Step 1
Place a rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°. Deliver 10 cups water to a boil in a kettle or medium saucepan and preserve heat. Butter backside and sides of springform pan with about half of ½ Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature. Line backside of pan with a parchment paper spherical, then wrap a strip of parchment round sides; it ought to prolong 1″ above the perimeters (like a collar; use 2 sheets for the edges in case your parchment is just not lengthy sufficient.) Brush remaining butter on parchment alongside sides to coat (don’t coat the underside). Generously mud sides with a fair layer of powdered sugar, tapping out any extra. (Some powdered sugar on the underside is okay.) Tightly cowl outdoors of pan in a number of layers of foil to forestall water from seeping in.
Step 2
Mix 2 Tbsp. (25 g) granulated sugar and 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest in a small bowl. Utilizing your fingers, work zest into sugar till sugar begins to clump and combination may be very aromatic, about 1 minute. Set lemon sugar apart.
Step 3
Sift ⅓ cup plus 1 Tbsp. (50 g) all-purpose flour and 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. cornstarch right into a medium bowl, then combine in ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt. Set dry components apart.
Step 4
Place 4 giant egg whites within the bowl of a stand mixer and chill, uncovered.
Step 5
Mix 8 oz. cream cheese and 1 cup entire milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on excessive in 30-second bursts, stirring after every burst, till cream cheese is melted, about 2 minutes whole; whisk till easy. (Alternatively, warmth cream cheese and milk in a small saucepan over low, whisking often, till easy, 5–7 minutes. Switch to a big bowl.)
Step 6
Add 4 giant egg yolks and whisk till easy. Add 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. recent lemon juice, reserved lemon sugar, and reserved dry components and whisk once more till easy. Set cream cheese combination apart.
Step 7
Take away bowl with egg whites from the fridge and match onto a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium velocity till egg whites are foamy and opaque, about 1 minute. Add about one third (a scant 2 Tbsp.) of remaining ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar and beat, scraping down sides of bowl as wanted, till sugar is dissolved and combination is frothy (like the highest of a latte), 1–2 minutes. Add half of remaining sugar (one other scant 2 Tbsp.) and proceed beating till sugar is dissolved and combination is fluffy, 1–2 minutes. Add remaining sugar and beat till sugar is dissolved and meringue is shiny and thick and holds medium peaks (it ought to look marshmallowy), about 2 minutes.
Step 8
Add about one fourth of meringue to reserved cream cheese combination and blend with a rubber spatula till mixed. Add one third of remaining meringue and gently fold in, attempting your finest to keep away from deflating meringue and overmixing. Add remaining meringue in two extra batches, gently folding till simply included after every addition. Scrape batter into ready pan. (If there are any giant air bubbles on the floor, pop with a toothpick.)
Step 9
Place pan inside of a giant, deep roasting pan and switch to oven. Rigorously pour boiling water into roasting pan to return midway up sides of springform pan. Bake cheesecake till deep golden brown on high and a tester inserted into the center comes out clear, 60–70 minutes.
Step 10
Flip off oven and crack door open. (In case your oven door gained’t keep ajar, use a picket spoon to prop it open.) Let cheesecake sit in oven (precisely) 10 minutes, then take away from water tub and switch to a wire rack. Take away foil and let cheesecake cool in springform pan, about 1 hour. Switch cheesecake to fridge and chill till chilly, about 2 hours.
Step 11
When able to serve, take away sides from pan and peel parchment paper away from sides of cheesecake. Slice, peel parchment away from backside, and switch to plates.
