Christina Tosi has a dirty little secret and she's not afraid to share it: She loves underbaked cheesecake. "When I was writing the cookbook, I asked myself, 'What am I going to do?' Is liquid cheesecake too much for other people?" In the end, she followed the old adage: My kitchen, my rules. The recipe for liquid cheesecake, included in her newly released cookbook, Momofuku Milk Bar, is a dessert Tosi has made a variation of in every kitchen she has worked. So when she joined the Momofuku team in New York City, the recipe came naturally. At Milk Bar--as in the cookbook--the recipe is used in various applications (as a base for ice cream, a layer in a cake), but we happily follow Tosi's advice and enjoy spoonfuls straight from the baking pan.
Liquid Cheesecake
2 to 4 servings
Yield: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
One 8-ounce package cream cheese
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 large egg
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 300°. In the bowl of a standing mixer, paddle the cream cheese on low until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and mix until it is completely incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, gently whisk together the cornstarch and salt. Add the milk in a slow, steady stream, then whisk in the egg.
3. With the mixer on medium-low speed, add the egg mixture to the cream cheese, beating until the mixture is smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Pour the cheesecake batter into an 8-inch-square baking pan lined with plastic wrap. Place the pan in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, gently shake the pan: The outside edges should be firm and the center loosely set. If the cheesecake has not reached that consistency, allow it to cook for an additional 5 minutes.
5. Remove the cheesecake from the oven, set aside to cool completely, then serve.
