The world’s easiest apple tart is French – and it even comes with a fancy name: Tarte Fine aux Pommes. This charming puff pastry dessert calls for just four ingredients and twelve minutes effort. Enjoy with Beef Bourguignon, Chicken Fricassee or Ratatouille for a cosy, rustic French dinner!

The easiest apple tart is French!

I’ll admit it – quick, puff pastry desserts are a great shortcut which, 95% of the time, is totally acceptable in my world. Just not exactly the sort of thing I’d proudly serve to guests. More like what I’d roll out if my grander plan fell apart, or I got so caught up perfecting the main I ran out of time for dessert. Ah, the failed dinner party stories I could share…..!

But this French Apple Tart? This one makes the cut. Because it’s JB’s recipe – and JB isn’t just anyone. He’s our resident French chef, born and raised in France, trained in Michelin-starred kitchens. Suddenly, puff pastry and apples feels less like a shortcut and more like something clever yet charming and très chic, complete with a fancy sounding name: Tarte Fine aux Pommes

If it’s good enough for JB, it’s definitely good enough for company – and more than good enough for me!

Oh, also, proof of crispy base: you can pick it up like a slice of pizza! (Did France just cringe at that comparison? 😂).

Ingredients

This French Apple Tart recipe actually came to be because we had a single sheet of puff pastry left after sharing the B85 Beef Sausage Rolls, and a couple of sad looking apples in the fruit bowl. And that, my friends, is pretty much all you need!

• Apple – We used Gala for its sweet/tartness and balance, but you can use your favourite eating apple.

  You needn’t worry about the cooking qualities of different varieties like you do for other apple recipes as the tart isn’t in the oven long enough for this to matter (eg. some apples soften too quickly which isn’t ideal for some dishes). We’ve made this with a variety of apples – Granny Smith (tart), Pink lady (crisp tart sweet), Fuji (extra sweet) – they all work fine, it just comes down to what apple you’ve got or what you like!

• Puff pastry – I know, I was shocked, store bought puff is acceptable to the French! 😂 Well, at least, French home cooks. However, I do think France would cry if I didn’t at least (strongly!) recommend that you use puff pastry made with butter as it tastes better than puff that is made with flavourless oil. The packet will say “butter” on it.

  Size – This recipe calls for a 25cm / 10″ square of puff pastry which is the standard size here in Australia. If yours is larger, trim it, or if you have smaller offcuts, press them together to make one larger one or make multiple smaller ones.

• Sugar – For the underside of the puff pastry, which makes it extra crisp, as well as sprinkling on the apple and crust. You only need 5 teaspoons!

• Butter – Just 1 tablespoon of melted butter, to brush across the surface of the apple and edge of the crust.

Cinnamon option – Cinnamon and apple is a classic pairing, so I wouldn’t discourage you from adding it! Just mix it with the sugar then sprinkle – I’ve included quantities in the recipe notes.

How to make this easy French Apple Tart

1. Preheat the tray until hot. This definitely helps make the underside a little bit crisper which is lovely!

2. Apple slices – Peel the apple if you want (optional). Then cut into 0.5cm / 0.2″ slices.

   How I do it – Potato peeler for skin, cut in half, scoop out middle with a melon baller, then cut a little “V” out of the top and bottom. Lay it cut face down and slice. Keep the slices together as you cut rather than scattering them everywhere – makes it easy to fan out onto the pastry.

3. Sugar underside – Sprinkle 3 teaspoons of sugar on a sheet of baking paper (parchment paper). Then place the barely-thawed puff pastry sheet on it – the sugar will stick.

   The sugar makes the underside extra crispy as well as caramelising.

4. Edges – Fold in the edges to form the rim of the tart. No need to use egg or anything to hold in place.

5. Top with apple – Lay the apple slices across the surface in three rows, overlapping them slightly. Brush with butter then sprinkle with sugar.

   PS No need to prick the base – which is supposed to stop the base from puffing up. I forgot to do it and it made no difference because the apple weighs the base down.

6. Bake – Place the tart on the hot tray, keeping it on the paper. Bake 30 minutes.

7. Baked! The tart is ready when the edges are deep golden and the apple slices are lightly browned on the edges.

8. Serve with a dusting of icing sugar (optional) and ice cream (not optional!). Cream is also nice, but I definitely prefer ice cream.

Make this for afternoon tea or a cosy dessert for dinner. I can see you serving this up after a rich Beef Bourguignon, for French Chicken Fricassee, a slow cooked Shredded Beef Ragu or a Herb & Garlic Butter Roast Chicken.

To be honest, I can’t think of much I wouldn’t serve this with! Well, perhaps not if I was doing an Asian themed menu. But anything western, European, even Middle Eastern, Moroccan, South American, I absolutely would. You can also add a touch of flavours from cuisines of the world to suit themed menus – for example:

• sprinkle of chopped pistachios, almonds or other nuts (Middle Eastern / Greek / Lebanese – where nuts in desserts are loved!)

• with rum ‘ n raisin ice cream (Caribbean)

• dulce de leche (Latin American cuisines)

I’ve popped a few more ideas in the FAQ below. Let me know what you serve this with, I want to know! – Nagi x

PS Eating it plain, with your hands, devouring it like you would a slice of pizza, is absolutely acceptable in my books.

