Valentines Day is next week and I have been testing some new recipes out! Not too long ago a shop (Uncle Tetsu) opened up in town (Toronto) that makes Japanese souffle cheesecakes and there were lineups around the block for months after it opened! Eventually I got around to trying it out and they were good, and that meant one thing, that I would have to try making my own! I usually enjoy a nice creamy New York style cheesecake which are normally pretty heavy or dense where as these Japanese style cheesecakes are nice and light and fluffy while still having that amazing cheesecake flavour. Given that Valentine’s Day was approaching I thought that it was the perfect time to start working on my Japanese souffle style cheese cake, aka cotton cheesecake, and of course it would have to be chocolate!
I tried a number of different recipes and I settled on this one which is super easy to make, containing just 4 ingredients, and takes less than an hour to whip up! You start out by melting some dark chocolate into the cream cheese which is nice because melting them together helps ensure both that the chocolate does not burn and that there are no lumps of cream cheese, because no-one like lumps in their cheesecake! The egg yolks and sugar are then mixed into the chocolate and cream cheese mixture. The next part is what makes this cheese cake souffle like and adds that nice lightness and fluffiness, the egg whites are beaten into stiff peaks and gently folded into the batter. (A new York style cheesecake differs in that there is more cream cheese, less eggs and the egg whites are not beaten which give it it’s denser texture.) The batter is then poured into a pan and baked in a water bath during which the cheesecake will puff up even further only to collapse a bit as it cools. The final result is a light and airy Japanese souffle style cheesecake (cotton cheesecake) that simply melts in your mouth! This dark chocolate version is decadently delicious and perfect for your chocolate indulgence!
Dark Chocolate Souffle Cheesecake
A light and fluffy souffle like dark chocolate cheesecake that is super easy to make!
ingredients
- 7 ounces (200g) dark chocolate, chips or chopped*
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 6 eggs, divided
directions
- Melt the chocolate into the cream cheese in a small sauce pan, in a double boiler or in the microwave before mixing in the sugar, letting cool a bit and mixing in the egg yolks.
- Beat the egg whites into stiff peaks and gently fold into the chocolate cream cheese mixture 1/3 at a time.
- Pour the batter into a greased 8 inch spring form pan, wrap the bottom of the pan in foil, place in a larger pan with a small amout of hot water and bake in a preheated 350F/180C oven for 30 minutes, turn off the heat and let sit in the closed over for 15 minutes before removing and letting cool at room temperature.
Note: The bottom of the spring form pan is wrapped up in foil and placed in another pan with water in it. The foil wrapping prevents the water from leaking into the springform pan. Baking the cheesecake in the water bath helps to ensure that no cracks form on the surface of the cheesecake. You can omit this step if you do not mind any possible cracks.
Option: With 1/2 cup sugar this is a dark chocolate like cheesecake that is not super sweet. If you would like it sweeter, increase the sugar to 3/4 cups or even 1 cup of sugar.
Option: This recipe fits perfectly in an 8 in spring form pan. I like to use a 7 inch spring form pan to allow it to rise more and get more height but I reduce to 5 eggs.
Option: Line the pan with parchment paper, or grease it before pouring in the batter.
Note: Make sure to not get any traces of the yolks in the egg whites as this can prevent them from beating into stiff peaks.
Note: After the cake has cooled, gently run a knife around the cake between the cake and the ring of the pan before removing the rim. This will help remove the rim more easily and cleanly.
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I love your recipes….but I believe this one to be very evil…..thanks
I agree. I’m gonna make it! 😂
This cake looks incredible!
Just beautiful Kevin!
Looks so rich and decadent!
You surprised me with sweets today, this cake looks heavenly!
Mouth watering…Thanks Kev….
Is the Nutrition Facts per serving or for the whole cake?
Sir Joshua David: Per serving.
What is the consistency of this cake? Some of the pictures appear to depict a dense, moist cake. Others, more of a souffle? Thanks.
I think my child like this foods. Thank for sharing.
Anonymous: It's a souffle like cheesecake consistency. Both cakes are the same recipe but I cut into one of them sooner after pulling it out of the oven.
excuse my while i pick my jaw up off the floor…
I don't like dark chocolate. Can I substitute something else? If yes, do I have to change any of the other ingredients as well?
