Where Can I Get it? | How Can I Make It?
What is Japanese cheesecake?
Japanese cheesecake (a.k.a. “Japanese cotton cheesecake,” “bouncy cheesecake,” or “souffle cheesecake”) is a cheesecake that originated in Japan in the 1980s. Its texture is soft & fluffy, much more like a spongecake than a rich & creamy American cheesecake. What really sets it apart is its mesmerizing ability to jiggle and jiggle and jiggle…
Where can I get it?
If you can’t get to Japan to try an authentic Japanese cheesecake from one of the longest-standing Japanese cheesecake makers (Uncle Tetsu and Uncle Rikuro) you can find them at certain specialty Japanese bakeries in “Japantowns” across the US. Here are a few places in the US that will serve this bouncy dessert hot and fresh to you…
Honolulu, HI: Uncle Tetsu
Los Angeles, CA (Arcadia): Uncle Tetsu
New York, NY: Keki
How can I make it?
The one guaranteed way to get some of this jiggly goodness (if you don’t live near any places that sell them fresh) is to make it yourself. Here’s a relatively simple recipe you can follow, or save on Glutto for later…
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Ingredients
- 1 1/8 cups cream cheese
- 2/3 cups fine granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup cake flour (super fine)
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/4 cup butter
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 egg whites
- 6 egg yolks
Directions
- First, turn stove to medium-high heat. Put the cream cheese, butter and milk in a small pot and place over the heat until ingredients are melted. Mix the ingredients and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Add flour, cornstarch, egg yolks, lemon juice and salt. Mix ingredients.
- Whisk egg whites and cream of tartar for 5+ mins to create a foamy meringue. Add sugar. Whisk to create firm peaks similar to this –>
- Very gently mix the meringue into the cream cheese mix, one third at a time. This will give the cheesecake its fluffiness.
note: over-mixing will cause the cheesecake to shrink drastically after baking - Carefully transfer the mixture into an 8 inch round baking pan lined with parchment paper.
- Bake at 325°F in a water bath (i.e. put the 8 inch pan in a larger pan with hot water halfway up the 8 inch pan⸺the water should not touch the cheesecake ingredients) for 65-70 mins or until golden brown.
note: the water bath is required keep the cheesecake moist - Turn off the oven and open the oven door. Let sit for 30 mins to 1 hour to cool slowly. Enjoy!
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Kristina Reynolds is the Founder & CEO of Glutto and an alumna of the University of California, San Diego. She writes articles & posts for Glutto Digest with insights from fellow industry experts. Furthermore, she is the author of The Fittest Food Lovers: How EVERY BODY Can be Incredibly Fit and Still Enjoy Food, a collaborative philanthropic book with proceeds going to charities that fight world hunger.
