Japanese Cotton Cheesecake

Recipe adapted from Rasa Malaysia Blog

Ingredients (using 8 inches round  pan)

250g cream cheese

100ml whole fresh milk

6 egg yolks ( I used 60g egg)

50g unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon juices

1/4 teaspoon salt

60g cake flour

20g corn flour

6 egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

140g fine sugar

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 160 degree C.

2. To prepare your cake tin. I am using an 8 inches round spring form pan. Line the base and side of the pan with parchment paper. As the cake will rise above my 8 inches round pan by another few centimeters, make sure the parchment paper extends higher than the cake tin by 5cm.  

3. To bake in hot water bath, you need a roasting pan or jellyroll pan large enough to let your round pan sit in the hot water. If you are using a spring form pan, you need to cover the base with thick aluminum foil to prevent water from entering. 

4, Prepare step 2 and step 3 first is important so that the batter can go straight in to the oven once done.  

5. Separate the 6 eggs yolks from the whites. Place the egg whites in a big bowl for whisking to soft peak with cream of tartar and sugar later. Make sure the bowl for is clean and dry.

6. Prepare a double boiler. Add cream cheese, milk and butter and stir to melt and combine. Using a whisk, stir till well combined and creamy.

7. Add the egg yolks, vanilla extract, lemon juice and salt. Whisk gently till combined.

8. Sift in the cake flour and corn flour. Fold to just combined. Set aside.

9. Make the meringue by whisking egg whites till foamy. Add cream of tartar and sugar and continue to whisk till SOFT PEAK. Be careful NOT to over whisk till Stiff Peak.  

10. Scoop 1/3 of the meringue into the egg yolk mixture and fold to combine. Add another 1/3 and repeat.

11. Pour the egg yolk batter into the remaining meringue and fold to combine gently. Do not over mix. Pour the mixture into the cake tin. Give it a tap to release gas.

12. Place the cake tin on the roasting pan or jelly roll pan. Place them in the oven.  Pour hot water into the roasting pan or jelly roll pan to about 1/3 of the height of the cake tin. I used the hot water from step 6.

My parchment paper extended a bit too high because I was lazy to cut away the excess.

13. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes. Once done, open the oven door slightly and let the cake cool down in there for 1 hour. This helps to prevent the cake from collapsing. 

14. After 1 hour, remove cake from the oven. Unmold and let it cool on a rack. The cake will shrink slightly when cooled. Chill in the fridge for couple of hours or overnight before serving.