Japanese Cheesecake

Ingredients

8 oz. cream cheese

2 oz. unsalted butter

1/2 cup who;e milk

2 oz.  cake flour

1 oz. corn starch

6 egg yolks, room temperature

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

Scant 1/4 teaspoon salt

6 egg whites, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

5 oz fine granulated sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to at 325°F (160°C).  Grease a 9-inch springform and line the bottom part with parchment paper.

Melt cream cheese, butter and milk on low heat. Use a whisk to mix well until the cream cheese melts completely without lumps. Remove from heat and set aside.

Sift the cake flour and corn starch and set aside.

Add egg yolks, lemon juice and salt to the cream cheese mixture. Whisk to combine well. Add the cake flour and corn starch, whisk until a smooth batter forms and there is no lump. 

Make the meringue by whisking egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar until light, foamy and soft peaks form. DO NOT over beat.

Fold the cream cheese mixture gently into the meringue, until well incorporated.

Pour the mixture into the springform pan. Tap the cake pan gently before baking. 

Bake the cake using hot water bath. Place the cake pan in a larger pan and add 1 inch of hot water in the larger pan. Bake at the bottom shelf of the oven for 1 hour 10 minutes.

Leave to cool down in the oven with the oven door open, about 30 minutes. This will prevent sudden change of temperature that may cause the cake to shrink. However, it's normal that the cake will shrink about 1/2 - 1 inch after cooling.

Refrigerate the cake (with or without the cake tin) for at least 4 hours or overnight. Top the cake with powdered sugar before serving.