Watch how to make it

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Easy French Apple Tart – Tarte Fine aux Pommes

Recipe video above. It’s hard to believe a proper French tart can be this simple and this good – but here we are! This one comes straight from JB (yes, our actual French chef), who whipped it up like it was no big deal. Sometimes, his idea of "no big deal" is out of reach for regular folk like me. But for once, it isn't at all! 😂

The base is extra crisp thanks to a little sprinkle of sugar, and the apple is only lightly sweetened, that's all it needs. Use any type of apple you like, but my favourite is gala (we tried quite a few). And while we can all pretend ice cream is optional, it isn't really. 🙂

Course Dessert

Cuisine French

Keyword apple puff pastry recipe, easy apple tart, easy tart, french apple tart, puff pastry dessert

Prep Time 12 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 – 6 people

Calories 340cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 1 square sheet butter puff pastry (25cm / 10″ square), barely thawed (Note 1)
• 5 tsp caster sugar / superfine sugar (sub regular / granulated)
• 2 large gala apples (or 3 medium), peeled, cut in half, core removed, sliced 0.5cm / 0.2″ thick (Note 2)
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter , melted

For serving:

• Icing sugar / powdered sugar , for dusting (optional)
• Vanilla ice cream (not really optional!)

Instructions

• ABBREVIATED: Sprinkle paper with 3t sugar, put puff on, fold in 1cm / 0.4" edge. Top with apple, brush butter, sprinkle 2t sugar. Bake on preheated tray at 210°C/375°F (190°C fan) for 30 minutes.

FULL RECIPE:

• Hot tray – Put a baking tray in the oven then turn it on and pre-heat to 210°C/375°F (190°C fan-forced).
• Sugar underside of puff – Place a sheet of baking paper (parchment paper) on the counter. Sprinkle with 3 teaspoons of sugar, roughly in the shape of the puff pastry sheet.
• Fold edge – Place puff pastry on top of the sugar. Fold the edges inwards to create a 1cm / 0.4" edge.
• Apples – Arrange the apples slices in 3 rows, overlapping them slightly.
• Butter and sugar – Brush the apple slices and edges with melted butter, then sprinkle with the sugar (apple and edge).
• Bake – Transfer the tart on the paper to the hot baking tray (keep it on the paper). Bake for 30 minutes, or until the edges are golden.
• Serve – Cut into 6, dust with icing sugar and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Notes

1. Puff pastry – 25cm/10″ squares is the standard size sold at grocery stores here in Australia. If yours is larger, trim, or smaller, press together to make a larger one!

2. Apple type – Use whatever apple you want! eg. Granny Smith for tarter, Fuji for extra sweet, pink lady for sweet tart.

3. Cinnamon addition – Wouldn’t discourage it, everybody loves cinnamon and apple! Mix 1/8 tsp cinnamon with 2 teaspoons of the sugar, and use this mixture to sprinkle over the apples.

LEFTOVERS will keep for 3 days though it really is best served fresh as the pastry will soften. It can be rejuvenated with a quick little oven blast for a few minutes to warm the tart up.

Nutrition is for 6 servings and excludes ice cream.

Nutrition

Calories: 340cal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 113mg | Potassium: 126mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 137IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg

Life of Dozer

Dozer started hydro therapy today!

Hydro therapy has been suggested as a way to help Dozer rebuild his muscles which have degenerated over the past 15 months since he was diagnosed with laryngeal paralysis. As anyone with a physical condition would know, problems exacerbate problems, and Dozer is a classic example of that. “Oh Dozer, are you stuck again?” has become a phrase we use more and more each day (referring to his inability to get up by himself).

I was determined to do his rehab au naturel with regular trips to the beach for swimming, but the practicalities are proving too hard. So I’m adding hydro therapy to his routine, which we can do rain, hail or shine, and is just 5 minutes from home.

I know I can bring him back. I’m not ready to give up on him yet!

The post Easy French apple tart appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Pikelets! Silver dollar pancakes. Drop scones. Mini hotcakes. Whatever you know these as, these baby fluffy pancakes are absolutely irresistible! Serve for breakfast or afternoon tea with copious amounts of jam and cream.

PIKELETS – an Aussie favourite!

When I first shared this recipe in 2016, I called pikelets an Aussie favourite and expressed pity for anyone who hadn’t discovered their greatness.

Turns out, I was a bit clueless – readers quickly pointed out that pikelets exist all over the world, just under different names: drop scones, Scotch pancakes, silver dollar pancakes, mini hotcakes.

Oops! 😅 Consider me educated!

But, for those of you new to pikelets, they are just mini pancakes. Fun breakfast or anytime snack, and great for taking places (think: office morning tea) – quick to make, easy to transport, reheat perfectly and excellent for gatherings because you can eat them with your hands.

I often think of them as the easier scone!

Ingredients in pikelets

Here’s what you need to make pikelets. The batter is the same as pancakes but pikelets have one big advantage – you can make multiple in the pan at the same time. Anybody else feel performance anxiety flipping pancakes one at a time with a table full of hangry people??

• Plain flour / all-purpose flour – can be substituted with self raising flour though it won’t be quite as fluffy, as is the case with anything made with self raising flour vs plain flour + baking powder.

