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Epicurious

Japanese Cheesecake

4.3

(12)

Slice of Japanese cheesecake on a plate.
Photo by Kristin Teig

This Japanese cheesecake bears little resemblance to its dense, rich New York cousin—or to any other cheesecake I’ve ever had, for that matter. I had my first taste of this featherlight cheesecake while visiting relatives in Taiwan. I loved it so much I started experimenting as soon as I got back from traveling. My dear friend Alina, who grew up in Japan, became my official taste tester as I tried various formulas. She deemed this one the best: It is whisper light and fluffy, melts in your mouth, is gently sweet but not very, and has a little tang from the cream cheese and the crème fraîche. It’s often called cotton cheesecake, and you can see how it gets its name from its incredibly soft, delicate, wispy texture. You’ll let this fluffy cheesecake cool in the turned-off oven to prevent cracking.

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