Japanese Cheesecake - Hummingbird High

Bring a full kettle of water to boil and set aside to cool slightly while you work through the recipe. Center a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 (F). Prepare a 7 by 4-inch cake pan by spraying the bottom and sides of the pan with cooking spray. Prepare your parchment paper by cutting a circle that is 7-inches wide, and two rectangular strips measuring 2 x 18-inches. Place the two rectangular strips criss-cross on the bottom of the cake pan, folding any excess paper to the other side of the cake pan to create an overhang. Place the parchment paper circle on top of the criss-cross. Spray the parchment paper and set aside.
Combine 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cream cheese, 1/4 cup unsalted butter, and a "scant" 1/2 cup whole milk in a double boiler (or, make your own by placing a heatproof bowl over a saucepan containing 2-inches of water, ensuring that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water). Cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the cream cheese and butter is completely melted and the mixture is completely pale yellow.
Remove the bowl from heat and whisk in 6 large egg yolks, one at a time, only adding the next egg yolk when the previous one is fully incorporated. Once all the eggs are added, use a rubber spatula to gently mix in 1/2 cup cake flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, and 1/4 cup teaspoon kosher salt. Continue stirring until well combined, and pour the mixture over a fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl. Discard any lumps in the sieve. Gently mix in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and fresh zest from 1 medium lemon into the mixture and set aside.
In the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine 6 large eggs and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar. Whisk on medium-high speed for 1 to 2 minutes or until the mixture is foamy. Lower the mixer speed to its slowest setting and slowly pour in 3/4 cup granulated sugar. Turn the mixer up back to medium-high and keep whisking until the mixture becomes a pure white foamy meringue that forms soft peaks, around 2 to 3 minutes.
Carefully spoon 1/3 of the meringue over the cream cheese mixture and use a rubber spatula to fold the meringue into the cream cheese mixture. Once the meringue is incorporated, spoon a second third of the meringue over the cream cheese mixture and repeat the folding process. Finally, spoon the final third of the meringue over the cream cheese mixture and repeat the folding process one last time — at this point, the mixture should be light, airy, and completely homogenous. There should be no yellow or white streaks in the mixture.
Carefully spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, being careful not to deflate the mixture too much. Tap the pan once or twice against your kitchen counter to release any air pockets in the batter. Place in the center of a cocotte and pour the warm water from the kettle into the pan so that the warm water goes three-quarters of the way up the sides of the pan. Carefully transfer to the preheated oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 (F) and bake for 70 to 75 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. After 70 to 75 minutes, turn off the oven completely but leave the cheesecake (sitting in the waterbath and all) inside, using a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon to leave the oven door ajar. Cool inside the oven completely, until both the oven and the cheesecake are at room temperature, around 2 to 3 hours.
Once the cake is cool, run an offset spatula around the edges of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Use the parchment paper overhangs to carefully lift the cake from the pan. Peel the parchment paper handles away from the sides of the cake before serving.

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