Japanese Cheesecake [スフレチーズケーキ]

▢
Separate eggs so you obtain 5 egg whites and 5 egg yolks. Make sure the egg whites are in a clean and dry stainless or glass bowl.
▢
Whip the 5 egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 85 g sugar and continue whisking until firm peaks form, where the peak holds its shape but the very tip folds back on itself.

▢
Set up a double boiler with simmering water. In a bowl over the simmering water, combine 250 g cream cheese, 50 g unsalted butter, 200 ml whipping cream, and 50 g sugar mixing until melted.
▢
Remove from heat and whisk in 5 egg yolks one at a time.
▢
Sift in 70 g cake flour, mix, and then strain the batter into a clean bowl.
▢
Add the 0.5 lemon zest and 15-30 ml lemon juice, whisking to combine.
▢
Fold in about 1/3 of your meringue into the heavy yolk base first. You can be a bit more vigorous here. The goal is simply to lighten the density of the yolk mixture, which makes it much easier to fold in the remaining meringue without deflating it.
▢
Add the rest of the meringue in two stages. Use a whisk or spatula to gently go down the middle, scrape along the bottom of the bowl, and bring the batter up and over the top. Rotate the bowl after each fold. Continue just until no streaks of white remain. The final batter should be smooth, airy, and uniform in color.

▢
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with unsalted butter and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, including two strips crossed in an "X" for lifting.
▢
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Place the pan in a baking sheet filled within the oven and the pour hot water in the baking pan to create a bain-marie.
Chef's Tip : Boil water in a kettle to create the hot water. The steam created by the hot water keeps the atmosphere in the oven humid. This is crucial for preventing the delicate top of the cheesecake from drying out and cracking. By placing the cake pan in water, you are also protecting the batter from direct heat.
▢
Bake for 70-75 minutes at 320°F, then lower to 300°F for another 10 minutes, checking for doneness with a skewer.
Turn off the oven and leave the cake inside with the door slightly open for 15-20 minutes.
Chef's Tip : We decrease the temperature although we preheated at 350°F since by opening the door to place the pan and baking sheet, we will decrease the temperature slightly. So we compensate with a bigger preheat.
▢
Carefully lift the cake using the parchment straps, brush with a mixture of 1 Tbsp. apricot jam and 1 tsp. hot water, and let it cool to room temperature.