Japanese Cotton Cheesecake

It took me two years to regain my confidence, wake up and eventually try again making this cake after my first attempt which I considered as a complete disaster.  Today, I walk out tall and can go around telling the world that I can make a good cheesecake......YES, I holler again - a GOOD CHEESECAKE!  As I have always said, it's not that I am good but I am just lucky that I have with me a GOOD recipe shared by GOOD amazing people around.  All I did was - I  F-O-L-L-O-W-E-D!! As simple as that!

Yes, for those who are looking for a good cheesecake recipe that yields a cake so cottony soft, light and fluffy, then you are reading the correct post.  THIS is the recipe you should be trying and THIS is the recipe you should be keeping.

When you hear your kids bicker over the last piece as to who is to finish it, then you can claim that you have baked wonderfully. And if your little girl comes running to you hugging and telling you,

"Papa, I like the cake you baked.  Can you bake for me again some other day, please?  I love you very much and thank you, Papa!", 

then this tells you that this recipe is a priceless treasure that you must keep and share it out to the world.  So, friends, this is exactly what happened to me last weekend and so here I am sharing it with you.  Believe me, you go out and bake one today and you will come back for a second batch very soon!

 

So peeps, I hope that you like the post today.  Happy trying and have a nice day ahead!  Cheers!

A special cheer to Jeannie of Jeannietay's Blog, the kind-hearted soul who shared this amazing recipe!  I strongly suggest that you visit her post.  Amazing bakes with amazing photos!

The Recipe:

(yields an 8" round cake tin and 4" x 6" rectangular tin)

250g cream cheese (1 block)

6 egg yolks

70g castor sugar

60g butter (1/4 block)

100 ml full cream milk

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest (or lemon essence) (optional)

60g cake flour

20g cornflour

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp Vanilla extract (optional)

6 egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

70g castor sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 200°C (Top and bottom heat, no fan force)
2. Line bottom of the cake pans and grease the sides.
3. Whisk cream cheese and butter till smooth over a water bath or can do double boil method.
4. Add the sugar (70g) and whisk until dissolved. Remove from water bath
5. Add cold milk and whisk until combined.
6. Add egg yolks one at a time and whisk until smooth.
7. Add vanilla, salt, lemon juice, lemon zest and whisk
8. Sift flour and fold into mixture. Set aside.
9. Whisk whites at low speed till foamy
10. Add cream of tartar and beat at high speed till bubbles become very small but still visible
11. Gradually add sugar (70g) and beat till just before soft peaks 
12. Fold whites into batter 1/3 at a time. Set aside a couple of tablespoons. Divide batter into 2 portions and add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder into one portion together with the reserved meringue. Gently fold until combined.
13. Pour both batter alternately into prepared pan and tap the pan on the counter to release air bubbles
14. Bake on the lowest rack in a preheated 200 degree C oven (top and bottom heat, no fan force) for 18min, lower to 160 degree C for 12 mins and turn off the oven and leave cake in the closed oven for 30 mins. Open the door of the oven slightly at the end of the baking for 10 mins for cake to cool. (I baked mine at 155C for 45 mins then 140C for another 15 mins then leave in oven for 30 mins with oven door closed)

Butter Chocolate Cheesecake

 

Personally, I love this cake a lot, from baking it, eating it or just by looking at it.  The texture, pattern and color combination are just too pleasing to the eyes and irresistibly indulging to the palate.  

I am never a fan of cheesecake as I find it too creamy and fattening and a lot of it is cloying but for this particular one, it just wins me over.  To me, chocolate and cheese is indeed a great combination, thus it never fails to make a great dessert.  The moment my eyes caught sight of the photo and recipe (by Ann Low of Anncoo Journal), I was all set and fired up to make my very own one.

Of course, it doesn't take too long to bake and the process itself is nothing complicated.  The ingredients used are pretty standard and predictable if you are used to making butter cake and cheesecake.  The only thing that caught me by surprise is the use of whipping cream instead of milk. I am not sure whether was it that the cream made the cake so soft and fluffy.  Whatever it is, this recipe is worth trying and definitely a keeper.  It certainly makes a great and presentable dessert for any potluck or home party.

Recipe:

Ingredients: 

(A)

250g Butter, softened

160g Caster sugar

4 large Eggs (about 70g each)

1tsp Vanilla extract

170g Self-raising flour plus 4tbsp cocoa powder, sift together into a bowl 

5tbsp Milk (I used whipping cream)

(B)

250g Cream cheese, room temperature

60g Caster sugar

3 tbsp Whipping cream (optional)

1 large Egg, about 70g

1tbsp Self-raising flour

      Method:

• Grease and line a 8 inch square cake pan. Preheat oven to 160 deg C.
• Beat ingredients (B) till fluffy and set aside.
• From ingredients (A), beat butter and sugar till pale and fluffy, add in eggs one at a time and mix well, add in vanilla extract and whipping cream, mix well.
• Fold in sifted flour and cocoa powder with a rubber spatula in 2 portions into butter mixture, mix well.
• Spread half portion of batter into pan, then spoon in cheese mixture (B), cover cheese mixture with the remaining portion of cake batter (total of 3 layers). Then use a chopstick to swirl through the batter to create the marbling effect.
• Bake for 60-70 minutes or skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean.