Saturday, August 14, 2010

Japanese Cream Cheese Birthday Cake

It was my mother's birthday.  I didn't know what to bake... fondant cake, yellow cake, ... actually I wanted to bake a cake like the one they bake at the Hong Kong bakery.  But I decided to do something different.  Since I have been testing with the Japanese cream cheesecake, I modified the recipe to make a cream cheese Birthday cake - half with Matcha and the other half with vanilla flavor.  It turned out good.

Prepare the angel food cake pan 9-3/8" x 4" with removable bottom - spray and lined with parchment paper bottom and side, including the center cone.  Yes, it was challenging.  The side parchment should extend above the rim of the cake pan at least by 2 inches.

Baking Method:
  Bain Marie
Cake Pans:  7 x 2-1/2" to bake in and 10" or 12 " cake pan to bake in Bain Marie method
Ingredient:
6 oz butter - soft
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 C milk
5 eggs separated
1/2 C Cake Flour
1/2 C Cornstarch
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1 C sugar - divided - 1/4 C for egg white, 1/4 C for cheese mixture, 1/2 C for egg yolks
1 Tbsp Vanilla Paste
1 tsp of cream of tartar
Boil 3 Cups of water to rolling boil -- for Bain Marie
1 Tbsp Japanese Matcha

Pre-heat oven to 400'F right when starting to beat egg white.

Whip cream cheese and milk + sugar + Vanilla paste + lemon juice and lemon zest together.  Set aside.
Whip egg yolks and start adding sugar 1 Tbsp at a time and beat until pale in color.
  Set aside, keep covered.
Sift cornstarch mixed with cake flour together and set aside.   **Preheat oven to 400'F
In a clean mixing bowl, whip egg white with 1 tsp of cream of tartar.
Whip till silky and medium peak is formed.
Transfer cheese mixture into a large surface mixing bowl.  Add egg mixture and Fold till smooth.
Sift flour mixture into the egg/cheese mixture.  Fold well.
Add 1/4 of whipped egg whites in and lighten the batter.
Add the remaining egg whites. Fold "gently" all around till nice and smooth.
Transfer 1/2 of the vanilla batter into the prepared cake pan.
Smooth the top.
In a small bowl, add Matcha and 1/4 C of batter and mix well.
Fold the Matcha mixture to the remaining batter.  Fold gently until mixed.
Pour into the top half of the cake pan.  Smooth the top.
Place the cake pan in a large 12" cake pan. 
Place in the oven.
Carefully pour hot water half way , but be sure not to go over the lowest rim of the aluminum foil that is wrapped around the cake pan, if there is one.
Bake 30 min at 400'F, then drop the temperature to 380'F and bake for 15 min.  Then 350'F for 15 min and bake till internal temperature rise to 180'F and tester comes out dry.
Turn off the oven.
Remove from Bain Marie.
Remove from oven to cool.
Store in refrigerator.
Invert to the serving plate or cake cardboard. and Invert it back again.
Decorate with Whip cream.
Serve.

Soft Cake Test #2

This is a cake test #2 by modifying Japanese cream cheesecake recipe - Butter only + 1/2 tsp baking powder.
Notice in the cream cheesecake recipe, there is no baking powder added as rising agent.
The cream cheesecake depends on the well beaten egg white for the rise.
*Do not follow this recipe.  The cake's texture was 1/2 light and 1/2 dense toward the bottom.  It maybe that it was not baked all the way or just not enough flour to hold the structure up.

Prepare a 6 x 2-1/2" springform cake pan - spray and lined with parchment paper bottom and side.  The side parchment should extend above the rim of the cake pan at least by 2 inches.
The result of modification - without cream cheese
Baking Method:  Bain Marie
Cake Pans:  6 x 2-1/2" to bake in and 10" or 12 " cake pan to bake in Bain Marie method
Ingredient:
4 oz butter - soft
3 eggs separated
1 oz Cake Flour
1 oz Cornstarch
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
4 oz sugar
1 Tbsp Vanilla Paste
1 Tbsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp of cream of tartar
Boil 3 Cups of water to rolling boil -- for Bain Marie

Pre-heat oven to 400'F right when starting to beat egg white.

