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A no-bake cheesecake with a smooth, silky cream cheese filling set with gelatine, on a buttery, crumbly biscuit crust.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 500g (16 oz) cream cheese (blocks), softened, not cold
  • 150200g (5.3–7 oz) caster sugar (superfine)
  • Powdered gelatine (amount not specified, see notes)
  • About 2 tablespoons water (for blooming the gelatine)
  • Whipping cream (heavy or thickened), very cold (quantity not specified)
  • Pure vanilla extract (quantity not specified)
  • Lemon juice (a splash)
  • Salt – just a pinch
  • Biscuits (for the crust) (quantity not specified)
  • Melted butter (for the crust) (quantity not specified)
  • Cinnamon (for the crust) (quantity not specified)
  • Sugar (for the crust) (quantity not specified)
  • Pinch of salt (for the crust)

Instructions

  1. Flip the bottom of a 20cm/8″ springform pan upside down.
  2. Lightly grease the base with butter and line it with a square piece of baking/parchment paper with extra overhang, then clip the sides into place.
  3. Break biscuits into bite-size chunks and transfer to a food processor.
  4. Pulse the biscuits until fine, sandy crumbs.
  5. Add melted butter, cinnamon, sugar, and a pinch of salt; blitz until the crumbs resemble damp sand and hold when squeezed.
  6. If the crumbs don’t stick, add a little more melted butter and mix.
  7. Roughly press the crumb mixture into the prepared pan, spreading over the base and pushing up the sides.
  8. Firmly press the crust crumbs evenly into the base and walls with a flat straight edge and tidy the top edge for a clean finish.
  9. Pour about 2 tablespoons water into a small bowl and evenly sprinkle powdered gelatine over the surface; stir and let bloom undisturbed for 5 minutes.
  10. Gently melt the bloomed gelatine in the microwave for about 15 seconds and stir until smooth; do not boil, then cool for about 5 minutes until liquid but not hot.
  11. Whip very cold whipping cream on high speed until it holds stiff peaks.
  12. Beat softened cream cheese with sugar until smooth, then add vanilla extract, lemon juice, salt, and the cooled melted gelatine; beat just until combined.
  13. Fold a quarter of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in the remaining whipped cream to keep the mixture airy.
  14. Pour the filling over the crust, smoothing the surface and nudging it into corners.
  15. Chill the cheesecake in the fridge for a minimum of 6 hours, preferably 12 hours, until fully set.
  16. Unclip and remove the springform ring sides.
  17. Use the parchment overhang to slide the cheesecake off the base onto a serving plate.
  18. Slide the parchment paper out from under the cheesecake while holding the cake steady; if it’s stuck, warm the base slightly or loosen with a spatula before pulling.
  19. Decorate as desired, for example, pipe whipped cream around the edge and top with halved strawberries.

Notes

Use block cream cheese, softened to room temperature for best results., Bloom gelatine by sprinkling it evenly over water and letting it sit then melting gently; do not boil or add hot gelatine directly to cold dairy., Do not overbeat the cream cheese mixture to avoid big bubbles., Fold whipped cream in two parts to keep mixture airy., Press biscuit crumbs firmly to form crust; add more butter if crumbs do not stick., Invert springform pan base for easier removal without breaking crust., If parchment sticks to crust after setting, warm bottom or loosen with a spatula gently before removing., For neat slices, chill cheesecake well, dip a large knife in hot water and dry it between slices before cutting., The cheesecake needs 6-12 hours in the fridge to set properly; 12 hours recommended for clean slices., To store, keep covered in fridge for 3-4 days; can freeze up to a month, thaw overnight in fridge before serving., Freezing may soften texture slightly but is still delicious., Serve chilled, allow to soften 15-30 minutes at room temperature before serving for best flavor., This recipe uses gelatine for a light mousse-like yet firm texture; without gelatine, the filling may be too soft or dense., Gelatine leaves can be used instead of powder following package instructions and conversions., Agar-agar can be used as vegetarian alternative but texture will differ and is firmer and sometimes brittle., Tub cream cheese can be used but may require more gelatine and longer setting time for best texture.

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