Japanese Souffle Cheesecake

Preheat oven to 160ºC (320ºF). Grease and completely line the base and sides of a 9-inch cake tin.

Separate eggs into two bowls: yolks into a small bowl, and whites in a large bowl (large enough to beat whites to medium peaks). Cover bowl containing egg whites with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until needed.

In a medium mixing bowl, preferably glass or metal, place small cubes of butter, thickened cream, 1/3 cup sugar, vanilla bean powder or vanilla essence, lemon juice and zest, and cream cheese.

Pour a small amount of water into a saucepan and place it over a medium heat, allow to come to a simmer, and then place the bowl with cream cheese mixture atop the saucepan. Ensure the bottom of bowl isn’t in contact with the water; if it is, simply remove a small amount of the water.

Stir regularly to ensure heat is evenly distributed and allow it to heat through to just above room temperature, and to a point where the ingredients have combined.

Remove mixing bowl from atop the saucepan. Using electric beaters on medium speed, blitz mixture to ensure any little chunks of cream cheese are well incorporated into the mixture. This will also aid in cooling the mixture down slightly before introducing eggs yolks.

Once mixture is smooth and silky, turn mixer speed down to low and add egg yolks one at a time. Sift in flour and continue to beat slowly until combined.Set aside.

Find a tray or casserole dish that cake pan fits into nicely, and fill with roughly 2 inches of water. Place in oven to come to temperature.

Swap out or wash electric beater attachments. Retrieve egg whites from the fridge, and beat on high, adding small amounts of remaining 1/2 cup of white sugar as you go. The egg whites will quadruple in size and become glossy like meringue. Continue to beat until eggs hold medium peaks. You’ll know you have medium peaks when the mixture just holds onto the beaters when lifted from the mixture.

Using a soft spatula, gradually fold eggs whites into cream cheese mixture. (I divided egg whites into 3 lots, only adding more when previous lot is completely incorporated.)

Gently pour mixture into prepared cake tin. Bake for 80–85 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre is removed clean.

To prevent cake from collapsing, once done baking, turn off oven and leave door slightly ajar. Allow = cake to sit in the oven to cool slowly for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, retrieve cake from oven. Gently flip out of tin, remove baking paper from base and sides, and refrigerate for 1–2 hours before serving.