• Baking powder – this is what makes the pikelets fluffy. If yours has been hiding unused in the pantry for many months, check it’s still active.

• Sugar – I only use a small amount, just 2 tablespoons, because the jam adds sweetness.

• Milk – The liquid to thin the batter. Full fat cow milk makes softer pikelets but low fat / no fat or even non-dairy milk works fine too.

• Vanilla – For flavour. I use vanilla extract which has more pure vanilla flavour than imitation essence.

• Egg – Use a large egg, 50-55g/2oz each, sold in cartons labelled “large eggs” (600 – 660g for a dozen).

How to make pikelets

Here’s how to make pikelets. If you can cook without being interrupted, you’ll have them on the table in 20 minutes flat!

1. Whisk dry ingredients in a bowl (flour, baking powder, pinch of salt).

2. Add wet – Make a well in the centre. Add the egg, milk and vanilla then whisk until combined and almost lump free. The batter should be fairly thick but pourable, like the consistency of thick honey.

   If needed, adjust the consistency with milk (if too thick) or flour (if too thin).

3. Cook – Melt just 1 teaspoon of butter in a non stick pan over medium high heat (or medium ,if your stove is strong). Then wipe most of it off with a paper towel (too much butter = very splotchy surface, not a big deal, just a visual thing).

   Pour about 1 1/2 tbsp batter into the pan and coax it into a circle. An ice cream scoop with a lever will be your friend here.

4. Bubbles – Cook for 1 1/2 minutes until bubbles rise to the surface and at least 4 of them pop. This indicates the pikelets are ready for flipping. If they are browning too quickly on the underside before there are bubbles on the surface, lower the heat.

   PRO TIP: If your batter is on the thick side, the bubbles might not pop. Just take a peek on the underside and if golden, flip!

5. Flip with a flick of the wrist, with confidence! Then cook the other side for 1 minute or until golden, then remove from the pan.

6. Pile onto a plate with jam and cream then serve!

Pikelets are so popular in Australia, they are actually sold at supermarkets. It baffles me why anyone would ever buy them! I tried them once out of curiosity and they actually taste artificial. They have a weird fake vanilla-egg flavour.

But putting that, they cost a few dollars for a pack of 6 or so, whereas it would cost maybe $1.50 to make a dozen at home, with the added bonus that they taste so much better. And they are so fast to make, plus easier to handle than pancakes because they’re small so they’re easier to flip without smearing batter everywhere or missing the pan completely (yep, it’s happened!).

So, next time you’re after a quick snack for a hoard of hungry kids or your friends are dropping by unexpectedly, or you’re known as the culinary queen (or king) at work but don’t have the time to make a fresh batch of scones for the fundraiser morning tea on Monday morning, make pikelets!  – Nagi x

Pikelets FAQ

Can these be made gluten free?

How long can you keep pikelets?

Should pikelets be served warm or at room temperature?

Other topping options?

Watch how to make it

And a fun little outtakes video from this week, when JB made pikelets for the first time – how do you pronounce “pikelets”!?

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Pikelets

Recipe video above. Growing up in Australia, pikelets were a treat we enjoyed for breakfast or any time of the day! Outside of Australia, you might know these as drop scones, Scottish pancakes or silver dollar pancakes.

Quick and easy, you'll have a pile of these baby pancakes ready to enjoy in less than 20 minutes. Best served warm but lovely even at room temperature.

Copious amounts of jam and cream essential. It's the Aussie way!

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Australia

Keyword pikelets

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes minutes

Total Time 17 minutes minutes

Servings 12 pikelets

Calories 69cal

Author Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups plain flour / all-purpose flour (Note 1)
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder (check yours is still active)
• 2 tbsp white sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 large egg (50-55g / 2 oz in shell)
• 3/4 cup milk (full fat best, but any type even non dairy ok)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional but recommended)
• 2 tsp butter

To Serve

• Strawberry jam
• Whipped cream

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Whisk dry – Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a bowl.
• Add wet – Make a well in the centre. Add the egg, milk and vanilla, then whisk until it's almost lump free. The batter should be the consistency like thick honey – looser than tomato sauce, thicker than maple syrup. (Note 2)
• Melt 1 tsp butter in a non-stick pan over medium high heat (or medium, for strong stoves). Then most of the butter off with a paper towel so there are no visible drops of bubbles of butter (Note 3).
• Drop ~2 tbsp batter into the pan and coax into 7.5cm/3" rounds. An ice cream scoop with lever will be your friend here. I cook 4 at a time.
• Cook until bubbles appear on the surface and once 4 or more of these bubbles pop (1 1/2 minutes), this means they are ready to flip. Flip with confidence! Then cook the other side for 1 minute or until golden.
• Keep cooking – Remove onto a plate. Cook the next batch (no need to add extra butter until 3rd batch).
• Serve warm with jam and cream, or butter!

Notes

1. Flour – You can just use self raising flour if you prefer, but the pikelets are not quite as soft and fluffy.

2. Batter adjustment – if needed, loosen with extra milk or thicken with extra flour. Batter that’s too thin will spread and make thin pikelets. If too thick, the batter won’t spread enough so the pikelets will be very thick and there’s a risk they won’t cook through.

