Japanese Cotton cheesecake

Oven and Pan Preparation: Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Line the bottom and sides of a 6-inch round baking pan with parchment paper.

Melting Butter and Cream Cheese: Set up a double boiler by filling a small saucepan halfway with water and bringing it to a boil. In a mixing bowl that fits atop the saucepan, combine the cream cheese, butter, and milk. Whisk continually until the butter and cream cheese melt completely and the mixture reaches approximately 130°F (55°C).

Incorporating Egg Yolk and Vanilla: Remove the bowl from the heat. Whisk in the egg yolks and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.

Sifting and Mixing Dry Ingredients: Sift the cake flour and cornstarch into the mixture using a fine mesh sieve. Whisk until the batter is smooth, then pass the batter through the sieve again to ensure no lumps remain.

Preparing the Meringue: In a large mixing bowl, combine the egg whites and lemon juice. Using an electric hand mixer, beat the egg whites on high speed until they become white and frothy. Gradually add one-third of the sugar while continuing to mix, then repeat with the remaining sugar in two batches. Beat until the meringue reaches medium soft peaks. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix for an additional 30 seconds to eliminate large air bubbles.

Combining Meringue and Batter: Gently fold one-third of the meringue into the egg batter until it is fully incorporated and smooth.

Final Folding: Carefully pour the egg batter into the remaining meringue. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold until just combined, taking care not to over-mix and deflate the air in the batter.

Pan Preparation: Pour the batter into the lined baking pan from a height of approximately 5 inches to eliminate large air bubbles. Place the cheesecake pan inside a larger, deep baking tray and fill it with about 1-2 cm of hot boiling water.

Baking Process: Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 30 minutes. Then, lower the temperature to 230°F (110°C) and bake for another 30 minutes. Finally, increase the temperature to 275°F (135°C) for 13-15 minutes. Watch closely to prevent cracking. The cake is done when the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean.

Cooling: Turn off the oven once baking is complete. Leave the cake inside for approximately 15 minutes with the oven door slightly ajar. Then, remove the water bath and let the cake sit in the oven for another 15 minutes to prevent dramatic temperature changes and shrinkage. Remove the cake from the tin and allow it to cool completely on a rack. Sift powdered sugar over the top before serving.