Whip butter till pale in color.
Add egg yolk one at a time and add 2 oz of sugar; Vanilla paste, lemon zest.  Whip till pale in color.  Set aside, keep covered.
Sift cornstarch mixed with cake flour together and set aside.   **Preheat oven to 400'F
In a clean mixing bowl, whip egg white with 1/2 tsp of cream of tartar.
Whip till silky and medium peak is formed.
Transfer egg mixture into a large surface mixing bowl.
Sift flour mixture into the egg mixture.  Fold well.
Add 1/4 of whipped egg whites in and lighten the batter.
Add the remaining egg whites. Fold "gently" all around till nice and smooth.
Transfer to the prepared cake pan.
Smooth the top.
If the cake pan has removable bottom, be sure to wrap the cake pan in aluminum foil.
Place the cake pan in a large 12" cake pan.
Place in the oven.
Carefully pour hot water half way , but be sure not to go over the lowest rim of the aluminum foil that is wrapped around the cake pan, if there is one.
Bake 30 min at 400'F, then drop the temperature to 380'F and bake till internal temperature rise to 180'F and tester comes out dry (about 30 min).
Turn off the oven.
Remove from Bain Marie.  Cool away from draft.
**Shrinkage will occur.
Store in refrigerator before serving.
Will post pictures later.

Polly's Modified Japanese Cotton Soft Cream Cheesecake #1 - with Yogurt


This is the photo of my modified Japanese Cotton Soft Cream Cheesecake  #1.  Substituted cream cheese with the Plain Yogurt.
Note: ** for actual Great Japanese Cotton Soft Cream Cheesecake, visit: http://rockdavinci.blogspot.com/2010/08/japanese-cream-cheesecake.html

Prepare a 6 x 3" cake pan - spray and lined with parchment paper bottom and side.  The side parchment should extend above the rim of the cake pan at least by 2 inches.
Baking Method:  Bain Marie
Cake Pans:  6x3" to bake in and 10" or 12 " cake pan to bake in Bain Marie method
Ingredient:
4 oz butter - soft
2 oz plain yogurt
3 eggs separated
1 oz Cake Flour
1 oz Cornstarch
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp lemon zest
4 oz sugar
1 Tbsp Vanilla Paste
1/2 tsp of cream of tartar
Boil 3 Cups of water to rolling boil -- for Bain Marie

Pre-heat oven to 400'F right when starting to beat egg white.

Whip butter and plain yogurt together.
Add egg yolk one at a time and add 2 oz of sugar; Vanilla Paste.  Whip till pale in color.  Set aside, keep covered.
Sift cornstarch mixed with cake flour together and set aside.   **Preheat oven to 400'F
In a clean mixing bowl, whip egg white with 1/2 tsp of cream of tartar.
Whip till silky and medium peak is formed.
Transfer yogurt mixture into a large surface mixing bowl. 
Sift flour mixture into the yogurt mixture.  Fold well.
Add 1/4 of whipped egg whites in and lighten the batter.

Add the remaining egg whites. Fold "gently" all around till nice and smooth.
Transfer to the prepared cake pan.
Smooth the top.

If the cake pan has removable bottom, be sure to wrap the cake pan in aluminum foil.
Place the cake pan in a large 12" cake pan.
Place in the oven.
Carefully pour hot water half way , but be sure not to go over the lowest rim of the aluminum foil that is wrapped around the cake pan, if there is one.
Bake 30 min at 400'F, then drop the temperature to 380'F and bake till internal temperature rise to 180'F and tester comes out dry (about 30 min).
Turn off the oven.
Remove from Bain Marie.
Leave the cake pan in the oven for 15 min more with a piece of aluminum foil left covered on the top without really folding it down.
Remove from oven to cool.
Store in refrigerator.
The cake's texture was super moist and very light when it was warm. Unlike Japanese Cream Cheesecake, overnight in the refrigerator made it to be heavy (expected).

Wednesday, August 04, 2010

The rest of the Progress - LOTUS-SEED GERMINATION

It is now Day 12 since the germination of the Lotus seeds from the Pink Lips.  Believe it or not, they germinate so quickly under the full sun that I now have all seven seeds in containers with mud and water.  Here is the photo journal.
========================= 6th to 12th Day ============================








=======================2nd, 5th , & 6th Day ===========================









=========================     Day 2       ====================================
SUCCESS!! It has germinated.
Day 2 photo journal of germination of Lotus seed - Pink Lips.
Decided to transfer all seeds into a clear cup so they can catch more sun light.
At 4:50 pm, I found a germinated seed!! I decided to take them outdoor and get the full sunlight to see if that will help them grow faster. Sure enough, Lotus seeds react to the sun quickly. In 1 hour, the germinated seeds' stem has pushed a bit more outward. In 2 hours, it has grown several millimeters.
Click on the image to enlarge it or to read extra notes.




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Japanese Cream Cheesecake or is it the Japanese Cotton Soft Cream Cheesecake?