Shahana Begum: Milk chocolate and white chocolate will both also work!
So excited to try this recipe today! Do you think it tastes best hot, warm, room temperature, or chilled? Wondering if I should make it before dinner so it has time to cool.
Elizabeth B: You will want to let it cool for a while but it is really good still warm! It's also great chilled from the fridge! Enjoy!
Kevin, I'm a little confuseD by the first step. Do you heat the cream cheese in the pan along with the chocolate? If so don you still need to bring it to room temp as the recipe states.
Mngowan: You melt the chocolate and the cream cheese in the saucepan in step one. I like to bring the cream cheese to room temperature so that it melts quicker but you could use it straight from the fridge. Enjoy!
You should use Stevia instead of sugar. You use about 1/2 the amount of Stevia to sugar. There are no calories in Stevia. Stevia is natural. It comes from the Stevia plant. I'm not sure where it grown, though. Oh Well!
no
Unless you have to, no. That stuff is nasty
Have you tried adding some flour or cornstarch to give more texture like in original Japanese cheesecake where both of them are used to firm it up a bit.
I have not tried adding cornstarch or flour to this recipe. (One of the goals for this recipe was a souffle cheesecake with 4 simple ingredients.) I would use this recipe: Japanese Souffle Cheesecake and add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder for a more traditional version.
If you split the batter into two pans, should you reduce cooking time? Just as my cake pans are a bit smaller than the standard 8″ and 7″ sizes.
Yes, the baking time would be reduced. I would test with 2/3 baking time and resting in oven time.
WOWZA!!! Is all I can say at this point! Got to run to store for ingredients! Will make this a ‘happier’ Super Bowl,
Green Bay Packers fan!
JK
Looks incredible, mouth watering and jaws hitting the floor!! Nineteen “reviews” and not ONE person actually made the cake.
Hi Kevin!
I LOVE your recipes and have made so many. My next attempt is going to be the Dark Chocolate Souffle Cheesecake and will try it with chocolate mint too. My name has been dropped from your regular recipe email….could that be re-instated? I hope so!
Thank you!!
Sylvia Hasbach
I’m glad that you have been enjoying my recipes! I tried to re-add your email to my newsletter, you should get a confirmation email!
I currently have this in the oven. After reading the comments, I realized that the recipe was published quite few years ago but I didn’t see what I’m about to say in the comments. Here is my feedback.
Nowhere in the directions does it say what to do with the sugar that is listed as an ingredient.
The directions don’t say what to do with it once it’s taken out of the oven.
When do you remove the foil?
Where should I put it to cool?
When do I remove the ‘ring ‘?
Some of your “notes” should be worked into the directions, where possible.
Such as, wrapping the bottom ot the pan with foil.
Also, I would suggest either greasing the pan OR lining it with parchment paper.
The reason for the feedback is that this recipe was sent under the heading of baking recipes for beginners. I am an experienced baker but a brand new “baker” might have mote questions.
Hi Kimberly! I will try to answer your comments:
The sugar is mixed into he melted chocolate in step 1.
When you remove the cake from the oven, let it cool to room temperature.
You can remove the foil any time after removing the cake from the oven.
It can cool on the counter, table, etc.
Remove the ring after the cake has cooled to room temperature. You can run a knife around the rim to help remove it cleanly (I have added a note about this!)
This recipe was written more for experienced bakers rather than beginners. I could write a beginner friendly version if there is demand!
Thanks for your feedback!
This is a very poorly written recipe. The directions are incomplete. Nowhere does it say what to do with the sugar listed in the ingredients. How do you cool this? When do you remove it from the springform pan?
This recipe was included in an email labeled Simple Baking Recipes for Beginners. As written above, no beginner could be successful making this recipe without help from an experienced baker.
The sugar is mixed into the melted chocolate in step 1. The cake is cooled by removing it from the oven and letting it sit on the counter until it reaches room temperature, before removing it from the springform pan. Enjoy!
The recipe sounds so good. Would a 9” springform work and would I have to adjust the bake time?