Certainly! Here’s a basic recipe for a bouncy Japanese cheesecake:
Ingredients:
For the Cake Batter:
- 250g cream cheese, softened
- 50g unsalted butter
- 100ml whole milk
- 6 large eggs, separated
- 100g granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 60g all-purpose flour
- 20g cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (optional, for stabilizing egg whites)
For the Meringue:
- 6 large egg whites
- 100g granulated sugar
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease and line the bottom of a 8 or 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
- In a heatproof bowl, melt the cream cheese, butter, and milk together. You can do this over a double boiler or in short bursts in the microwave. Stir until smooth and well combined. Let the mixture cool slightly.
- Add the egg yolks to the cream cheese mixture one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Sift the all-purpose flour and cornstarch over the cream cheese mixture and gently fold them in until just combined. Set the batter aside.
- In a clean, dry mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar, if using. Gradually add the granulated sugar while continuing to beat. Beat until the egg whites form stiff peaks and are glossy.
- Gently fold about one-third of the egg white mixture into the cream cheese batter to lighten it.
- Carefully fold the remaining egg white mixture into the batter in two or three additions. Be gentle and thorough to maintain the lightness of the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Tap the pan gently on the counter to remove any large air bubbles.
- Place the cake pan in a larger baking pan. Fill the larger pan with hot water so that it comes about halfway up the sides of the cake pan. This is the water bath.
- Bake the cheesecake in the preheated oven for about 60-70 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the cake is set but still slightly jiggly in the center.
- Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside with the door ajar for about 10-15 minutes. This helps prevent cracking.
- Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool to room temperature. Once cooled, refrigerate the cheesecake for several hours or overnight before serving.
- To serve, carefully remove the cheesecake from the pan, peel off the parchment paper, and dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Enjoy your homemade bouncy Japanese cheesecake! Remember that this recipe might require a bit of practice to master, especially the folding of the egg whites.