Batter can’t be made ahead – it will thicken too much and baking powder will lose rising powder.

3. Pan – If you do not have a non stick skillet, this can be made in any skillet / fry pan but do not wipe the butter off and accept that your first batch will be a more splotchy than you see in the video / photos.

Excess butter in the pan = very splotchy surface. Wiping excess off = first batch looks nicer. 🙂 Not a deal killer, just visual!

Storage – Cooked pikelets will keep 3 days in an airtight container, best to keep in fridge then warm in microwave (goes a long way to freshen). Freezer – 3 months.

Nutrition below is per pikelet, and it is for the pikelet only, because I cannot control the amount of jam and cream you pile onto each pikelet!

Nutrition

Serving: 35g | Calories: 69cal | Carbohydrates: 13.2g | Protein: 2.3g | Fat: 0.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.8g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 14mg | Sugar: 2.8g

Originally published in June 2016, before I taught myself to make recipe videos. Republished in 2025 with said recipe video, plus sparkling new photos, refreshed chatter and of course a 2025 Life of Dozer update (spoiler: no change, really, just older!).

Life of Dozer

Dozer 2016. 3 years old, from the original pikelets post. Trained not to touch that pikelet until he gets the command:

Dozer 2025, almost 13 years old. Just can’t see the cream as much because his face is whiter!

SaveSave

The post Pikelets appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Summery Mango Bars! A jammy layer of fresh mango sandwiched between a coconut biscuit base and crumbly topping, finished with a lime glaze. Stellar flavour combination that screams of summer! That mango layer is everything – juicy and generous.

The annual mango recipe!

I intended to kick off this post by cheerfully introducing it as part of my yearly tradition of sharing a mango recipe each summer.

However, a quick look through my past creations made me realize that calling it an “annual tradition” might be a stretch. There were the 2023 Mango Muffins and the 2022 Yum Cha Mango Pancakes, but the one before that was all the way back in 2019—a Prawn, Avocado, and Mango Salad.

Let’s chalk up the three-year gap to the pandemic and officially get back on track.

Presenting the summer of 2025 mango recipe: MANGO BARS!!! ☀️☀️

Ingredients for Mango Bars

Here’s what you need to make the mango bars.

Mango filling

You will need two, big, ripe mangoes for this recipe. And yes, it can be made with canned mango!

• Mangoes – Use any variety you like. And it goes without saying the sweeter and riper they are, the better!

  Canned mango – Use mangoes in unsweetened juice if you can, so it’s less sweet. Drain well in a colander then use per the recipe, cutting if needed to make the slices thinner. I do prefer the texture of the filling made with slices rather than diced, but dicing does work too. Cut them into ~6mm / 1/4″ cubes.

• Cornflour / cornstarch – This helps the juices thicken a touch into a syrup, rather than the watery juices running into and soaking the base. We only use 1 1/2 teaspoons (don’t go overboard else it makes the mango layer unpleasantly gluey).

• Sugar – I know it sounds insane to add sugar into sweet ripe mangoes, but hear me out! Just 2 tablespoons helps the juices become syrupy (combined with the cornflour) which suspends in the mango layer, rather than watery juices running into the base. Discovered after multiple attempts of making a sugar-free filling and not being thrilled with the mango layer!

Coconut base and crumb

This is based on the lovely crumb and base in my Raspberry Bars, with the addition of coconut which I really wanted because – coconut! Mango! Fab! I originally omitted the oats but then put it back in because I think it adds good texture to the base rather than just being a thick plain shortbread-style slab. It was still nice, but I thought was just a little too sandy for the thick layer of juicy mango. So, yes to the oats!

• Flour – Just regular plain / all-purpose flour. Self raising flour is not recommended here, it has too much baking powder in it for this recipe, the base and crumb will puff up too much.

• Desiccated coconut – Or finely shredded coconut. Just not coconut flakes, they are too large. Also, please use unsweetened.

• Oats – Regular plain rolled oats aka traditional oats. Not steel cut, not quick cooking, and not flavoured ones.

• Unsalted butter – Melted. If using salted, just skip the salt.

• Sugar – Just half a cup (100g) of white sugar. Not too sweet! I use white sugar so the base is whiter – fresh summery colours against the orange mango – but brown sugar works too. The crust will just be a pale brown and the surface gets a little more colour.

• Egg – Makes the mixture bind together. No need to bring to room temperature in this recipe. Use a large egg (50-55g/2oz), sold in cartons labelled as “large eggs” or 600-660g for a dozen. More on eggs for baking here.

• Salt – Standard baking ingredient these days, to bring out the flavours in the other ingredients.

How to make my Mango Bars

In all honesty, cutting the mangoes takes the most time here. But that’s a pleasurable task because you get to snack on all the offcuts as you go, and the chef gets to suck the seed!

1. HOW I CUT MANGO

I found the mango layer texture is nicer using slices rather than dicing (turned into mush). So use the cheeks first then the offcuts from around the seed only if needed to make up the full 2 1/2 cups we need.

1. Cheeks first – Stand the mango upright on the wider side (ie the side that was attached to the tree). Cut the cheek of the mango off each side of the seed, aiming to leave as little flesh as possible on the seed.

