Inspired by LeTao’s creation which was very popular! I’ve never actually had the real thing before this, but the idea sounded really unique and I was curious about the hype. The first layer is a light sponge cake, followed by a classic baked cheese cake, topped with a souffle-like light cheese mousse made with Marscapone and fresh cream. The whole cake is covered with cake crumbs and looks like a fluffy camembert, that when cut, reveals a soft flowy cheesecake that simply melts in your mouth yet holds structure. Simple, no frills design. Especially when its cold, it really does taste like a very light and flavorful ice cream.

Definitely use the freshest ingredients for this one – the original was made with fresh Hokkaido fresh milk. The double layer texture keeps it interesting enough to prevent it from being too heavy (though, do make sure to not overbake the cheese layer otherwise it’ll become too crumbly), and the top mousse layer, especially when cold and fluffy, keeps it fresh and light. I’m quite happy with how it turned out and look forward to trying flavor variations! And of course, look forward even more to trying the real version someday, otherwise I wouldn’t really know how it’s supposed to taste like..!

Recipe is a combination of tutorials and proportions adjusted to taste and cake pan size. Since this cake needs to be set overnight, it’s quite forgiving on the type of pan to use. I made two with this recipe – one with a bottomless ring pan, which definitely works well, and the other with a normal 6 inch cake pan. Just make sure to release the sides by either taking a hot towel and running it along the metal edges, and run a knife through the circumference. And don’t forget a layer of baking paper on the bottom! When it is time to release, flip upside down to a plate, quickly peel off the baking paper, and place cake gently onto the cake board.