This really is a delightful cheesecake that isn’t sweet or heavy. It is a cross between a light and airy sponge cake and a traditional cheesecake. There are 3 parts to this recipe: creating the cheesecake, whipping the meringue and for me, the all important passing the batter through a sieve. This can be eaten with a dusting of powdered sugar, coulis, compote or sliced fresh fruit, even jam or preserves.
Cotton Cheesecake or Japanese Cheesecake
This delightful, delicious dessert is a cross between a sponge cake and a cheesecake. It’s not sweet and neither is it heavy. It hits the spot and when paired with coulis and seasonal fruit compote.
Equipment
- 8″ cake pan lined with parchment paper
- Water bath for baking
- Electric whisk
- Sieve
Ingredients
- 5 eggs separated into yokes and whites room temperature
- 1/4 tsp cream tartar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1/2 cup sugar divided into 2 1/4 cups
- 1/2 cup cream
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1/4 cup all purpose or plain flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp lemon zest optional
- 1 vanilla beans from pod optional
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 315°
- Prep an 8” cake pan by lining base and sides with parchment paper
- Place oven rack on the lowest part of the oven.
- Place a baking pan in the oven half filled with water.
- Mix flour, cornstarch and salt, set aside.
- Whisk egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and whisk until soft peaks begin to form. Slowly add 1/4 cup of sugar to form a meringue with soft stiff peaks. Set aside
- Mix cream and cream cheese until smooth and lump free. Add butter the remaining sugar, lemon juice and extract. Whisk until smooth.
- Add flour mixture and beat until smooth. Add egg yolk and beat until incorporated.
- Using a sieve strain the batter into a large bowl. Add lemon zest and vanilla beans mix well.
- Using a spatula fold in a 1/3 of the meringue. Fold in until totally incorporated. Repeat the this process until meringue is mixed in properly and you can’t see any white streaks.
- Pour into prepared cake tin. Using spatula leave the top off. Tap the cake tin on the counter top 5 times. Use spatula top burst any large bubbles. Place into the oven inside the baking pan half filled with water.
- Bake for 80 minutes and check to see if it’s done by using a tooth pic. If the tooth pic comes out clean the cotton cheesecakes is done. If not leave it for anther 10 minutes.
- Turn oven off. Using a wooden spoon as a wedge to leave the oven door open slightly. Leave cotton cheesecake to cool in oven for 1 hour.
- Remove from oven. You’ll notice that the cheesecake has shrunk away from the sides of the cake tin. This is normal. Using another piece of parchment paper, invert cake onto your hand.
- Peel the parchment paper from the bottom of the cheesecake. Place a plate on top and flip. Put into the refrigerator and allow to cool completely.
- Serve with fruit coulis, fruit and fruit compote and Chantilly cream.
Notes
This recipe has several moving parts, but it is worth it!
Don’t over beat the batter or your cake will deflate. You can add different extracts to create the flavors that you want.
Keep covered in the refrigerated.
Remove from refrigerator 10-15 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 8gCalories: 284kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 5gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 134mgPotassium: 96mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 777IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
