have your cake
I don’t have a story for you this time. I just have cake. I am not going to put anything here that will slow you down because it is important that you make the cake without any further delay.
OK quick story: we were visiting my dad in Florida and someone had a cake emergency and I don’t know why I thought of Japanese cheesecake but I did, and let’s all just be grateful for that. This is a slightly modified version of the cake that genius pastry chef Erin Mcdowell posted on Food52, modified mainly for gluten-freedom. It’s like a cheesecake but it is also like a cloud. You bake it in a waterbath, so make sure you have some baking dish on hand that your springform pan can sit in comfortably.
A fast note on measurements: flour amounts are easier in grams and look weird converted to cups and spoons. I tried to provide both. I highly recommend baking (and especially GF baking) by weight. End of note.
The bittersweet chocolate on top is a nice counterpoint of seriousness to the sweet and lemony situation underneath. It’s also absolutely lily-gilding; the cake is delicious on its own, or with jam or fresh fruit. When I baked it at my dad’s house, there was only a runty little 6” spring form pan available, and the recipe halved beautifully so bear that in mind if you are cooking this in his kitchen as well. I’ve made it now with both Thai white rice flour, which is harder to find but superfine and worth it, and also with regular white rice flour and both worked a treat and you can totally use either one and still MAKE THIS BOMBASS CAKE.
japanese cheesecake
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla or vanilla bean paste
6 large eggs, separated
1/3 cup plus 2½ teaspoons (60g) rice flour
2 tablespoons plus 1 ½ teaspoons (20g) tapioca flour
¼ cup (28 g) cornstarch
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup (198 g) granulated sugar
for the ganache
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream
Preheat the oven to 325° F. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the base with parchment paper (no need to grease the paper). If you have any doubts at all about the water-tightness of your pan, enclose the bottom of the pan in foil. Place the springform pan inside a deep casserole dish or roasting pan and put a pot or kettle of water on to boil for the water bath part.
Bring a pot of water to a simmer over medium heat. Place the cream cheese, butter, and milk in a medium bowl and set over the pot of simmering water. Whisking constantly, cook until the butter and cream cheese are melted and smoothly combined. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Add the egg yolks and whisk well to combine. Sift the rice flour, tapioca, cornstarch, and salt over the bowl and gently fold until no dry flour is visible. Stir in the lemon zest and juice.
Put the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium speed until the mixture has just turned white, then as the machine runs slowly pour in the sugar and continue to whip on high speed to firm peaks.
Add about 1/4 of the egg whites to the cream cheese batter to lighten the mixture, then fold in the remaining egg whites in 2 additions, folding gently until just combined.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and gently smooth the top.
Set the pan into the larger container and move this whole arrangement to the oven. Pour hot water into the outer dish, to about 1/2 way up the side of the cake pan.
Bake the cake for about an hour, until it’s handsomely puffed and the surface golden.
Remove from the oven and remove the cake from the water bath. Let cool completely before unmolding and peeling away the parchment paper.
While the cake cools, scald the cream in a small saucepan and drop in the chocolate. Stir until smooth and just beginning to thicken. Smooth the ganache across the top of the cake while it is still warm.
The cake does not need to be chilled to set like a traditional cheesecake, though it will slice more neatly when chilled. The pillowy texture is best enjoyed at room temperature.