I have been recently asked a lot of questions, notably by Sissi at Withe a Glass about Japanese-style cheese cakes. Incidentally I had never heard of cheese cakes before I came to Japan 36 years ago. After investigation, cheese cakes have been around the world for quite a long time and developped into many varieties. Among them, the Japanese style seems to have acquired a lot of popularity, to the point that many customers expect them to be on offer in Japanese Izakayas abroad!
I decided it was about time to re-publish a series of them!

Here is the basic recipe as far as it goes in this very country.
It should provide a base from which one can create more sophisticated desserts!

INGREDIENTS: For an 18cm-diameter cake
-Cream cheese (Philadelphia style): 250 g
-Fresh cream: 1 cup/200 ml
-Eggs: 2
-Sugar: 80 g
-All purpose flour: 3 large tablespoons
-Lemon juice: 2 large tablespoons
For the base:
-Biscuits (or crackers of your choice): 90 g
-Unsalted butter: 40 g

RECIPE:

-Put biscuits/crackers inside a tight seal vynil pouch. Close. Crush until fine.
Take crumbs out and mix with melted unsalted sugar.
Lay cooking paper inside a cake mold.
Spread crumbs on the bottom. Press with masher for uniformity and solidity.

-Soften cream cheese inside microwve oven for 30 seconds~1 minute.
Divide into 3 or 4 parts.

-In a mixer/blender drop eggs, sugar, lemon juice and flour. Mix well.

Pour in fresh cream and then cream cheese little by little. Mix well. Stir with a spatula from time to time to help.

-Pour the cheese cake mixture over the crumbs.
Preheat oven at 170 degrees and bake for 40~45 minutes.

The colour should be a nice brown-orange. In Japan they say “kitsune iro/fox colour”!
Leave inside the mold.
Let it cool completely.
Leave inside the fridge at leat 12 hours. before unmolding and serving.

For better cutting, wipe the knife clean after every cut!

If the cake attains its colour before the cooking time has elapsed, cover with foil paper and put back into the oven.
In the case colour does come quickly enough raise the oven temperature.

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery