Cheesecake Soufflé
I arrived at this soufflé-style cheesecake after wanting something lighter than the classic version with cookies, but still with an intense cheese flavor. I have made it in various shapes, sometimes tall, other times thinner, depending on what I have on hand. The result is always different on the surface and inside – the bottom is denser, while the top remains a fluffier texture. It is not a difficult dessert to make, but there are a few moments where patience is required.
Quick Info
Total time: approx. 1 hour and 30 minutes
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 1 hour and 10 minutes (approximately)
Servings: 8-10, depending on the shape
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: cheese dessert, airy cheesecake (soufflé)
Ingredients
140 g Philadelphia cheese or another cream cheese
80 ml milk
40 g margarine or butter (high-fat content)
50 g flour
15 g starch
75 g egg yolk (about 4 yolks)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
180 g egg white (about 5-6 egg whites)
100 g sugar
a pinch of salt
Preparation method
1. Start with the milk – heat it just enough to be warm to the touch, but not hot.
2. Place the cheese and margarine (or butter) at room temperature, cut into cubes. Pour the warm milk over them and mix with a whisk until the mixture is smooth. Add the egg yolks and lemon juice. Continue mixing with the whisk.
3. Strain the mixture twice through a sieve. This helps to eliminate any lumps of cheese, and the final texture will be smoother.
4. Sift the flour, starch, and salt and add them to the bowl with the previous mixture. Incorporate everything with the whisk until you have a homogeneous mixture.
5. Separately, beat the egg whites with a mixer at medium speed until they form a white foam. The bubbles should be small, not large, and should not run. Gradually add the sugar while continuing to mix. When all the sugar is added, mix until the foam is firm, but not as stiff as for meringue – it should be slightly softer.
6. Fold the egg whites into the cheese mixture in three batches. With each batch, gently mix with the whisk, just enough to combine – use wide movements, without insisting too much, so you don’t lose the air in the egg whites.
7. Tap the bowl a few times on the table (2-3 times) to release any large air bubbles.
8. Pour the mixture into a round mold with a diameter of 23 cm, lined with baking paper. If you want a taller cake, use a smaller mold.
9. Place the mold with the mixture in a larger tray, in which you have poured hot water – the water should reach about halfway up the cake mold. It is important that the water is hot, not cold.
10. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C, on the bottom rack of the oven. This way, the surface will not brown too much.
11. As you see the cake starting to rise, reduce the temperature to 170°C.
12. Leave in the oven for about 1 hour and 10 minutes – the time may vary depending on the oven. To check, insert a toothpick in the center: if it comes out with crumbs on it, not wet, the cheesecake is done.
13. Remove the mold from the oven and let the dessert cool completely in the mold before removing it.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s one of the few cheese desserts that isn’t heavy or cloying, it remains airy, and you don’t need many expensive ingredients. It can settle at the bottom, but the taste is always balanced, and the texture is interesting. I like that I can vary the shape based on what I have on hand.
Tips and variations
Tips
- If the cheese has lumps, passing it through a sieve really helps. Skip this step only if you’re using very fine cream.
- Be careful with the egg whites – if you beat them too much, the final mixture won’t rise evenly.
- Don’t open the oven during baking.
Substitutions
- Butter can replace margarine if you want a richer taste.
- You can use another cream cheese, it doesn’t have to be Philadelphia, but texture matters.
Variations
- For a taller appearance, use a smaller diameter mold (for example, 20 cm).
- You can add grated lemon zest for flavor if you want.
Serving ideas
- It’s good plain, but also works with a fruit sauce.
- Keep it in the fridge and cut it after it’s completely cold.
Frequently asked questions
1. Is it normal for the cheese layer to settle at the bottom and the surface to be fluffier?
Yes, for this type of cheesecake, it’s possible for the bottom to be denser while the top remains airier.
2. What size should the baking mold be?
A diameter of 23 cm works well, but you can use a smaller mold if you want a taller cake.
3. Can I use only butter?
Yes, butter works just as well, it’s important that it has a high-fat content.
4. How do I know for sure that it’s baked?
The toothpick inserted in the center should come out with dry crumbs, not wet. It’s more reliable than a timer.
5. Why does it need to be baked in a water bath?
It helps with the final texture – it comes out smoother and doesn’t dry out on the edges.
Nutritional values
Approximately, one serving (out of 10) has around 160-180 kcal. Carbohydrates: 16-18 g, proteins: 6-7 g, fats: 7-8 g. These are just estimates, they depend a lot on the type of cheese and whether you use butter or margarine.
Storage and reheating
The soufflé cheesecake keeps well in the fridge, covered, for 2-3 days. I do not recommend reheating, as it changes the texture and loses its fluffiness. It cuts best after it has completely cooled.
