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Cotton cake

17/11/2023

Cotton Cakes, also known as Cotton Cheesecakes or Japanese Cheesecakes, are very soft and light desserts, with a texture reminiscent of cotton, from which they get their name. They are less sweet and more airy compared to traditional American cheesecakes. Here is the recipe to make them:

Ingredients

  • 200g of cream cheese (like Philadelphia)
  • 50g of butter
  • 100ml of milk
  • 6 eggs (yolks and whites separated)
  • 140g of granulated sugar (divided into two parts of 70g each)
  • 60g of sifted flour
  • 20g of cornstarch (cornflour)
  • 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar or lemon juice

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 160 °C.
  2. In a saucepan, melt the cream cheese, butter, and milk over low heat. Stir until the mixture is smooth. Allow to cool slightly.
  3. Add the egg yolks to the cheese mixture and mix well. Then incorporate the sifted flour and cornstarch until a uniform batter is achieved.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with an electric mixer gradually adding the 70g of sugar, until they become glossy and form soft peaks. If you’re using cream of tartar or lemon juice, add it when the whites begin to foam.
  5. Gently fold a third of the beaten egg whites into the cheese mixture to lighten it, then add the remaining egg whites, mixing slowly and gently from the bottom up, to avoid deflating the mixture.
  6. Pour the batter into a baking pan lined with parchment paper and bake in a water bath in the oven for about 85-90 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  7. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven with the door slightly open to prevent it from deflating too quickly.

To add an Italian touch to this Japanese dessert, you could serve it with a sauce of fresh strawberries or raspberries, perhaps flavored with a bit of Amaretto liqueur or Limoncello, which pair very well with the delicate sweetness of the cheesecake.

Trivia

The Cotton Cake has become famous for its soft and light texture like a cloud, and is considered a true art form in the world of Japanese desserts. The water bath cooking method is essential to achieve that particular texture that sets it apart.

Cotton cake