2. Scoop out – Then using a large spoon or scooper (the sharper the edge, the easier it is), scoop the flesh out of the skin in one large piece.

3. Slicing – slice the cheeks into 3 – 4 mm / just shy of o.2″ thick slices. Too thin = breakage when tossed, too thick = slippery and harder to cut/eat. (Speaking from experience here).

   (If short of the amount required, cut the flesh around the seed and use that too). 
   

4. Measure – Measure out 2 1/2 cups (400g) mango slices into a bowl. The slices will flop and fold into a measuring cup so it’s pretty accurate. Don’t fret about some breakage. Then set aside. Do not toss with sugar yet. The mango will sweat and get too watery.

2. Base & crumb (same mixture)

We are using the same mixture for the base and crumbly topping. The mixture is a little wetter when it’s first mixed and pressed into the base. By the time you get to sprinkling it over the mango, it has dried out a bit to make it easier to crumble across the surface.

1. Mix – Melt the butter in a heatproof bowl in the microwave. Mix the sugar in first, then the egg. Then add everything else in one go (flour, baking powder, oats, coconut, salt) and mix until you can no longer see flour.

2. Mixed and ready to use!

3. Press – Measure out 1 3/4 cups of the mixture into measuring cups. (The remaining mixture is used for the topping). Press into the base using your hands, level it as best you can. Press firmly to level the surface but no need to press super firmly (ie not like your favourite torture-but-highly-effective Chinese masseuse working on your back).

4. Mango tossing – Now we can prepare the mango layer! Sprinkle the sugar and cornflour across the surface of the mango and use your hands to gently toss to disperse.

5. Mangoes layer – Pour all the mangoes onto the base and spread out evenly.

6. Crumbly topping – Crumble the remaining topping across the surface. Larger crumbles = more high impact crunchy patches on surface and more mango exposure but slightly harder to cut neatly (I go for this, pictured). Smaller crumbles = easier to cut (more practical, better for impressing).

7. Bake for 30 minutes in a 180°C/350°F oven (160°C fan forced) until the surface is light golden.

8. Cool for 2 hours on the counter before drizzling with glaze, if using. (Speed things up – 30 minutes on counter, 30 minutes in fridge).

3. lime drizzle glaze

The trick with glazes is to make them just thin enough so they can be drizzled across the surface and they spread slightly, but thick enough to set so you can still see it. If the glaze is too thin, it spreads and sinks into the cake/bars etc and disappears = disappointing. 😭

1. Mixing – Put the icing sugar, lime zest, juice and vanilla in a bowl. Then mix with a small whisk until throughly combined.

2. Consistency – Goal: honey consistency, not maple syrup which is too thin. Glazes can go from too thick to too thin with just the tiniest amount of extra liquid. So if your glaze needs thinning, only use 1/4 teaspoon at a time and mix it in thoroughly before adding more.

3. Drizzle randomly across the surface of the mango bars in any pattern you want.

4. Set and cut – Leave for 10 minutes to let the surface of the glaze set before cutting into 12 squares (normal, pictured) or 9 squares (greedy, always encouraged).

I take it back – Lime Glaze is not optional

I think I have written in a few places that the lime glaze is optional.

I’d like to retract that / caveat it. It is optional – no I can’t force you to make it – but it’s highly, highly recommended. Not only does it add a finishing pizzaz to these Mango Bars, as all glazes do to all deserts, but the little pop of lime flavour plays so nicely with the mango and coconut. I tried putting the lime flavour into the mango filling but it just got lost.

Embrace the mess

And lastly – be forewarned – it might get a little messy to eat if you take small nibbles. Crumble bars always are, but this one a little more than usual because of that generously juicy mango layer.

Solution is to either eat it in one or two big bites (my new taste testing team, my builders, opted for this) or embrace the mess (I opted for this).

Either way, it’s so enjoyable! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Coconut mango bars with lime glaze

Recipe video above. I adore the combination of mangoes, coconut and lime is a no-fail combination, and here it is in handheld bar form. The contrast of the crispy base and crumbly coconutty topping sandwiching the juicy mango layer is so good! I also like the texture the oats add, that it's not too sweet, and straightforward to make. Honestly, cutting the mangoes takes the most time!

TOP TIP: Mango slices = terrific thick layer of juicy mango. Diced mango mostly turns into mush. Slicing wins!

Course Bars, Dessert, Slice, Sweet Baking

Cuisine Western

Keyword mango bars, mango dessert, mango recipe, mango slice

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Cooling 2 hours hours

Servings 12 squares (or 9 larger ones)

Calories 291cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Coconut crumble base & topping:

• 125g/ 1 stick unsalted butter (Note 1 US conversion note)
• 1/2 cup caster/superfine white sugar (regular/granulated also ok)
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 cups flour , plain / all-purpose
• 1 cup oats (Note 2)
• 3/4 cup desiccated or finely shredded coconut , unsweetened (not flakes, too big)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (or 1/8 tsp table salt)

Mango filling:

• 2 1/2 cups (400 g) mango slices , 5mm/0.2″ thin, 2 large-ish mangoes (Note 3)
• 1 1/2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch
• 2 tbsp white sugar (don’t skip this even if mangoes are sweet, Note 4)

Lime glaze (optional – but not really!)

