This is my rendition of a longtime favourite fluffy souffle-style cheesecake I first had in Japan when I was a little kid. It’s not traditionally called “Japanese Jiggly Cheesecake,” but that’s how my friends remember it and request it from me. When it first comes out the oven, it can really jiggle, and it is oh so cute. It’s actually best to eat it after it’s been chilled, though. If you consume it straight away, it’s got more of a puffy texture with an eggy flavour. Chilled, it’s a more dense, lightly sweet, creamy delight. You’ll have to try it both ways to understand and appreciate the conformation from hot to cooled down! I really hope you give this cake a try. It does take some time and effort, but it is well worth it!

To get a higher rise and jiggle out of your cake, it's best to use a bit of a smaller springform pan. In my video above, for the first cake I'm slapping, I made a smaller batch, using a smaller pan (6") where I built the parchment paper sides much higher. I used quite a large springform pan for this Instructable, which is the second cake in the video. It still got the jiggles, as you can see, but it was a much wider cake. Both equally delicious!

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

Ingredients:

½ cup whole milk
7 Tbsp butter, room temperature
7 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
12 egg whites, room temperature
7 egg yolks, room temperature
½ cup flour
½ cup corn starch
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment:

foil
parchment paper
springform pan (9" x 3" max)
medium saucepan
2 big mixing bowls
whisk
strainer or sifter
electric mixer
spatula
large deep baking pan
boiling water
oven thermometer

I find it very important to have a thermometer inside my oven, especially for recipes like this. My oven is usually off, and these temperatures are important in order for the souffle not to collapse.

Step 2: Oven and Pan Prep

Since you will be baking the cake in a steamy water bath, cover the bottom of your springform pan with 3 large sheets of aluminum foil, locking them into each other tightly. This will keep water from seeping into your cake as it sits in the pan of water while baking.

To make the perfect bottom liner for you pan, take a piece of parchment a bit larger than your pan, then fold it into a rough square, then into a triangle, then into more triangles until it looks like a cone. (Kind of like you would to cut out a paper snowflake!) Take the tip of that cone and place it on the center of your cake pan, then trim the excess parchment hanging over the edge off. Unfold the paper and you will have the perfect round liner for your pan.

Now take a sheet or two that is a few inches higher than the sides of your pan to line the sides. We want it taller than the pan sides because it's going to puff up!

Spray the inside bottom and sides of the pan lightly with cooking spray. Line the base and sides with the parchment paper pieces.

Place the pan to check the height of your parchment paper. Adjust your rack so it is lower if the parchment paper is anywhere near the top of the oven. Now is a good time to turn it on to preheat!

Preheat oven to 325F.

Step 3: Making the Cream Cheese Mixture

Cut the softened cream cheese and butter into little blocks.

In the saucepan, heat milk, cream cheese and butter over low heat. We use room temperature so it melts nicely as we don’t want lumps. Keep stirring, and do not let the mixture come to a simmer.

When smooth and silky, remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Step 4: Fluffing the Egg Whites

Do make sure that your eggs are room temperature when it's time to beat them. The ideal temperature for a good meringue is about 70F. Also make sure you don't get any yolk in there as any traces of fat fight getting a good raise, which is what we want here.

Beat the egg whites until they are foamy.

Add cream of tartar and beat on high for a couple minutes. (Cream of tartar is the best stabilizer for keeping your egg whites light and fluffy when turning it into meringue. It also builds up their tolerance to heat. If you don't have cream of tartar, sub it with a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice or distilled white vinegar.)

Now start adding sugar to the egg whites very slowly while beating, for about 5 minutes, until you have stiff peaks.

Step 5: Cream Cheese Meets Egg Yolks

Now add the cooled cream cheese mixture into the egg yolks and whisk until smooth. Do make sure it is indeed cooled; we don't want any heat to scramble the eggs!

Step 6: Sifting in the Flour and Starch

Into the cream cheese and yolk mixture, sift in the flour and mix well.

Sift in the corn starch next. Stir well until it's smooth.

Whisk in the vanilla.

Step 7: Folding the Meringue In... Gently!

While you're doing this step, put some water on the boil to get ready for your water bath, which will keep the cake from cracking and drying out in the hot oven.

Take a quarter of the meringue and dump it into the egg mixture. GENTLY, gently fold it in using under-over motions as not to smash the air in the meringue.

Keep folding in the rest of the meringue until there are no more swirls of yellow/white.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and shake it about so it's even.

Step 8: Water Bath Baking

Place the springform pan into the larger pan, then place in the oven. Fill up larger pan with enough boiling water to go halfway up the springform pan. This is a very important step that you can not skip out on. Since we are baking this cake for quite a long time, the steam will give it proper assistance in staying moist, and keeping the temperature consistent throughout.

Bake at 325F for 25 minutes.

Reduce the temperature to 280F and cook it for another 50 to 55 minutes. Do a toothpick test to make sure it comes out clean.

Step 9: Finishing Touches

Remove cake from oven. Remove from pan and peel off side parchment paper.

If you like, you can sift some powdered sugar on top.

The most jiggling happens fresh out the oven. You can't NOT do it. Shake shake shake! I can't help myself; I always have a slice fresh out the oven. Warm, puffy, melts in your mouth. Similar to an angel food cake, but denser. YUMMIER!

Let it cool and stick it in the fridge for a few hours, though. It's a whole other yummy beast. It will shrink down a bit, and create a dense and creamy texture, but still light. Somehow it tastes more sweet, too. You have to try it both ways!