cling to the whisk and hold their shape fairly well, but the tip of the peak will fold back on itself.

Fold one-third of the egg whites into the cream cheese mixture using a whisk until incorporated. Then, gently fold another one-third into the mixture.

Finally, pour the mixture back into the mixer bowl (with the last one-third of the egg whites still in it) and fold the mixture very gently until just combined.

Pour the mixture into the cake pan all at once, avoiding air pockets while pouring. Tap the cake pan a few times on the counter to release any air pockets in the batter.

Bake the cheesecake by opening the oven and placing the cake pan onto the baking sheet with the bain-marie.

Reduce the oven temperature to 320-25 degrees (depending on oven) and bake for 70 minutes.

Then, reduce the oven temperature to 300 and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Slowly cool the cheesecake in the oven by turning off the oven and leaving the oven door slightly ajar for 15–20 minutes with the cake inside. Side Note: If you remove the cake immediately, the sudden change in temperature could cause the cake to collapse. The cake needs to slowly shrink down to half the height, roughly from 4 inches to 2 inches high.

Remove the pan from the oven after 15-20 minutes. Gently pull out the cake from the cake pan using the two parchment paper straps (with help from another set of hands). Place the cake on a serving plate. Remove the parchment paper around the sides of the cake (but leave the bottom paper).

Make the glaze by combining the apricot jam and hot water together in a small bowl. Brush the apricot mixture over the top of the cheesecake. Let cool to room temperature.

To serve, you can either serve the cake at room temperature (fluffiest!) or chill the cake for 1–2 hours before serving. Enjoy.

Store the cake in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.

Japanese Cheesecake

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Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes

Cooling Time:: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Asian

Servings: 8

Author: Pam - For the Love of Cooking / Original by Just One Cookbook

Equipment

• 9x4-inch Round Cake Pan
• Baking Sheet
• Fine-Mesh Strainer
• Stand Mixer

Ingredients

Cheesecake:

• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, for greasing the pan and parchment paper
• 6 large eggs, 50 g each without shell (10.6 oz, 300 g without shell)
• 10.6 oz cream cheese
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• ¾ cup + 4 tsp heavy whipping cream
• 4½ tbsp sugar (for the cream cheese mixture)
• ⅔ cup cake flour **weigh your flour or use the “fluff and sprinkle“ method and level it off**
• Lemon zest from 1 small lemon
• 2 tbsp lemon juice, from 1 small lemon
• ½ cup sugar (for beating the egg whites)

Glaze:

• 2 tbsp apricot jam
• 2 tsp hot water

Instructions

• I highly encourage you to weigh your ingredients for this recipe!!!
• Prepare the 9x4-inch round cake pan, by cutting parchment paper to line the bottom and sides of the cake pan.
• Cut one circle 9 inches diameter for the bottom
• One rectangular strip 4 x 30 for the sides of the cake pan.
• Two strips of paper 2 x 30 inches each. Used as “straps” to lift the baked cake from the pan.
• Use the 1 tablespoon of butter to grease the cake pan and the parchment paper (for the bottom and the sides only; grease the paper on one side). Side Note: You don‘t need to use all of the butter.
• Place the two parchment paper “straps” crisscross on the bottom of the cake pan so they form an X. Allow the excess paper to hang over the sides.
• Next, line the bottom with the greased round parchment making sure the greased side of the paper circle is facing up.
• Finally, place the rectangular strip around the sides of the pan, making sure the greased side is facing toward the center of the pan.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Side Note: You will be baking at 320-325 degrees. However, you'll lose some heat, when you open the oven to place the cheesecake, so we’ll start the oven off a little higher.
• Prepare a double boiler by setting a medium saucepan filled with 2 inches of water over high heat and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, cover and reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer.
• Gather all the ingredients together and have them weighed and ready to go when you start the recipe.
• Prepare the eggs by separating 6 large eggs (50 g each without the shell) into yolks and whites. Refrigerate the egg whites. Set the yolks aside to use with the cream cheese mixture. Side Note: If you have room in your fridge, place the mixer bowl that you will later use to beat the egg whites, into the the fridge to get it extra cold. This helps the egg whites firm up.
• Make the cake batter by combining the 10.6 oz cream cheese, 4 tbsp unsalted butter, ¾ cup + 4 teaspoons heavy (whipping) cream, and 4½ tablespoons white sugar in a large glass bowl.
• Rest the bowl on the saucepan above the simmering water.
• Using a rubber spatula, mash the cream cheese and butter together. Once they are melted, whisk until well combined. Remove from the heat.
• Whisk the egg yolks into the warm cream cheese mixture, one at a time. Make sure each yolk is blended well with the cream cheese mixture before adding the next one.
• Sift the cake flour into the batter, using a fine-mesh strainer. Whisk and mix together.
• Strain the batter through the same fine-mesh strainer into a clean & dry large bowl. Side Note: This step creates a silky texture for the batter.
• Add the lemon zest and lemon juice to the batter and whisk well; set aside.
• Prepare the bain-marie by putting the baking sheet inside the preheating oven and pour in hot water until it is halfway up the sides or ½ inch deep. Close the oven door.
• Beat the cold egg whites in the cold (clean & dry) mixing bowl of a stand mixer.
• Start beating on medium speed until the egg whites become opaque, bubbly, foamy, about 2 minutes. Slowly add ½ cup sugar, one-third of it at a time, while the mixer is running.
• Once you’ve added all of the sugar, increase the mixer to high speed and beat the egg whites until you have firm peaks. Side Note: When you lift the whisk and turn it upside down, the egg whites should cling to the whisk and hold their shape fairly well, but the tip of the peak will fold back on itself.
• Fold one-third of the egg whites into the cream cheese mixture using a whisk until incorporated. Then, gently fold another one-third into the mixture.
• Finally, pour the mixture back into the mixer bowl (with the last one-third of the egg whites still in it) and fold the mixture very gently until just combined.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan all at once, avoiding air pockets while pouring. Tap the cake pan a few times on the counter to release any air pockets in the batter.
• Bake the cheesecake by opening the oven and placing the cake pan onto the baking sheet with the bain-marie.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 320-25 degrees (depending on oven) and bake for 70 minutes.
• Then, reduce the oven temperature to 300 and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Slowly cool the cheesecake in the oven by turning off the oven and leaving the oven door slightly ajar for 15–20 minutes with the cake inside. Side Note: If you remove the cake immediately, the sudden change in temperature could cause the cake to collapse. The cake needs to slowly shrink down to half the height, roughly from 4 inches to 2 inches high.
• Remove the pan from the oven after 15-20 minutes. Gently pull out the cake from the cake pan using the two parchment paper straps (with help from another set of hands). Place the cake on a serving plate. Remove the parchment paper around the sides of the cake (but leave the bottom paper).
• Make the glaze by combining the apricot jam and hot water together in a small bowl. Brush the apricot mixture over the top of the cheesecake. Let cool to room temperature.
• To serve, you can either serve the cake at room temperature (fluffiest!) or chill the cake for 1–2 hours before serving. Enjoy.
• Store the cake in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.

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