• 3/4 cup soft icing sugar / powdered sugar (Note 5)
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 3 tsp lime juice , plus more as needed (1/4 tsp at a time)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Summary:

• Melt butter, mix in sugar, then egg, then everything else. Press 1 3/4 cups into 20cm/8″ lined pan. Toss mango filling ingredients, spread on base, crumble over remaining mixture. Bake 30 min. Cool, drizzle with glaze.

Full directions:

• Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Grease then line a 20cm/8" panwith baking paper (parchment), ensuring you have overhang so you can lift it out at the end.

Base & crumbs mixture:

• Melt butter – Cut the butter into ~1.25cm/1/2" chunks and melt in a microwave-proof bowl, or use a saucepan and stove. (Note 6)
• Mix – Add the sugar to the butter and mix with a wooden spoon. Add egg and mix until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and mix until you no longer see flour.

Assembling:

• Base – Measure out 1 3/4 cups (packed) of the mixture (the rest gets used for the topping). Spread into the pan and use your hands to evenly press it into the base.
• Mango filling (do this just before use) – Put the mango in a bowl. Sprinkle over the sugar and cornflour. Use your hands to gently toss until evenly coated.
• Assemble – Spread the mango evenly across the base. Crumble the remaining mixture across the surface, leaving spots of mango exposed.
• Bake for 30 minutes until the surface is light golden.
• Cool – Remove from the oven and fully cool in the pan (~ 2 hours) before lifting out using the excess paper onto a cutting board. (Speed things up: 30 min counter, 30 minute fridge).
• Lime glaze – Mix the ingredients in a medium bowl, using extra lime juice 1/4 tsp at a time if needed until it's a honey consistency. Drizzle randomly across the surface. Leave for 10 minutes to let the glaze surface crust.
• Serve – Cut into 12 squares (sensible) or 9 (greedy). Devour!

Notes

1. Butter conversion (US bakers) – Astute bakers will notice that 125g butter does not equal 1 stick of butter, it is 113g. However, US cup sizes are also marginally smaller – 236ml v 250ml in most of the rest of the world. So the the lessor amount of butter is correct of the amount of flour, oats etc you use measured in US cups.

2. Oats – regular rolled oats / traditional coats. Not steel cut or quick cook.

3. Mangos:

• Measuring – The slippery slices will flop into the measuring cup quite easily. Don’t worry if some break. Be sure to use offcuts from around the seed!
• Variety – Use any you like, my favourites are (in order): Honey Gold, R2E2, Kensington Prides, Keitt. Calypso brings up the rear – common, pretty, cheap, least mangoey.
• Don’t toss mango with sugar until just before using else it will draw excess juice out of the mango. Follow recipe steps in the order they are written.

4. Sugar note – A bit of sugar with the cornflour in the mango layer makes it bake up a little “jammy” rather than turning into watery mush which was a problem in early versions I tried.

5. 🇦🇺 Icing sugar for Australians – Be sure to get SOFT icing sugar (packet will say as such) not pure icing sugar which is used for icing that sets hard like royal icing.

6. Butter melting – I cover the bowl with a couple of paper towels, do 30s on high, then 10 sec increments until mostly melted. Then finish melting by mixing. My days of cleaning microwave butter explosions are over!

Store in the fridge for 5 days though from day 2 and beyond, though base is pretty good for 2 days then does lose crispness. Still darn delish though! Not suitable for freezing.

Nutrition per bar, assuming 12 bars and the glaze is used.

Nutrition

Calories: 291cal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 58mg | Potassium: 155mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 641IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg

Mango madness!

Let’s make the most of them while we’ve got ’em!

No Bake Mango Cheesecake

Mango muffins

Mango pancakes

Prawn Mango Avocado Summer Salad

Homemade Mango Ice Cream Recipe (No Ice Cream Maker!)

Mango Daiquiri & Tales from a MANGO FARM!!

Thai Prawn, Mango and Avocado Noodle Salad

Life of Dozer

True love is giving up the mango seed:

Also – too much? Or – art? 🤔😂

The post Mango bars with lime glaze appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

This no bake Christmas cheesecake is designed for sizzling Aussie summers – no sweating over a hot oven! Designed to serve a crowd, it’s the easiest cheesecake recipe I know yet it still captures all the hallmarks of a beautiful classic baked cheesecake.

Decorate with whipped cream, berries and rosemary sprigs for an effortless, pretty festive look.

A Christmas dessert for hot summer days

This Christmas dessert is made especially with fellow Aussies in mind. While half the world is enjoying the magic of snowy Christmases, here in Australia, we’re soaking up the blazing summer sun!

So although there will always be a place in my heart for the great Aussie Pav and classic Christmas cake, anything that doesn’t require an oven gets an extra big thumbs-up from me. Introducing – my brand-new Christmas cheesecake that does not require use of the oven at all!

I love that it looks so festive yet there’s no fiddling with fondant or hunting down Christmas cake toppers. It’s just berries, orange slices, rosemary and a dusting of icing sugar!

About this Christmas Cheesecake

This is officially the easiest cheesecake recipe I know. It’s easier and faster than baked cheesecakes because there’s no baking, cooling or stressing about a cracked surface.