I arrived at this soufflé-style cheesecake after wanting something lighter than the classic version with cookies, but still with an intense cheese flavor. I have made it in various shapes, sometimes tall, other times thinner, depending on what I have on hand. The result is always different on the surface and inside – the bottom is denser, while the top remains a fluffier texture. It is not a difficult dessert to make, but there are a few moments where patience is required.
Quick Info
Total time: approx. 1 hour and 30 minutes
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 1 hour and 10 minutes (approximately)
Servings: 8-10, depending on the shape
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: cheese dessert, airy cheesecake (soufflé)
Ingredients
140 g Philadelphia cheese or another cream cheese
80 ml milk
40 g margarine or butter (high-fat content)
50 g flour
15 g starch
75 g egg yolk (about 4 yolks)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
180 g egg white (about 5-6 egg whites)
100 g sugar
a pinch of salt
Preparation method
1. Start with the milk – heat it just enough to be warm to the touch, but not hot.
2. Place the cheese and margarine (or butter) at room temperature, cut into cubes. Pour the warm milk over them and mix with a whisk until the mixture is smooth. Add the egg yolks and lemon juice. Continue mixing with the whisk.
3. Strain the mixture twice through a sieve. This helps to eliminate any lumps of cheese, and the final texture will be smoother.
4. Sift the flour, starch, and salt and add them to the bowl with the previous mixture. Incorporate everything with the whisk until you have a homogeneous mixture.
5. Separately, beat the egg whites with a mixer at medium speed until they form a white foam. The bubbles should be small, not large, and should not run. Gradually add the sugar while continuing to mix. When all the sugar is added, mix until the foam is firm, but not as stiff as for meringue – it should be slightly softer.
6. Fold the egg whites into the cheese mixture in three batches. With each batch, gently mix with the whisk, just enough to combine – use wide movements, without insisting too much, so you don’t lose the air in the egg whites.
7. Tap the bowl a few times on the table (2-3 times) to release any large air bubbles.
8. Pour the mixture into a round mold with a diameter of 23 cm, lined with baking paper. If you want a taller cake, use a smaller mold.
9. Place the mold with the mixture in a larger tray, in which you have poured hot water – the water should reach about halfway up the cake mold. It is important that the water is hot, not cold.
10. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C, on the bottom rack of the oven. This way, the surface will not brown too much.
11. As you see the cake starting to rise, reduce the temperature to 170°C.
12. Leave in the oven for about 1 hour and 10 minutes – the time may vary depending on the oven. To check, insert a toothpick in the center: if it comes out with crumbs on it, not wet, the cheesecake is done.
13. Remove the mold from the oven and let the dessert cool completely in the mold before removing it.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s one of the few cheese desserts that isn’t heavy or cloying, it remains airy, and you don’t need many expensive ingredients. It can settle at the bottom, but the taste is always balanced, and the texture is interesting. I like that I can vary the shape based on what I have on hand.
Tips and variations
Tips
- If the cheese has lumps, passing it through a sieve really helps. Skip this step only if you’re using very fine cream.
- Be careful with the egg whites – if you beat them too much, the final mixture won’t rise evenly.
- Don’t open the oven during baking.
Substitutions
- Butter can replace margarine if you want a richer taste.
- You can use another cream cheese, it doesn’t have to be Philadelphia, but texture matters.
Variations
- For a taller appearance, use a smaller diameter mold (for example, 20 cm).
- You can add grated lemon zest for flavor if you want.
Serving ideas
- It’s good plain, but also works with a fruit sauce.
- Keep it in the fridge and cut it after it’s completely cold.
Frequently asked questions
1. Is it normal for the cheese layer to settle at the bottom and the surface to be fluffier?
Yes, for this type of cheesecake, it’s possible for the bottom to be denser while the top remains airier.
2. What size should the baking mold be?
A diameter of 23 cm works well, but you can use a smaller mold if you want a taller cake.
3. Can I use only butter?
Yes, butter works just as well, it’s important that it has a high-fat content.
4. How do I know for sure that it’s baked?
The toothpick inserted in the center should come out with dry crumbs, not wet. It’s more reliable than a timer.
5. Why does it need to be baked in a water bath?
It helps with the final texture – it comes out smoother and doesn’t dry out on the edges.
Nutritional values
Approximately, one serving (out of 10) has around 160-180 kcal. Carbohydrates: 16-18 g, proteins: 6-7 g, fats: 7-8 g. These are just estimates, they depend a lot on the type of cheese and whether you use butter or margarine.
Storage and reheating
The soufflé cheesecake keeps well in the fridge, covered, for 2-3 days. I do not recommend reheating, as it changes the texture and loses its fluffiness. It cuts best after it has completely cooled.