Japanese Cheesecake with Miso Caramel

Serves 8

Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

250g cream cheese, cut into small pieces, at room temperature

½ cup (125ml) milk

60g butter, melted

½ cup (125g) coconut sugar

1 tbsp vanilla extract

¼ cup plain flour

2 tbsp cornflour

6 eggs, separated

1 tbsp lemon juice

¼ tsp cream of tartar

Miso Caramel

1 tsp white miso

2 tbsp nut butter

3 tbsp milk

¼ cup coconut sugar

60g flaked almonds, toasted

Method

Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease and line a 22 cm springform pan making sure the collar is 6 cm above the rim. Wrap the base of the tin with foil to ensure no water gets into the tin.

Place cream cheese and milk into a stand mixer and beat on a low speed to start then once combine increase the speed and beat for 3 minutes until thick and creamy. Add the melted butter and ¼ cup of the coconut sugar and vanilla extract beat for 2 minutes.

Add the plain flour and corn flour and beat for 1 minute. Add the egg yolks and beat for 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a clean bowl and fold in the lemon juice. Wash the mixer bowl and dry well.

Add the egg whites to the clean bowl and beat until foamy, add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining ¼ cup of coconut sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time and until soft and glossy. Gently fold the egg whites through the cream cheese mixture a little at a time using a large metal spoon. Do not over mix you don’t want to lose the volume in the egg whites.

Pour the mixture into the pan and place the pan into a baking dish. Pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the cake tin. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes. Check the cake with a toothpick if it comes out clean it is done. Bake for 10 minutes longer to brown the top if hasn’t already browned. Turn the oven off, leave the door ajar and cool the cake in the oven. Transfer to a plate then cover in the refrigerator for 4 hours.

To make the miso caramel, place miso, nut butter, milk and sugar into a small pan, cook over a low-medium heat until the mixture slowly boils and thickens. Spread the warmed miso caramel over the top of the cheesecake and finish with the flaked almonds.

*You can eat it after cooling in the oven or refrigerate it for 4 hours and it will have a firmer cheesecake texture.