Imagine a silky, creamy cheesecake with a subtle, umami twist that dances on your taste buds. That’s the adventure you are about to experience if you give this Miso Cheesecake a try. In this dessert, the savory notes of white miso can balance the sweetness of the cheesecake, offering a unique and harmonious blend of sweet and savory flavors.
If you are a fan of umami dessert, pair your Miso Cheesecake with this easy 3-ingredient Soy Sauce Caramel, which will take your dessert to the next level.
You might also like Milk Tea Tres Leches or Sesame Passion Fruit Cake.
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What is Miso?
Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning that's been used for centuries in Japanese cuisine. It is made through the fermentation of soybeans, salt, and sometimes other grains or legumes like rice or barley. Miso has a rich, complex flavor profile that can range from savory and slightly sweet to deeply umami and salty. The exact taste depends on the ingredients used and the length of fermentation.
If you go to Asian grocery store, you can usually find white miso (Shiro miso) and red miso (Aka miso). The color is indicative of the ingredients and the fermentation process, with darker misos typically having a stronger and more robust flavor.
What makes this Miso Cheesecake silky?
Compared to most baked cheesecake recipes, this miso cheesecake contains a higher ratio of sour cream and heavy cream, which prevents it from solidifying even after cooling down. I also omitted the crust base because this silky cheesecake is meant to be eaten with a spoon, like enjoying cheese mousse.
Ingredients in Miso Cheesecake
- Cream Cheese - Cream cheese is a fundamental ingredient in this Miso Cheesecake. Its high fat content gives the creamy and smooth texture that cheesecakes are known for.
- Granulated sugar - When sugar caramelizes during baking, it adds depth and richness to the cheesecake's taste. This caramelization process can also enhance the umami of the miso.
- Egg - Eggs act as a binding agent in the cheesecake filling. As the eggs cook, they coagulate and help give the cheesecake its firm but creamy consistency. Without eggs, the cheesecake filling could be too loose and not set properly during baking.
- Sour Cream - Sour cream adds moisture to the cheesecake filling. This moisture prevents the cheesecake from becoming too dense or dry, ensuring a moist and tender texture.
- Heavy Cream - Same as sour cream, heavy cream adds moisture to the Miso Cheesecake. It also adds richness and a hint of sweetness to the cheesecake, which complements the savory umami notes of miso. Adjust the ratio of sour cream and heavy cream depends on how light or rich texture you prefer.
- Shiro Miso - Miso plays the smallest but most crucial character in this recipe. I chose Kyoto’s Saikyo Miso for its mild sweetness and smooth creamy texture. To me, Saikyo Miso is the ideal miso for dessert, but if you can’t find it, other white miso also works well. Be sure that you don’t use Dashi miso which contains kombu or bonito extract.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Miso Cheesecake?
Butter the mold with soften butter, line a piece of parchment paper at the bottom, and preheat oven to 320°F.
Cream the soften cream cheese and miso in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
Add sugar and mix at medium speed, scraping down sides of mixing bowl as needed. The mixture should look softer and smoother after this step.
Add eggs one by one.
Add sour cream and mix.
Make sure the batter is mixed evenly before adding the last ingredient, heavy cream.
Pour batter into prepared mold, and tap on the table a few times to remove the bubbles in the batter.
Bake in the hot water bath at 320°F for 1 hour 30 minutes, until the surface is lightly colored and puffy, but the center jiggles still.
Let cheesecake cool in the pan at room temperature for 30 minutes. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 3 hours before unmolding.
Cut with heated knife and serve chilled.
Drizzle some soy sauce caramel on top.
Recipe Tips
Cream cheese has to be soften! Soften cream cheese is much easier to mix with other ingredients. Try to press the cream cheese with your fingertip, it should easily leave a mark. If you want to speed up the softening process, microwave it or warm it up over hot water bath (bain-marie).
Choose the right miso! Kyoto’s Saikyo Miso is my top choice for dessert, but other white miso also works well. I wouldn’t use red miso for this dessert cause red miso could be overpowering. Be sure that you don’t use Dashi miso which contains kombu or bonito extract.
Do not overbake your miso cheesecake! The Miso Cheesecake is supposed to be very smooth and melt-in-your-mouth soft. Adjust the baking time based on the depth and size of your mold. The mold I use is non-stick pound cake mold. Sometimes the cheesecake might need longer baking time because of the oven.
Mix patiently! To achieve the ideal smooth texture, you want all the ingredients to blend well without creating too many bubbles. Mix the ingredients one by one with low to medium speed, and constantly scrape the mixing bowl. Using softened cream cheese also prevents whipping and the creation of bubbles.
Recipe FAQ
Yes, this recipe does not require any whipping or heavy beating. Softening the cream cheese properly helps the mixing process easier and faster.
Yes, the flavor might be slightly different, but any sugar will work as long as the sugar is fully dissolved.
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe Card
Miso Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 454 g cream cheese soften
- 60 g white miso
- 120 g granulated sugar
- 2 egg
- 80 g sour cream
- 80 g heavy cream
- butter for coating the mold
Instructions
- Prep: Butter the mold with soften butter, line a piece of parchment paper at the bottom, and preheat oven to 320°F.
- Cream: Cream the soften cream cheese and miso in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
- Add: Add sugar and mix at medium speed, scraping down sides of mixing bowl as needed. The mixture should look softer and smoother after this step.
- Mix: Add eggs one by one. Add sour cream and mix.
- Mix: Make sure the batter is mixed evenly before adding the last ingredient, heavy cream.
- Tap: Pour batter into prepared mold, and tap on the table a few times to remove the bubbles in the batter.
- Bake: Bake in the hot water bath at 320°F for 1 hour 30 minutes, until the surface is lightly colored and puffy, but the center jiggles still.
- Chill: Let cheesecake cool in the pan at room temperature for 30 minutes. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 4 hours before unmolding.
- Serve: Cut with heated knife and serve chilled. Drizzle some Soy Sauce Caramel on top.
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