Japanese Cheese Cake

While the  Basque burnt cake is now all the rage, I suddenly crave for something that tastes mild and delicate. The steps for this cheesecake are easy and if well executed, the process is as easy as cheese  pie.

Verdict: Soft, light and silky on the palate.

Base:

160g Cream cheese (room temperature)

25g Unsalted butter (room temperature)

120ml milk (room temperature)

40g plain flour + 30g corn flour

4 yolks

Meringue:

4 egg whites

70g castor sugar + Pinch of salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 160C, with raised rack.

Line a 7 inch springform pan.

Wrap in 4 layers of aluminum foil.

Prepare a shallow pan as water bath, big enough for the pan, about 1 inch tall.

Yolk base:

Whisk the cream cheese and butter to break up and combine the mixture.

Reduce the speed of the whisk and add milk slowly. Whisk to combine. Be careful of splatter.

Shift in flours and whisk.

Add yolks and whisk.

Meringue: (container and whisk must be very clean)

Whisk whites until it foams.

Add sugar and salt in a steady stream.

Whisk until meringue forms stiff peaks.

Spoon a third of the meringue to the yolk base. Fold in.

In 2-3 more parts, fold in the meringue.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Place the pan into the empty water bath tray and transfer everything to the oven.

Pour boiling water in the water pan, about 1 cm high.

Bake at 160C for 43-45 minutes until the top is tanned.

Test the cake with a metal skewer to check that the cake is cooked.

Remove the cake from the water bath, aluminum foil and cool over a rack.

Remove the cake and cool further.

Eat cold or warm.