Moist Japanese CheeseCake

This Japanese Cheesecake is not the traditional one that's jiggly and spongy. Jiggly and spongy that you don't taste the cheese anymore and the texture is a bit dry. I like my cake moist and not too fluffy. I made one before baked at a high temperature consistently for a full hour but I did not achieve the dome, the top cracked and I find the top a bit dry. This time, I adjusted the temperature and achieved the dome I like and it's really moist and fluffy. 
I thought at first, this cake is hard to make. But not all except the steps that you have to make which is normal in making a cake. The only challenge is the baking part. 

Oven temperature varies as well as what type of oven you are using if convention or convection. The key here is you have to know your oven. I suggest to invest on an oven thermometer for accuracy and always check before the set time. 
Anyway, you are probably wondering how I made the design on top of this lovely cake. I actually used a cake stencil, placed on top of the cake and dusted with powdered sugar. I removed the stencil and created this beautiful design. If you don't have one, you can leave it as it is or dust the whole top with powdered sugar. It's up to you.

Japanese Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 (8 oz ) cream cheese
• 1/4 cup or 4 tbsp unsalted butter 
• 6 large eggs, room temperature, separated
• 1/3 cup cake flour *
• 3 tbsp cornstarch 
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar​​
• 2/3 cup caster/castor/superfine sugar

*Cake Flour Substitute  (Watch my VIDEO HERE)

• Measure out 1 cup all-purpose flour.  
• Remove 2 tbsp of all-purpose flour and place it back in your flour canister.  
• Replace the removed all-purpose flour with 2 tbsp cornstarch.
• Sift flour 5 times.

​*Sifting the flour and cornstarch together will help thoroughly combine the mixture and help to lighten and aerate the flour.

​Video

Procedure: ​​

• Preheat oven to 350 F.
• Line an  8 x 3-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. 
• In a small bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch and salt. Set aside.
• In a small sauce pan over low heat, add cream cheese and butter. Stir until completely melted.
• Add milk and continue stirring until completely blended.
• Remove from heat and let it sit for about 10-15 minutes to cool down a bit. 
• When temperature is moderately warm (about 110-115 F), stir in egg yolks then flour mixture. Whisk until smooth.
• In another bowl, beat egg whites until frothy. Add cream of tartar. Continue beating until foamy.
• Gradually add the sugar. Beat until soft peaks form.
• Fold whites into batter 1/3 at a time.  I used a whisk but slowly swirl it around to fold it. ​

• ​Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and tap the pan on the counter to release air bubbles.
• Place the pan in a larger pan add boiling water about 1" high up the sides of the pan. 
• Bake for 30 minutes. Lower the heat to 325 F for another 30 minutes. Turn off the oven, remove the large tray with water and leave the cake inside the oven for another 30 minutes. Cake will shrink a little bit but that is normal.
• Remove from oven. Cool completely. Cake should pull on the sides on it's own. Invert the cake and remove the liner.
• Dust with powdered sugar. I used a cake stencil on this one.
• Serve and enjoy. 

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