Chiffon Cheesecake 芝士戚风蛋糕

上一次做戚风蛋糕是很久很久以前的事，我想至少也有5年。

第一个做的戚风蛋糕是向姑姑讨教的班兰戚风蛋糕。班兰戚风蛋糕是姑姑最拿手的，虽然以前姑姑有接受订单，但是姑姑还是无私的公开食谱，还收了不少徒弟。可是不知道为什么很多人向姑姑学习后回家自己做时都不成功，姑姑还担心人家会以为她故意留一手。

其实我觉得这种需要打发蛋白的蛋糕有时真的要看手气，还有蛋白和蛋黄糊混合时也是个关键。一味的搅拌结果只会把面糊里的空气去掉（不知道我这样说对吗？），那蛋糕当然发得不理想。

而我这个徒弟呢？姑姑说我一学就会。呵呵呵，我不是卖花赞花香啦，其实是从小就常常看姑姑制作这个蛋糕，看多了当然也比较容易上手。

说回这个芝士戚风，它的味道好极了。淡淡的芝士味夹杂牛油香，蛋糕入口像绵花一样软，而且很moist。外形方面就差多了，我脱模得不好，我想是我用错了刀子（我竟然用切面包的刀子，工欲善其事，必先利其器。哎呀！自己功夫不到家，还要怪用器具，哈哈）。

不喜欢吃芝士蛋糕的D尝了一口后问我这是什么蛋糕来的，他说蛋糕很软很好吃，很像有点芝士味。我跟他说这是cheese的pandan cake啰，这样说他就明白了。对他来说pandan cake就等于chiffon cake，跟他说chiffon cake只会把他搞得一头雾水。

Ingredients:
(A)
60g milk (I used UHT milk)
40g cream cheese
25g butter
(B)
65g flour (sifted)
(C)
4 egg yolks
(D)
4 egg whites
90g sugar (I cut down to 75g)
Pinch of salt
1/8 tsp cream of tartar

Method:
1) Cook (A) over double-boiler until well blended and thickens.
2) Remove from double-boiler. Add (B) and mix until smooth.
3) Add (C) and mix until well combined.
4) Whip the egg whites in (D) until foamy. Add the rest of the (D) ingredients in (D). Whip until stiff. Add it into the cheese mixture from step (3). Fold in by hand (use a rubber spatula) until well incorporated.
5) Pour it into a 9-inch chiffon pan. Do not grease the pan. Bake in preheated oven at 175C for 35 - 40 minutes. Remove it from the oven. Invert the pan and let it cool upside down.

Click here to know more about beating of egg white in step (4).

Notes:
1) I doubled the recipe as my chiffon pan was big and another reason was I wanted to finish the leftover cream cheese from making this cake. (I used all 90g).
2) The recipe does not mention if the cheese mixture in step (1) need to cool down before proceed to step (2) and (3). I didn't let it cool down. I just placed the cheese mixture over a plate of water while doing step (2) and (3).
3) My cake started to crack after baking for about 20 minutes, I am not sure of the reason (anyone can advise me?) but I lowered the temperature to 160C and continued to bake. I baked for 40 minutes in total.

Tips:
1) Make sure the mixing bowl and utensil you use to beat egg white is free of oil, water or egg yolk. The presence of any would affect the final result.
2) Cream of tartar can be replaced by lemon juices.

(Source of recipe: Alex Goh's Fantastic Cheesecake 《情迷芝士饼》)