Easy Japanese Cheesecake Recipe - so fluffy and jiggly! - Foxy Folksy (2024)

FAQs

Why is my Japanese cheesecake not fluffy? ›

If the oven isn't hot enough, the egg whites will deflate and the cheesecake will be dense and heavy instead of light and airy, so turning on the oven is always the first thing I do.

One thing that makes Japanese cheesecake different and special is its unique texture. Unlike traditional cheesecakes, which are dense and heavy, Japanese cheesecakes are light and airy. With a combination of whipped egg whites and cream cheese, this dessert takes on the perfect balance of smoothness and fluffiness.

It should be puffy on the edges but visibly underdone in the center. Around 70-75 min in, you can quickly open the oven door and jiggle the cheesecake gently. It should be firm on the edges but quite jiggly in the center. You can also touch the center of the cheesecake lightly - it should feel firm and bouncy.

Over mixed batter - With meringue based batter, it is crucial to not over-mix. Over-mixing the batter will deflate the meringue, creating a dense cake and separation in the Japanese cheesecake. That's when you see a super dense layer of rubbery cake, usually at the bottom.

Over-mixing the batter causes the whipped egg whites to deflate. The signature soft and fluffy texture comes from the air whipped into the egg whites. Without the extra air the cake will not be able to rise resulting in a flat and dense cake.

How long will they last? Our Japanese Cheesecakes can stay in room temperature for up to 12 hours. We recommend putting them in the fridge as soon as possible, and they can last refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Basque cheesecake: This is a crustless cheesecake, just like a Japanese one, but it has a burnt top layer that adds a distinctive caramel note.

Western cheesecakes are dense, cream cheese forward, and much sweeter. The Japanese counterpart is more eggy with just a hint of cream cheese flavor, and less sweet overall. If made correctly, it will actually jiggle with a consistency akin to a chiffon cake or an angel food cake.

Get cream cheese block to make this cheesecake. Don't ever use the cheese spread. Your cheesecake will be too wet otherwise. The delicate, velvety smooth texture of this cheesecake is produced by two low-protein flours, cake flour or corn flour.

When you shake the pan and a 2 in (5.1 cm) area in the center jiggles slightly, the cheesecake is done. If there is a large, jiggly area, or if liquid breaks the surface or sloshes over the edges of the pan, the cheesecake is not finished cooking.

What does adding an extra egg to cheesecake do? ›

Adding richness and a smooth texture, the proteins in the eggs set up during the gentle baking process, solidifying the dense network of dairy and sugar into a sliceable whole. Too many eggs will create a cracked and sunken cheesecake with an overly firm texture. Too few eggs and the cheesecake won't set well.

Remove the oven from the oven and let the cake sit for a few hours. If the jiggly surface is greater than 2 inches or the cooked batter breaks through the surface or spills out to the edge of the baking dish, it is undercooked and you must place it back into the oven for additional time.

From their website: Our Japanese Cheesecakes can stay in room temperature for up to 12 hours. We recommend putting them in the fridge as soon as possible, and they can last refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Japanese cheesecakes are characterized by their light and airy texture, thanks to the lofty meringue mixture that gets folded into the cream cheese base. While this style of cheesecake may seem intimidating to make, the steps come together fairly quickly and result in a simple, yet impressive dessert.

Those that are a mixture of cream cheese and whipped cream will have a lighter texture but will be slightly soft. The cheesecakes that are set with gelatine may have a fairly smooth texture or a very mousse-like texture but will not be dense.

Over-beating does not improve the texture and make the cheesecake creamier; instead, it whips too much air into batter causing the cake to puff up (similar to a souffle), then sink, shrink, and crack. Stop beating as soon as the batter is smooth and creamy (unless otherwise directed).

Not being careful with your eggs

This is due to the emulsification that occurs when the proteins and fats in the eggs intermingle with the other ingredients. Besides making the batter more custard-like in flavor, the emulsification also helps the batter set and become spongy.

If the temperature is too low, the souffle won't rise properly. If the temperature is too high, the souffle will rise just like a popover with big air pockets inside. Ideally, bake the souffle in the lower third of the oven.