The secret of Japanese cheesecake

The Japanese cheesecake (スフレチーズケーキ) has its peculiarities compared to those from other countries. Each place has its way of making this delicious dessert. This type of cake has one or more layers, and the main layer is firmer, mixed with fresh and soft cheese. The cheeses that are usually used are cottage cheese, cream cheese, or ricotta (these cheeses are more refined and softer, ideal for this type of sweet).

Let’s see some curiosities about this dessert, especially the Japanese cheesecake, how it is made, and suggestions of places where you can find it.

History of cheesecake

Evidence shows that cheesecake originated in Ancient Greece. But the first cheesecake was only mentioned by the Greek physician Aegimus in the 5th century BC; he even wrote a book about the art of making cheesecake. The earliest cheesecake recipes are found in the books ”Cato the Elder” (referring to Cato, a Roman emperor, senator, and historian) and ”De Agri Cultura” (the oldest work of Latin prose). At least 20 countries have their own versions of cheesecake.

These two works contain recipes for the desserts libum, savillum, and placenta (several layers of dough mixed with cheese and honey), which closely resemble the cheesecake we know. But there are also claims that cheesecake is part of American cuisine; for example, the renowned chef Heston Blumenthal believes in this idea because in a cookbook from the year 1390 called ”Forme of Cury” a recipe similar to cheesecake was found. In the book, the recipe is called sambocade and includes elderflower and rose water.

The common version for us today also includes cookies or puff pastry or sponge cake and can be baked or not, but it must always be refrigerated to maintain its structure and characteristics. It is sweetened with sugar and flavored in various ways such as lemon, chocolate, vanilla, spices, pumpkin, and many others. And on top of the cheesecake, it can come with fruits, jams, nuts, cookies, and various options.

Japanese cheesecake

The Japanese cheesecake is also known as soufflé cheesecake, cotton cheesecake, or light cheesecake. These names refer to the softness and lightness of this dessert. The cheesecake from Japanese cuisine is softer, less sweet, and less caloric than the American version. The recipe uses less cheese and sugar.

Although it has the English name cheesecake (cheese cake), this dessert does not fall into the cake category, but rather into a cream pie. Due to the amount of eggs, absence of flour, not needing to be baked, and other factors. The cheesecake that does not go in the oven is called cheesecake rare (レアチーズケーキ). The recipe for Japanese cheesecake was created by chef Tomotaro Kuzuno, who was inspired by a käsekuchen (German cheesecake) during a trip to Berlin in the 1960s.

The recipe includes cream cheese, butter, sugar, and eggs. Japanese cheesecake has a fluffy texture because the egg whites and yolks are beaten separately, and the dessert is made in a water bath. But it was only in 1990 that Japanese cheesecake gained worldwide notoriety, thanks to the bakery Tio Tetsu’s Cheesecake, which specializes in this dessert.

Tio Tetsu’s Cheesecake

The bakery Tio Tetsu’s Cheesecake (てつおじさんの店) was created in 1947, located on Oyafukou Street in Hakata, Fukuoka, Japan. But it was only in 1990 that it became more well-known. Outside of Japan, the brand already has at least 70 stores in places like China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Cambodia, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar.

The design of the environment consists of a cozy interior in red and white colors, along with open kitchens that allow customers to see the desserts being prepared. The Chinese market embraced Tio Tetsu’s Cheesecake in 2013, expanding in Shanghai.

As the demand for this dessert increased significantly, the lines at the establishment were enormous. So, it was limited to only one Japanese cheesecake per person. In 2015, the first Tio Tetsu’s Cheesecake outside of Asia was opened in Toronto, Canada. There are 45 points of sale throughout Japan.

There are 11 points in Malaysia, 9 in Indonesia, and 8 in Taiwan. In 2016, they opened stores in Sydney, and at the end of 2017 in Melbourne and Auckland. There are also branches in Waikiki, Los Angeles, and an outlet was opened in 2019 in Lahore.

Recipe for Japanese cheesecake

Ingredients to make Japanese cheesecake (recipe from Tudo Receitas)

• 6 eggs
• 60 grams of cornstarch
• 60 grams of wheat flour
• 250 grams of cream cheese
• 120 grams of sugar (¾ cup)
• 50 grams of butter
• 100 milliliters of milk
• lemon juice

How to make

• Sift the wheat and cornstarch into a bowl. Set aside.
• Beat well separately the cream cheese, butter, and milk.
• Separate the egg whites from the yolks, beat the yolks and add them to the previous ingredients, along with the lemon juice. Beat again. Also, add the flour gradually while mixing.
• At this point, turn on the oven to 150ºC and place a baking pan with water inside it, to cook this recipe in a water bath. Line a round cake pan with parchment paper, on the bottom and sides.
• In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites and, when they are firm, gradually add the sugar, without stopping to beat.
• When they are ready, gradually add the egg whites to the cake batter, gently incorporating so that they do not lose air.
• Place the cake pan inside the baking pan with water and bake in the oven at 150ºC for 60 minutes. (The baking time for the cheesecake may vary. Therefore, after 50 minutes, poke the cake with a toothpick to check if it is ready or if it needs to continue baking.)
• When the Japanese cheesecake is baked, open the oven door and let it cool without removing it from the oven, so it does not suffer thermal shock and end up deflating.

If you also want the recipe for chocolate Japanese cheesecake, I will leave the video below from Tudo Receitas.

Sources: Wikipedia / Tudo Receitas

Have you tried Japanese cheesecake or any other version of this dessert? Let me know what you thought!!