No-Bake Cheesecake

This recipe is 100% mine!  Okay, I know there are a lot of no-bake cheesecake recipes out there but I literally sat down at my kitchen table after making a cream cheese frosting and wrote this out, then tested it, then checked online to see if there were any matching recipes.  There weren’t, at least that I could find! 

I’ve tested it (and tweaked it) several times and I think it’s excellent.  It’s not like a baked cheesecake – there isn’t any of the nuttiness you get when you bake the custard – and it’s certainly not low-fat.  But it’s mousselike, super-creamy, and very flavorful.  It’s tangy and not-too-sweet.

Use your favorite graham cracker crust recipe (mine?  crush 1/2 of a box of graham crackers and add 6 tbsp melted butter with 1 tbsp cinnamon.  Toss together and press into the bottom of a 9″ springform pan.  Bake at 375 degrees for 6-8 minutes and cool before filling) and make ahead up to three days; this is a super-easy way to make an impressive dessert!

No-bake cheesecake!

Elisa’s No-Bake Cheesecake

• 1 graham cracker crust (see above)
• 1 package powdered gelatine
• 2 tbsp milk (I used cream for this the first time I made the recipe but it got really hard really fast; I think milk works better!)
• 16 oz soft cream cheese (the kind that comes in a tub; let it sit out at room temp for 30 minutes to an hour before using for best results)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract (I don’t know if you could use lemon juice here, but this addition adds a beautiful lightness)
• 1 1/4 cup cream

Dissolve gelatine in milk in a small bowl; let sit for 5 minutes.  In a large bowl (or your stand mixer bowl), whip cream cheese with your stand mixer’s whisk attachment, or your hand mixer, until smooth.  Add sugar and whip until smooth.  Add flavorings and cream and whip until the cream forms soft peaks.  Add gelatine and whip until stiff peaks form.  Spoon the mixture into your graham cracker crust and smooth the top.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is best!). 

To serve, run a knife along the edge of your springform pan and remove the side before slicing the cheesecake.  Top with fruit or chocolate if you like (but it’s awesome by itself!).  You can halve the recipe and make it in a standard 7″ or 8″ pie pan (pictured) or split it into several smaller ramekins too!

Serves 10.