And it’s easier than my round no-bake cheesecake because this slab form has no biscuit sides (which can be fiddly), just the base!

Yet , this slab-form festive Christmas cheesecake captures all the light-but-creamy, indulgent charm of a beautiful classic baked cheesecake. It’s not too sweet as I’m very particular about sweetness level in cakes. I describe it as French / Japanese patisserie level sweet, which is less sweet than typical Western desserts.

It’s in a large rectangle shape “slab form” and thinner than regular round cheesecakes because it’s designed to serve a large number of people – 18 to 24 people. It’s also ideal for gatherings where there’s plenty of food because the serving portion can be smaller than cutting wedges of tall round cheesecakes.

And have I mentioned the Biscoff biscuit base?? Love the Christmasy flavour!

Ingredients

This no bake Christmas cheesecake is based on the classic no-bake cheesecake I published earlier this year – pop over to read glowing reviews! Here’s what you need:

Biscoff biscuit base (or not!)

I use Biscoff for the base because it’s having a moment (so you get street cred, especially with the under 25 crowd), it has built-in holiday flavours (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg – that sort of thing) and I like the rich golden colour. However, you can use any plain biscuits you want – see below for suggestions.

• Biscoff – This is spiced biscuit from Belgium has been around “forever” in Europe but really gained popularity in recent years thanks to social media. It’s a lovely spiced cookie, and ideal for this particular recipe because of the holiday spicing, but I really don’t know why people lose their minds over it. (Speaking frankly, as a thoroughly un-hip foodie!).

  It’s also a little dearer than other plain biscuits. Don’t fret if you can’t find it or prefer a more economical option, noting that you need to buy 2 packets as the recipe calls for 300g/10oz and each packet is 250g/8.8oz. (I did try with just one packet but the base was too thin and lacked structure).

  Other biscuit options – you can use any plain biscuits you want. Marie Crackers (common cheesecake base here in Australia), digestives, graham crackers (US). You can also add a touch of extra spices for holiday flavour if you want (nutmeg, ginger, all spice), see recipe notes for amounts.

  Avoid biscuits/cookies coated with chocolate, or sandwiched with filling (like Oreos) because it may affect how well this no-bake base sets.

• Butter – This is what holds the cheesecake base together because it solidifies when the cheesecake is refrigerated.

• Sugar – Just a smidge, for a boost of sweetness in the base. It is, after all, the holidays! 🙂

• Cinnamon – For an extra touch of holiday flavour.

The no-bake cheesecake filling

Alarmed because you spotted gelatine? Don’t be! See below for why.

• Cream cheese – I always use Philadelphia but if you’ve had success with another brand, feel free to use that. 

  Softened to room temperature – Take it out of the fridge at least 1 hour prior so the cream cheese is softened, not fridge-cold-hard. We want to be able to beat it so it’s quite soft, smooth and fluffy so the whipped cream mixes effortlessly into it without knocking out the air (which means a lovely light aerated cheesecake filling = win!). It’s also important to ensure the gelatine mixes in smoothly. Nobody wants little bits of gelatine in their cheesecake! 😱

  Blocks not tubs – This recipe calls for cream cheese blocks which are firmer than cream cheese in tubs which are softer as they are designed for spreading. If you can only get tubs, you just need to use a little more gelatine. See notes in the recipe card for quantity.

• Gelatine – This is essential for a no-bake cheesecake that rivals the texture of a beautiful classic baked cheesecake (which has egg in the filling, that’s what sets it), one that is light-yet-creamy yet set enough to cut slices. Without gelatine, you need more cream cheese so the cheesecake sets enough to cut, which means it’s heavier and denser. See FAQ below for some background on versions I tried.

  Gelatine is cheap, easy to use, and sold at regular grocery stores. I prefer to use powder rather than gelatine leaves when I can because it’s more accessible and (important to me) the strength is relatively universal around the world. The same cannot be said for gelatine leaves. 🙂

  Find gelatine powder in the baking aisle in small tubs (pictured above) or packets of small sachets (open and measure using a teaspoon).

• Water – This is to “bloom” the gelatine (explained in the step photos below). I use the bare minimum for the amount of gelatine I use – just 3 tablespoons – so we don’t dilute flavour.

• Whipping cream – Whipped cream helps create a lovely light textured filling by aerating the cream cheese. You can use thickened / heavy cream, or regular cream. Just make sure it can be whipped because not all cream is made for whipping (for example, pouring cream, dolloping cream). The label should say if it can be whipped.

  Couple more cream rules:
  1. No low fat! Now is not the time! It will compromise the texture.
  2. Fridge cold! The cream needs to be fridge cold else it will not whip properly.

• Sugar – Best to use caster sugar (superfine sugar) which are finer grains than regular sugar (granulated sugar) so we can be confident it will dissolve. It’s especially important because this is a no-bake recipe so we don’t have heat on our side here to melt the sugar. If you only have regular sugar, that’s ok. Just beat the cream cheese for a little longer than per the recipe and rub the mixture between your fingers to ensure there’s no sugar grains left.

