It boasts an exceptionally smooth, light-yet-creamy filling and a buttery, crumbly crust that everybody is mad for.
That said, I have a very firm view that a no-bake cheesecake shouldnt compromise on quality for convenience.
To achieve this, we need gelatin powder.
** Myclassic baked cheesecakeand this one. Flavoured cheesecakes (likeNutella, mango, strawberry, blueberry etc) can differ in sweetness. I rarely stray from filling texture though.*
Its affordable, widely available, and its essential for a successful no-bake cheesecake.
Difference between a no-bake and baked cheesecake
This no-bake cheesecake is intentionallyverysimilar to my classicBaked Cheesecake.
Other than that, the texture and sweetness is very, very similar.
I doubt most people could tell the difference!
My attempt at proving the creaminess of the filling to you an elegant smear.
Theres a better demo in the recipe video below!
My cheesecakes sit squarely in between these two.
And when you eat it the filling becomes velvety smooth and creamy in your mouth.
I aim for the same texture for both mybaked cheesecakesand this no-bake one.
Heres a fun little table that summarises the above!
Ingredients for No Bake Cheesecake
Heres what you oughta make this no-bake cheesecake.
Not that much actually!
If you could only get tubs, you just need to use a little more gelatine.
See notes in the recipe card for quantity.
The same cannot be said for gelatine leaves.
Water This is to bloom the gelatine (explained in the step photos below).
I use the bare minimum just 2 tablespoons so we dont dilute flavour.
Whipping cream Whipped cream helps create a lovely light textured filling.
you’re able to use thickened / heavy cream, or regular cream.
The label should say if it can be whipped.
Couple more cream rules:1.
No low fat!Now is not the time!
Fridge cold!The cream needs to be fridge cold else it will not whip.
Its especially important because this is a no-bake recipe so we dont have heat on our side here.
Vanilla like use vanilla extract which is real flavour extracted from vanilla beans (hence the name!)
rather than vanilla essence which is imitation.
Its especially important for no-bake recipes because the vanilla flavour is pure and unaltered in the recipe.
Lemon juice Just a touch, to bring a smidge of tang to the filling.
Its not a deal breaker if you dont have it.
Salt Standard baking practice these days to bring out the flavours in sweet baked goods.
We use just a tiny amount so it doesnt make it salty by any stretch of the imagination.
The buttery cheesecake crust
I am a cheesecake biscuit crust fiend!
So my default is to have a biscuit wall, not just a base.
If you see a cheesecake recipe of mine without a wall, there will be a reason for it!
The biscuit crust will look a little loose and crumbly when you first press it into the pan.
So, handle the finished cheesecake with care but theres no need to be terrified!
(Im talking to my 18 year old self here ).
1. inverted base (pro tip!)
Instead, it will glide off smoothly!
Flipthe base of a 20cm/8 springform upside down.
The excess paper is useful to grip to slide the cake off the base onto a serving platter.
Then you simply slide the cheesecake off the paper.
Easy and no stress about cheesecake structural issues, yay!
Cheesecake crust
Im an absolute sucker for the crumbly, buttery biscuit crust of cheesecakes.
So I insist on a biscuit wall.
Breakbiscuits up roughly by hand and put them in a food processor.
Add the butter,cinnamon, sugar and salt, then blitz again until it becomes wet sand.
Wet sand!It should press together when pinched between fingers.
Not pressing together?Just add a little extra melted butter.
Roughly press Pour the crumbs into the prepared pan, roughly spread it around the base.
Push it up the walls and press it up using a rubber spatula.
BLOOM THE GELATINE
Gelatine is simple to use if you just follow the steps Ive provided.
Theres a reason for every direction!
Bloom gelatine Put the water in a small bowl then sprinkle the gelatine across the surface.
Mix with a small whisk (or spoon) it will become like lumpy jelly.
Then leave it for 5 minutes.
This is called blooming the gelatine.
Dont dump the gelatine in one place and dont pour water into the gelatine.
This can cause the gelatine to turn into a big lump immediately.
Rubbery!The gelatine should solidify into a firm rubber.
If it doesnt, then your gelatine is dead time to get another!
Gently re-melt Microwave for 15 seconds on high to melt it then mix until lump free.
Do not let it boil as it can destroy the setting abilities of gelatine.
Prevent screen from sleeping
Coolfor 5 minutes while you make the filling.
The melted gelatine will be whipped into the filling.
Do not pour hot gelatine into cream or anything that it could melt or deflate.
Cool it first but ensure its still in liquid form.
If it solidifies again, re-melt gently.
Once the initial cream is mostly mixed through, gently mix through the remaining cream.
Pourthe mixture into the prepared crust.
Smooth Gently nudge into the corners then smooth the surface.
Set Refrigerate for at least 6 hours (12 hours is safest) or until the filling is set.
Sides first Gently unclip then remove the sides of the springform pan.
Slide paper off base Grip the paper overhang and slide the cheesecake off the base onto a serving platter.
Slice cheesecake off paper Then slide the paper out from under the cheesecake.
I sort of hold the cheesecake in place as Im pulling the paper out from underneath it.
You shouldnt have trouble with the cheesecake sticking to the paper in this step.
Just give it 5 minutes or so to soften and loosen then retry.
Else, do as above and run a large offset spatula or knife under the crust.
Other cheesecake decorating ideas
Sometimes, the best cheesecake is one that is left un-adorned.
Just 100% cheesecake perfection!
They will be coming onto my website eventually!
Lovely addition of texture!
Thats cheesecake perfection, right there.
Love to know what you think if you try it!
Also, extra decorating suggestions would be most welcome.
I did get a little stuck of ideas!
See the next FAQ item below for a comparison of the methods ie gelatine v no gelatine.
The cream cheese then firms up in the fridge and sets the filling.
and the cheesecake is almost alarmingly heavy when you pick it up!
Other cheesecakes will use less cream cheese so its not as dense…but they just dont set properly.
(Again, not going to link a recipe here.
These were disappointing, I should have trusted my instincts and not bothered.)
My recipe relies on gelatine powder to set the filling.
We use the bare minimum we can get away with so the filling doesnt go anywhere near panacotta-like.
Cant find BLOCK cream cheese, only tubs?
You will just need to use a little more gelatine to help the filling set.
), whereas block cream cheese is more often used in cooking.
How long does this keep for?
ie The cheesecake shelf life will be the short of the expiry date of the cream or 7 days.
Hardest thing about developing this recipe?
Getting the gelatine vs cream vs cream cheese balance right for the perfect texture and flavour I was seeking.
Too much gelatine = panna cotta vibes.
Too little gelatine = doesnt set enough.
Too little cream = not aerated enough.
Too much cream = greasy mouth feel.
Too little cream cheese = not enough cheesecake flavour.
Too much cream cheese = too dense!!
I warned you…Im fussy about my cheesecake!
The final recipe I published was actually not too different from my original recipe.
Can I use jelly crystals instead?
Unfortunately not as I havent designed this recipe to be made with jelly crystals.
