Read the Instructions!

Japanese Cheese Cake

I got this recipe from just onecookbook, who posted this recently, I did'nt follow the instructions carefully and as a result the cake did'nt rise properly.The first step of the recipe is to leave cheese,butter,egg yolks and cream at room temperature. But I misread and mixed all ingredients together. Though the cake did'nt rise to occasion, the taste was not compromised. It tasted almost like the ones I had in Japan,light and fluffy but taste so rich and melting. There are many Japanese cheesecakes selling at bakeries here that taste more of meringue than cheese. I will certainly bake this cake again and for sure I will read the instructions carefully.


Ingredients
400g cream cheese, at room temperature
60g granulated sugar
60gm unsalted butter, room temperature
6 egg yolks, at room temperature
200ml heavy cream, at room temperature
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp rum
80g all purpose flour
6 egg whites
100g granulated sugar for meringue
3 tbsp apricot jam + 1 tsp water

Method
1. Before you start preping, remember to keep cream cheese,butter,egg yolks and heavy cream at room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 160C degree. Start boiling water.
3. In stand mixer, beat cream cheese and 60g sugar until smooth.
4. Add and beat butter.
5. Beat egg yolk first and then add to the mixture. Then add heavy cream and combine all together. Switch to a whisk here.
6. Add lemon juice and rum and mix until the batter is very smooth.
7. Sift flour twice.
8.Add the flour all at once and mix.
9. Take the batter out to a large bowl. Wash the stand mixer's bowl and dry completely.(I used a hand mixer)
10. In stand mixer, whisk egg whites and add 100g sugar in three separate times.
11. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks. If you whisk too much, the surface of cake will crack.
12. Add 1/3 of meringue to the batter and mix well first.
13. Then add the rest of meringue all at once and fold it in (not mix this time).
14. Cut parchment paper for the bottom and around the springform pan. Lightly spray oil on the cake pan and place the parchment paper. Spray oil again on the paper and sprinkle some flour on the bottom. Cover the bottom of the pan and fold the extra foil on the side. The foil is toprevent water from seeping through the gap to the cake.
15. Pour the batter in the springform pan and then drop the cake pan from about 6 inch high to get rid of any air bubble.
16. Place the springfoam pan in the bakig pan and pour 1 inch of hot water in a baking pan. Moisture from the water will prevent cracks on the surface of the cake. Place it in the middle rack of the oven.
17. Bake at 160C for 60 mins or until light golden brown. Then reduce temperature to 150C and bake for 30mins.
18. When the inserted skewer comes out clean, turn off the oven. Let the cake sit in the oven with the door slightly ajar until it has cooled completely.
19. In a small bowl, combine apricot jam and water and microwave for a few seconds. Spread the jam on the cake and refrigerate it for a few hours.
20. When you are ready to serve, remove the cheesecake from the pan.