The flavour edit
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Japanese cheesecake with miso caramel
HANDS-ON TIME 35 mins
SERVES 12 \ V
TOTAL TIME 1 hr 30 mins, plus cooling
60g butter, diced, plus extra to grease 120ml milk 250g full-fat soft cheese 200g granulated sugar 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract 6 large eggs, separated 60g plain flour 20g cornflour 1 tbsp lemon juice
For the miso caramel sauce 100g granulated sugar 3 tbsp golden syrup 30g butter 120ml double cream 1 tbsp white miso
Miso caramel is the new salted caramel... a glorious contrast to this featherlight dessert, sometimes known as soufflé or cotton cheesecake. The cloud-like texture is the result of using a lower proportion of cream cheese than normal and incorporating lots of fluffy whisked egg whites.
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Grease and line a deep 20cm diameter fixed-base tin, making sure the baking paper forms a collar that stands at least 6cm above the rim of the tin. If you only have a springform tin, sit it on 2 large squares of foil and tightly wrap the foil up around the tin to avoid water getting in during baking.
2 Put the butter, milk, soft cheese and 50g of the sugar into a heatproof bowl and place over a pan of simmering water, making sure the water doesn’t touch the base of the bowl. Whisk gently until the butter has melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the vanilla, remove from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
3 Whisk the egg yolks together, then gently beat these into the cheese mixture. Sift the flour and cornflour together, then gently whisk this through the egg and soft cheese mixture, adding the lemon juice.
4 Put the egg whites into a free-standing mixer and whisk to soft peaks. Gradually add the remaining 150g sugar, whisking until you have a meringue-like mixture. Carefully fold a third of the egg whites through the soft cheese mixture and repeat with another third of the egg whites. Add this back to the egg whites left in the mixer, folding until combined. Pour into the lined tin.
5 Sit the cheesecake tin in a large roasting tin and pour in boiling water to reach halfway up the sides. Carefully transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 160°C, fan 140°C, gas 3 and bake for a further 30 minutes. The cheesecake should be double its original height and set, but still with a slight wobble. Turn off the oven but leave the cheesecake inside for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the tin.
6 For the sauce, gently heat the sugar, syrup and 2 tablespoons of water in a small pan, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a simmer and bubble for 5 minutes or until it turns a deep amber colour. Meanwhile, melt the butter in another pan and whisk together with the cream and miso; whi
