Ingredients
2 cups (480ml) heavy cream, room temperature
3 tablespoons salted cherry blossoms, soaked and drained
2 1/4 lb (1020g) cream cheese, room temperature
1 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 large eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour
1–2 tablespoons cherry blossom powder, sifted (optional)
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Soak the cherry blossoms in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain.
- Warm the cream gently in a saucepan until steaming. Remove from heat, add the drained blossoms, cover, and steep for 30–45 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing gently. Let cool to room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Press two large sheets of parchment into a 10-inch springform pan, leaving 2–3 inches overhanging on all sides.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium-low until smooth and creamy, about 2–3 minutes. Scrape down the sides. Add the salt and mix briefly.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low until fully incorporated after each addition. Scrape the bowl between eggs.
- Add the cooled cherry blossom cream and the almond extract and mix on low until just combined.
- Sift the flour and cherry blossom powder over the batter and fold in gently by hand.
- Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into the pan.
- Bake for 50–60 minutes, until the top is deeply caramelized and the center still wobbles when you nudge the pan. Pull while it looks underdone. Cool in the pan 2 hours, then refrigerate overnight.