Japanese Cheesecake

I'm a big fan of the Western cheesecake; dense and full of cheese in every bite. The Chinese version of the western cheesecake is a fluffier, lighter and spongier cake. The cheese flavour is very subtle.

I was looking to make the Chinese version when I came across this recipe. It seemed close enough so I gave it a try. The cake was very nice. It's more moist than a sponge cake and tastes rather eggy. However the flavour of cheese in the cake comes out stronger than the cheesecakes I buy from local cake shops. This gets a thumbs up from me.

Ingredients:
100 grams fine granulated sugar
6 egg whites
6 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
50 grams butter
250 grams cream cheese
100 mililiters fresh milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
60 grams cake flour
20 grams corn flour
1/8 teaspoon fine salt

Instructions:
1. Melt cream cheese, butter and milk over a double boiler. Cool the mixture. Fold in the flour, the cornflour, egg yolks, lemon juice separately and mix well.

2. Whisk egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Add in the sugar and whisk until soft peaks form.

3. Add the cheese mixture to the egg white mixture and fold well. Pour into a 8-inch round cake pan (lightly grease and line the bottom and sides of the pan with greaseproof baking paper or parchment paper). Wrap the base of your cake tin with aluminium foil if you are using a springform tin, to prevent seepage.

4. Bake cheesecake in a water bath for 1 hour 10 minutes or until set and golden brown at 160C.