JAPANESE ‘NEW YORK STYLE’ CHEESECAKE by Renee Shibuya (our resident Master Chef!)

The Japanese are good at copying things and doing them better! This is a recipe my neighbour in Japan taught me. It is very easy to make and comes out light and airy with a subtle egg taste. This recipe makes a very small cheesecake, so I often double it to use the bigger pan. When I double it, my blender is too small to increase amounts, so I just make the original recipe twice and pour it together in the pan.

Base:
1 Pkt plain biscuits. (soft biscuits work better (Nice biscuits work well)
3 tbsps melted butter
ground nuts (optional)
Mixed together well and press into a flat pan or cake tin. I line mine with waxed paper to make it easier to get out of the tin once set. Place in the refrigerator to set while you make the filling.

Filling:
200g cream cheese
80g sugar
3 eggs
200ml cream
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 tablespoons plain flour

Method:

For best results, leave the cream cheese out of the fridge overnight to soften evenly.

You can use a food processor, but if the cream cheese is soft enough, I use the blender.

Place cream cheese, sugar and 1 egg in blender/mixer. Whiz on and off until fairly mixed. Add the other eggs one at a time to help mix it all up. Then add the cream and whiz again. Finally put in the vanilla and flour and mix through. Pour over base and bake at 160°C for 10 mins, then reduce heat to 140°C for 90 minutes. (If you are in a hurry and not worried about appearances, keep it at 160°C for a shorter time. The lower temperature stops the cake from cracking). Cut once cooled.

 

This is the recipe doubled.                       Leave the cake in the pan until cooled. This allows the cake to set properly before disturbing it. Run a plastic knife around the edge to loosen it from the pan, then release it. 

The cake will sink after cooling, and if cooked slowly, will not crack.