I noticed that many visitors to my blog site are interested in this Japanese Cotton Soft Cream Cheesecake that I thought I would like to try the recipe again.  But what is puzzling me is the web link that I provided took me to the website with the recipe titled Japanese Cheesecake; and I also found in the same web site, the Cotton Soft Japanese Cheesecake by Southern Polar Bear, (Sep 19, 2007).  I am not sure which one I really used.  I thought it will be fun to try the "Japanese Cheesecake" at http://www.food.com/recipe/japanese-cheesecake-90032.
I might have misnamed my previous posting's cheesecake into Cotton Soft.  But honestly it was very light, and I thought the name is quite impressive of its texture.  I don't want to cause confusion or upset the real recipe owner.  Also, amongst all the photos of the cheesecake that other baker enthusiasts posted at that their sites, one of the photo really got my curiosity.  It's the cheesecake with double height.  And its texture really looks cotton soft.  I hope mine would turn out that way. 
Here is how mine turned out - it looks like a Souffle.
Note - I incorporated my own preparation method as described below.
Method - Bain Marie
Baking time:  1 hr 45 min.  Bake at 350'F 
Yield:  Qty-1, 6 inches x 3 inches cheesecake   Serves 6 to 8
Prepare the cake pan - Lining

Spray 6"x3" cake mold with removable bottom with vegalene and line with parchment paper.
The parchment paper should rise above the rim of the cake pan - 1-1/2" to 2".
I was not thinking about it the first time I trimmed the parchment paper, but I was betting on the rise above the rim, so I inserted another collar.
Wrap the exterior of the cake pan with heavy aluminum foil up to the rim of the cake pan.
This is to keep the water from sipping in during the Bain Marie method baking.
INGREDIENTS -
    7 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
    1⁄4 C whole milk
    1⁄2 C Fine sugar - separated to 1/4 C for egg yolk mixture and 1/4 C for egg white.
    3 eggs, separated  (Tip - Egg whites are beaten separately into meringue)
    1⁄4 C cornstarch (don't use flour) - try to find Non-GMO Cornstarch
    2 Tbsp lemon juice
    1⁄2 tsp cream of tartar  (You can make meringue without it . . .  beconfident)
    2 1⁄2 C boiling water

Creaming - 
Beat soft cream cheese and milk at low speed.
In another bowl, beat egg yolks till somewhat fluffy; Add 1/4 C sugar; beat till 'slightly' pale in color.
Tip - You are going to beat it again till pale in color when mixed together with cheese mixture in the next step.
Add egg mixture into cheese mixture.  Beat at medium speed until pale yellow.
In another bowl, beat egg whites till it starts to fluff.  Add cream of tartar and the other 1/4 C of sugar. 
Beat until soft peak forms.  Set aside.
Adding Cornstarch to the cheese mixture - as the mixer is going at its lowest speed 'Sift' cornstarch in.
Beat until smooth.
Folding - At this time - Preheat the oven to 350'F.   The next time, I might test at 375'F

With extra large spatula, Fold in egg whites to the cheese mixture.  Fold in Gently.
**This is not the time to use your arm muscle.  Fold as gently and quickly as you can.
Method 1 - Cut the spatula into the center of the cheese mixture; move/scrape the spatula down and around to the edge of the bowl and bring up the batter with the motion and Fold mixtures over by turning over the spatula gently.  Repeat the motion until egg whites and cheese mixtures are incorporated.
My new Method 2 for mixing in meringue - add a cup of meringue on top of cheese mixture.  gently 'smear' the meringue across with just enough cheese mixture at the top and fold your spatula down and come back around to cover the top meringue.  Repeat until the meringue is gently incorporated with the cheese mixture.  Add the next cup of meringue.  Repeat until all meringue is mixed in.  
Finally, fold in from top to bottom gently.
I expected my method would cause the cheesecake to rise and even crack at the top.  Normally this is not desirable for cheesecake.  

Panning - 
With extra large spoon, Scoop the batter into the prepared cake pan - gently.
Smooth the top gently.  Do not jolt or pound the cake pan.


Baking - 
**The baking time differs from the recipe because of the change in my Cake Pan Size and its Height.
Using another larger 9" cake mold - Add 2 C of water for Bain Marie.
Place the cake pan in the center of Bain Marie and Bake for 1 hr 30 min - 1 hr 45 min.
Doneness:  **Do not open the oven the first 45 min.
When the top is touched gently, the cheesecake does not jiggle.
The Top is brown.
The interior temperature is about 179 - 180'F (depending on your cake pan size);  This is for my cake pan size and may not be the same for yours.
The toothpick (my digital thermometer pin) came out dry.

The cheesecake rise up above the rim, as I expected.  I am glad of the extra parchment collar I put.  Several pictures were taken to see its shrinkage process.  The cheesecake was cooled away from the draft.  After 30 min.  Refrigerate to Chill till ready for serving.
And here it is - the result -   It is 'COTTON SOFT'.  As you bite in, it has the silky marshmallow like texture.  It is sooo different from the traditional American Cheesecake.  So, if this is the same recipe I baked and posted previously under " Japanese Cotton Soft Cream Cheesecake", then, I preferred this preparation methods I used for this time and the cake pan - 6" x 3".

I hope this helps.