Japanese Desserts: Cheesecakes

Japanese Cheesecakes

Souffle and Baked

     I like desserts and sometimes I try to make some myself. I have a particular like for Asian and European desserts.

I first tasted Japanese Cheese cake in Hong Kong.  I had it as much as I could if it was not sold out.  When I came back from Hong Kong.  I couldn't find a place that sold it, so I decided to try making it myself.  When I was looking for recipes.  I found that the cheesecake I had is often refer to as Japanese Souffle Cheesecake.  The cake is quite fluffy and light.  I also came across another Japanese Cheesecake recipe that I tried. 

Japanese Souffle Cheesecake

 The cheesecake I made came out well, but did not taste as light and cheesy as the one I had in Hong Kong and I think that may have been because I did not use a recipe that included cream of tartar.  This recipe is my own, a kind of compilation of many that I found.

Preparation: 35 minutes

Baking time: 1 1/2 hrs

200g Cream Cheese

50ml Milk

50ml Cream

40g Sugar

2 Whole Eggs (Separated)

15g Flour 

3 Tbs Lemon juice (lime or orange)

Start with lining your pan. Separate your eggs into the whites and yolks. The Pre heat oven at 175 Celcius (~350F). If possible have your eggs and cream cheese at room temperature. Combine milk, cream, and cream cheese in a bowl and mix it until melted over double boiler or low heat (watch carefully).  Mix constantly until the cream cheese has melted and incorporated into a mixture. And into the mixture 30g of sugar and 2 tbs of the lemon juice and mix well. Whisk in the egg yolk. Then sift in the flour and mix well.  In a separated bowl whisk the egg whites, sugar and lemon juice until it forms a fluffy soft peak. Mix the egg whites into the cream cheese mixture gently. Pour your mixture into the baking pan and using a bain marie (place a baking tray that is deep enough to hold water into the oven, pour in about 1 inch of hot water and place the cake pan in it) put them in the oven and bake.  Lower temperature to 150 Celsius about 15 minutes when the top of the cake has browned. Then remove cake and enjoy.  

I want to try the recipe with cream of tartar and butter to see what the difference is.  The second recipe I found was when I was looking around and I found a Baked Japanese Cheesecake recipe. Though I have never tasted the real one, the baked Japanese Cheesecake I made tasted good, although my oven burned the crust some.  

Japanese Baked Cheesecake

This recipe is by ichikeron.  She has a youtube channel with a lot of recipes. Many of which I will be trying. She makes them look easy and simple.  

Time: 40min + 2-3 hours refrigeration time
Number of servings: 12 cheesecake bars

Necessary Equipment:
6-inch square brownie pan
(9-inch square brownie pan makes 18 flatter cheesecake bars)

Ingredients:
For the Crust
120g (4.2oz.) vanilla wafers
40g (1.4oz.) butter (softened)
For the Cheesecake
200g (7oz.) cream cheese (softened)
60g (2.1oz.) sugar
2 egg
150cc fresh cream (or whipping cream is okay)
1 tbsp. lemon juice
3 tbsp. flour
20g (0.7oz.) butter

Direction
The Crust

1. Line the brownie pan with waxed paper or parchment paper.
2. Smash vanilla wafers in a Ziploc bag, add butter (softened), and mix well. Press firmly into the brownie pan. Chill until set.
The Cheesecake
1. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F).
2. Beat cream cheese with wire whisk. Add sugar, beaten eggs (little by little), fresh cream, lemon juice, flour (sift in), and melted butter, and mix until smooth.
3. Pour the cream cheese mixture into the brownie pan and bake at 180C (350F) for 35-40 minutes.
4. Allow to cool to the room temperature and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Cut into bars.

The best way to cut a cheesecake is to use a long knife that has been warmed in hot water. Dip the knife in hot water, wipe, and cut. Repeat this each time you cut! Then wrap each piece for individual servings. 

These are two great desserts that I found and tried.