Soufflé Cheesecake (スフレチーズケーキ, cotton cheesecake)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •18 cm / 7 inch tall one-piece round cake pan, or a springform pan wrapped in foil and an oven bag
• •Large roasting pan for the water bath
• •Parchment paper for the bottom and high side collar
• •Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
• •Fine-mesh sieve

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the pan

   Heat the oven to 160 C / 320 F with a rack in the lower third. Butter an 18 cm / 7 inch tall round cake pan, line the bottom with parchment, and line the sides with a parchment collar standing about 5 cm above the rim. Set the cake pan inside a larger roasting pan and put a kettle of water on. The batter loses air while it waits, so the pan and water bath should be ready before the meringue is made.

   A one-piece cake pan is best for this. If you use a springform pan, wrap the outside in two layers of foil and set it inside an oven bag before the water bath, because even a small leak makes a heavy bottom.
2. 2

   Separate the eggs

   Separate the eggs while they are cold, because the yolks are firmer and break less easily. Put the whites in a spotless mixing bowl and let them stand at cool room temperature while you make the batter. A trace of yolk or grease weakens the foam, and this cake asks the whites to carry its height.

3. 3

   Warm the base

   Put the cream cheese, 50g butter, and milk in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of water held just below a simmer. Whisk until the mixture is smooth, loose, and warm, then take it off the heat. Gentle warming lets the cheese and butter join the milk without lumps; hard heat can split the fat and make the batter grainy before you've even begun.

4. 4

   Finish the batter

   When the cheese mixture is just warm, whisk in the egg yolks one at a time, then whisk in 30g sugar, the salt, lemon juice, and vanilla if using. Sift in the cake flour and cornstarch and whisk only until smooth, then pass the batter through a fine sieve. The low-protein flour and starch keep the crumb fine, and the sieve catches the little cheese or flour lumps that would show up as heavy spots in the cake.

5. 5

   Beat the meringue

   Beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add the cream of tartar if using, then add the remaining 90g sugar in three additions, beating until the whites form soft, glossy peaks that curl at the tip. Stop there. Soft meringue stretches through the batter and holds tiny pockets of air; dry stiff meringue breaks into clumps, and then you stir harder, which is how cotton becomes a mattress.

   This is the detail that decides the cake. Glossy soft peaks, not stiff peaks.
6. 6

   Fold with restraint

   Fold one third of the meringue into the cheese batter to lighten it, then fold in the rest in two additions, scraping from the bottom of the bowl and turning the batter over itself. Fold until no white streaks remain, then stop. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap the pan once on the counter to settle large pockets. The small bubbles are your rise, so don't chase them away.

7. 7

   Bake in water

   Set the filled cake pan in the roasting pan and pour hot water into the roasting pan until it comes about 2.5 cm / 1 inch up the cake pan. Bake for 20 minutes at 160 C / 320 F, then lower the oven to 140 C / 285 F without opening the door and bake 45 to 55 minutes more. The top should be pale gold, the center should tremble softly, and a skewer should come out with a few moist crumbs, or the center should read 70 to 72 C / 158 to 162 F. The first heat gives lift; the lower heat sets the egg foam gently before the edges tighten.

8. 8

   Cool it slowly

   Turn the oven off and leave the cake inside for 30 minutes with the door cracked slightly. Remove it from the water bath and let it stand in the pan for 20 minutes more. Sudden cold makes the air inside contract all at once, and the cake collapses more than it should. A little sinking is honest. A cave in the center means it was rushed.

9. 9

   Glaze and serve

   Run a thin knife around the top edge, set a parchment-covered plate over the pan, invert the cake, peel away the bottom parchment, then turn it upright onto a serving plate. Brush with the thin apricot glaze if using. Chill at least 3 hours for the cleanest slices, or serve barely warm after an hour if you want the bakery tremble. Use a hot, dry knife for slicing, wiping it between cuts so the face of each slice stays clean.

Chef Tips

• •Use block cream cheese, not whipped spread. Spread has extra water and a loose body, and the cake turns slack before it has a chance to rise.
• •Superfine sugar is worth using here because it dissolves quickly into the whites. If you have only granulated sugar, pulse it briefly until finer, but don't turn it into powder.
• •Don't open the oven door during the main bake. The cake is held up by warm air and setting egg, and a sudden drop in heat steals height before the structure is ready.
• •The pan matters. A tall one-piece pan is the right tool for a water bath. A springform can work, but wrap it carefully and keep the water line modest.
• •Serve modest slices. This cake is light, but it is still cheese and egg. A restrained wedge on a quiet plate looks more generous than a large piece crowded with decoration.

Advance Preparation

• •This cake is very good made a day ahead. Chill it overnight, covered, then let it stand 20 minutes before serving so the crumb softens.
• •The cream-cheese batter can be made up to the point before the meringue 30 minutes ahead and kept at room temperature. Once the meringue is folded in, bake at once.
• •The finished cake keeps two days refrigerated. Keep it covered, but not pressed tight against plastic, or the top will lose its smooth finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 115g)