Yuzu Baked Cheesecake

Before I get into the Yuzu Baked Cheesecake, a short note...

Why isn't the blog being updated??? For those of you who weren't aware, the entire staff of Yokosuka Food Corner left Japan a little under two years ago. The staff being me primarily, with a lot of American and Japanese assistance - and my family (who was at times less than willing to give up going to their favorite spots while I tried to convince them to try a new prospect).

Upon leaving, I figured the blog would slowly peter out and fade into history - which it will eventually :-(. Interestingly though, it is at its peak viewership now.

Here's a graphic of what I see in Google blogger:

 The month of January 2017 eventually did set a record - since I captured this graphic a few days ago. Hey, I should stop writing for the blog more frequently! So I feel compelled to add a new post every now and then, even though I can't walk those wonderful, restaurant packed streets of Yokosuka. All I can offer is a recipe or two. *But* if anyone is interested in giving it a shot and writing some reviews let me know. Write a comment to me at the bottom of this post on how to reach you. Your information will not be posted as it goes through screening (so I'll still see it, nobody else will, and I can contact you privately - it will not get posted). I'm sure some new good restaurants have opened!

Now onto the yuzu baked cheesecake.

Yuzu is a citrus found in Asia and often in Japanese foods. It is quite sour by itself, but when mixed or used in the right places it's wonderful (imho). Kind of like a lime and key lime pie.There really is no western equivalent to yuzu. The Japanese use it for fish, marinades, and dressings. But I think it's best in desserts or drinks (say like in yuzu umeshu perhaps??!).

With yuzu - and anything with some sweetness - you really cannot go wrong.

Here are the ingredients:
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup crushed graham crackers
- 1.5  tablespoons melted butter
- 8 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup yuzu juice (or yuzu liqueur)
- 1/3 cup unsweetened yogurt
- 1 egg, beaten
Greased pie shell

Yuzu is almost always written as ゆず in Japanese. So that's what you're looking for. Pretty easy to remember. Looks like a fish and a curly q. Be careful not to buy yuzu ponzu. If you do, your cheesecake will not taste too good.

 Crush the graham crackers to make 1/2 to 3/4 cup total. Melt the butter and blend the two. Then add to the bottom of a greased baking pan.You don't have to press it down very much. It will get nice and firm after the filling is added and it's cooked.

Cream the sugar and cream cheese with a wooden spoon until smooth. Gradually stir in a beaten egg. Add the yogurt and yuzu juice and mix well. I decided to mix a bit of the juice and a bit of the liqueur. The juice should be able to be found in any respectable Japanese market in the U.S. and in any Japanese market in Japan. It cost me a quite a bit for those 70 ml but it was worth it!

 Mix and then pour into the pie shell.

 You want to bake this in a pan of water. All I had around was a turkey pan. Fill it with about an inch of hot water. Then place your pan into the water. Put in a (preheated to 325F) oven, being careful not to make waves and get water into the cake. Bake for 90 minutes. Yep 90.

Remove from oven and cool. Then place in the fridge until you're ready to enjoy.

Can you believe I don't have a photo of the finished product? It's all gone! Oishii!

Take care my friends.