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Fluffy, creamy, light and airy, this Souffle Cheesecake (or Japanese Cheesecake) is lightly sweetened, slightly tangy, and perfect served sprinkled with powdered sugar, fresh berries and/or fresh whipped cream.
Also known as Japanese cheesecake or Cotton Cheesecake, this dessert will just melt in your mouth, much like this Chocolate Souffle, Lemon Souffle and Pumpkin Souffle.
I’m pretty sure I could eat this whole cheesecake myself (like I did with these no bake cheesecake balls). Seriously guys, this is good stuff.
This Souffle Cheesecake is made by folding sweetened whipped egg whites into a whipped cream cheese batter. This results in a light, fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth kind of cheesecake.
This Japanese style cheesecake is less sweet than traditional cheesecake, much like these Vietnamese Sponge Cakes. It’s perfect served with lightly sweetened berries, whipped cream and powdered sugar – but it’s also great just by itself!
Ingredients
The ingredients are pretty basic and can be easily found at your local grocery store. The full list of ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Full fat cream cheese and whole milk are recommended for the best results.
Cream of tartar acts as a strengthening agent for the bubbles, preventing the egg whites from falling too quickly (like in these Lemon Meringue Tarts) also increasing the volume of the whites as they are beaten. Buy it HERE.
Step By Step Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325F degrees.
In a medium sized saucepan, melt the cream cheese, butter and milk over medium-low heat. Stir often to ensure the mixture doesn’t burn.
Beat the egg yolks in a separate small bowl. Remove the cream cheese mixture from the heat and pour a very small amount in the bowl (about 3 tablespoons) with the egg yolks, whisking continuously.
Pour another small amount in (about 3-4 tablespoons) while whisking continuously. The egg yolk mixture should now be warm (we just tempered the egg yolks to ensure they don’t cook when added to the cream cheese mixture).
Pour the cream cheese mixture in a bowl and whisk the tempered egg yolk and lemon juice in. Be sure to whisk continuously.
Combine the flour, cornstarch and salt in a small bowl and mix to combine.
Gently fold the flour mixture into the cream cheese mixture, being careful not to over-mix.
In a separate bowl, use a mixer (either a hand mixer or a counter top mixer), to beat the egg whites until the become frothy and bubbly, about 2 minutes.
Add the cream of tartar and beat for 1 minute.
Add the sugar, 1/8 cup at a time, beating until the mixture is smooth (not grainy), between each 1/8 cup.
Continue beating the mixture until soft peaks form.
Fold 1/3 of the egg whites mixture into the cream mixture, being careful not to over-mix and deflate the egg whites.
Fold another 1/3 of the egg whites in, then the last 1/3 of the egg whites, always being careful to fold gently and not over-mix.
Wrap foil around the bottom 2 inches of a 8-9″ greased springform pan. This helps to ensure the cheesecake doesn’t stick.
Pour the mixture into the springform pan.
Fill a large baking dish or pan with 1 inch of water. Place the springform pan into the baking dish. The water helps ensure the cheesecake doesn’t crack – but if it does crack it’s not the end of the world. It still tastes great!
Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Turn off the heat and leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door cracked open for an hour.
Remove from the oven and let cool fully on the counter. Remove it from the springform pan and serve immediately, or refrigerate overnight.
Slice and serve with fresh berries, lemon curd, whipped cream and/or powdered sugar.
Variations
– For a more lemony flavor, add a couple teaspoons of fresh lemon zest to the cream cheese batter. You can also use lime zest or even orange zest!
– Add 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract to give it an almond flavor. Sprinkle it with fresh sliced almonds and whipped to cream to serve.
– Top with fresh blueberries, strawberries, orange segments, raspberries or sliced mango pieces.
– It’s incredible topped with a touch of Lemon Curd or Lime Curd.
Get more Japanese desserts!
Expert Tips
- Use cold egg whites to make the egg white mixture – they will whip up easier leading to a better texture in your cheesecake.
- Whenever you’re folding in egg whites, you want to be very gentle to ensure you don’t deflate the egg whites.
- Make sure your spring form pan is WELL GREASED before pouring the batter in. A well greased pan will make it easier to get the cheesecake out.
- Baking the cheesecake in a water bath helps to keep it from cracking.
- Bake the cheesecake on the bottom rack for the best results.
Did you make this recipe? Rate it and leave a comment below to let me know how it turned out!
This recipe was originally published in January 2018. It has been updated with better content and photos.
Souffle Cheesecake (Japanese Cheesecake)
Ingredients
- 5 eggs whites and yolks separated
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1-8 ounce package cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F degrees.
- In a medium sized saucepan, melt the cream cheese, butter and milk over medium-low heat. Stir often to ensure the mixture doesn't burn.
- Beat the egg yolks in a separate small bowl.
- Remove the cream cheese mixture from the heat and pour a very small amount in the bowl (about 3 tablespoons) with the egg yolks, whisking continuously.
- Pour another small amount in (about 3-4 tablespoons) while whisking continuously.
- Pour the cream cheese mixture in a bowl and whisk the tempered egg yolk and lemon juice in. Be sure to whisk continuously.
- Combine the flour, cornstarch and salt in a small bowl and mix to combine.
- Gently fold the flour mixture into the cream cheese mixture, being careful not to over-mix.
- In a separate bowl, use a mixer (either a hand mixer or a counter top mixer), to beat the egg whites until the become frothy and bubbly, about 2 minutes.
- Add the cream of tartar and beat for 1 minute.
- Add the sugar, 1/8 cup at a time, beating until the mixture is smooth (not grainy), between each 1/8 cup.
- Continue beating the mixture until soft peaks form.
- Fold 1/3 of the egg whites mixture into the cream mixture, being careful not to over-mix and deflate the egg whites.
- Fold another 1/3 of the egg whites in, then the last 1/3 of the egg whites, always being careful to fold gently and not over-mix.
- Wrap foil around the bottom 2 inches of a 8-9" greased springform pan.
- Pour the mixture into the springform pan.
- Fill a large baking dish or pan with 1 inch of water. Place the springform pan into the baking dish.
- Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Turn off the heat and leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door cracked open for an hour.
- Remove from the oven and let cool fully on the counter. Remove it from the springform pan and serve immediately, or refrigerate overnight.
- Slice and serve with fresh berries, lemon curd, whipped cream and/or powdered sugar.
Expert Tips:
- Use cold egg whites to make the egg white mixture - they will whip up easier leading to a better texture in your cheesecake.
- Whenever you're folding in egg whites, you want to be very gentle to ensure you don't deflate the egg whites.
- Make sure your spring form pan is WELL GREASED before pouring the batter in. A well greased pan will make it easier to get the cheesecake out.
- Baking the cheesecake in a water bath helps to keep it from cracking.
- Bake the cheesecake on the bottom rack for the best results.
Nutrition
