Taiwanese Old School Cheese Cake

Pardon the camera photo because it didn't do justice to the cake

With many shops, new and old, popping out wobbly and eggy old-school style cake, it will be strange if I am not part of the cake baking frenzy.

This cake is not difficult to bake but the number of appliances after the preparation really makes me think that a dishwasher will be a good thing to have in the kitchen. In any case, all the hard work was totally worth it. Though it does not have a thick, brown crust like those in the shops, I love it for its light tan. It makes the cake look delicate and too pretty to eat.

The recipe is mostly Zoe’s but I made slight modifications to suit my situation.

Credits :  Zoe

Ingredients:

Yoke base:

A-

20g of cooking cream

70g canola oil

70g full fat milk

B-

6 medium egg yolks

C-

90g cake flour

½ tsp baking powder

1/8tsp fine salt

Meringue:

D-

6 medium egg whites

80g caster sugar

½ tsp cream of tartar

E-

20cm by 14 cm baking tin, lined with baking paper

Aluminum sheet, double the size of baking tin

Shallow water bath tray, about 1 inch deep and big enough to accommodate the baking tin.

4 slices of savory cheddar slices

Method:

To prepare the baking tin, line the tray.

Wrap the exterior with AL sheet.

Place in the water bath tray.

Reserve.

Preheat oven to 150C, with a low rack.

In a mixing bowl, whisk at low speed (A) cream, oil and milk.

Add yolk, one at a time, whisking at low speed until mixture is homogenous.

Sieve in (C ) flour, baking powder and salt.

Whisk on low until homogenous.

Sieve yoke batter into another mixing bowl to remove possible lumps.

Reserve.

In another bowl, whisk on low speed egg whites until coarse foam forms.

Add cream of tartar. Whisk.

Pour sugar in a steady stream, whisking at medium speed.

When soft peaks form, stop.

In 4 portions, introduce the meringue to the yoke mixture.

Fold gently until homogenous.

Pour half the cake batter into prepared tin.

Gently place cheese slices on the batter, covering every area possible.

Gently pour the rest of the batter, covering the cheese.

Just before baking, pour steaming hot water into the bath that is holding the baking tin.

Bake at 150C for 70 minutes.

Remove cake to cool completely before transferring to storage box.

Or like most bakers will advise, eat it while steaming hot.