• Vanilla – Please use vanilla extract which is real flavour extracted from vanilla beans (hence the name!) rather than vanilla essence which is imitation. It’s especially important for no-bake recipes because the vanilla flavour is “raw” and doesn’t have the benefit of baking in the oven to bring out the flavour.

• Lemon juice – Just a touch, to bring a smidge of tang to the filling. It’s not a deal breaker if you don’t have it, just leave it out.

• Salt – Standard baking practice these days to bring out the flavours in sweet baked goods. We use just a tiny amount so it doesn’t make it salty by any stretch of the imagination.

Decorations

For a Christmas look, I smothered the cheesecake with a fairly generous amount of whipped cream then decorated it with berries and rosemary dusted with icing sugar.

I also tucked in some orange slices to add a nice splash of bright orange and break up the busy mass of berries. I think it works quite well!

Other decorating ideas – The rectangle cheesecake surface is literally like a blank canvas, ready for you to work your magic! Here are a few more decorating ideas:

• Aussie summer Pavlova style! I see passionfruit, mango slices, strawberries and blueberries with little mint leaves for a splash of colour. Gorgeous!

• Fruit compote and sauces (also see Mango Cheesecake, Strawberry and Blueberry Cheesecake, and Blueberry Cheesecake Bars);

• Sauce – Serve with a chocolate or salted caramel sauce, though when I make chocolate or caramel cheesecakes I like to get those flavours inside the cheesecake too by swirling them in (I also usually add a hidden layer inside, for extra impact). They will be coming onto my website eventually! 🙂

• Sprinkle of nuts and/or chocolate shavings – Think, macadamia and white chocolate, peanuts and dark chocolate, pecans and chocolate, pistachios or almonds. Lovely addition of texture!

• Pretty spring garden – Edible flowers, petals and leaves (dried or fresh), pistachios, gold leaf! I have visions I hope to make a reality one day. 🙂

How to make this Slab No Bake Cheesecake

This slab form cheesecake is easier than my classic round no bake cheesecake which has a biscuit wall. Although not technically difficult, biscuit walls can be a bit fiddly if you’re a first timer.

The one important step to remember is to line the pan with plenty of paper overhang so you can easily lift the cheesecake out of the pan once it is set.

1. biscoff crust

If you don’t have a food processor, just put the biscuits in a ziplock bag and bash with a rolling pin or meat mallet (it’s very satisfying). Because of the volume we are using, you might find it easier to do this in two batches.

1. Prepare pan – Lightly grease a 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13″ rectangle pan with butter or a plain oil spray (I use canola), just enough for paper to stick. I emphasise LIGHTLY because if you use too much butter, it acts as a glue once refrigerated so you have to wait until the butter softens before removing the cheesecake (Yes I know this from personal experience 😁)

   Then line the pan with baking paper (parchment paper) with LOTS of overhang on the long side, to make it easy to lift the cheesecake out at the end. It’s ok if you don’t get 100% coverage on the base (like mine, because standard baking paper is a little shorter than my pan).

2. Blitz – Break the Biscoff biscuits up roughly by hand and blitz until they become fine crumbs, about 10 to 15 seconds on high, depending on how powerful your food processor is. Add the butter, cinnamon, sugar and salt, then blitz again until it becomes wet sand.

   CHECK for clumping ability! The mixture should press together well when pinched between fingers. This is important to check because structural integrity of the base is key to ensure your cheesecake holds together when you lift it out of the pan!

   ⚠️ Not pressing together? Just add a little extra melted butter. You might have this problem if you used a lower fat biscuit than Biscoff, or if they were a bit stale.

5. Pour the crumbs into the prepared pan.

6. Press it in firmly. The firmer you press it in, the more stable your base will be. Then refrigerate until required.

Note: The idea here with this no-bake biscuit base is that the melted butter solidifies and this is what holds the biscuits crumbs together.

2. BLOOM THE GELATINE

There is no need to fear gelatine! It’s simple to use if you just follow the steps I’ve provided. There’s a reason for every direction!

1. 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, and it makes gelatine powder dissolve so it can be stirring into liquids to make them set.

   ⚠️ Don’t dump the gelatine in one place and don’t pour water into the gelatine. This can cause the gelatine to turn into a big lump immediately.

2. Rubbery! The gelatine should solidify into a firm rubber. If it doesn’t, then your gelatine is dead – time to get another!

3. 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.

4. Cool for 5 minutes while you make the filling. The melted gelatine will be whipped into the filling.

   ⚠️ Make sure the gelatine does not have a skin on the surface or sides when you pour it in as this will not mix into the cheesecake filling properly. If it does, re-heat for 5 seconds in the microwave.

   ⚠️ Do not pour hot gelatine into cream or anything that it could melt or deflate. Cool it first but make sure it’s still in liquid form. It’s ok to use slightly warmer than room temperature.

3. MAKE FILLING

I prefer using a handheld electric beater to make the filling as you can move it around the bowl rather than stopping and scraping down the sides like you’d need to do with a stand mixer. You also only need to use one attachment (the whisks). If you use a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment to whip the cream, then the paddle attachment for the cream cheese step (stand mixer whisk may aerate it too much because it’s more powerful = large unsightly bubbles + risk of collapse mid-setting).

1. Whip cream – Put the cream in a bowl and whip it on high for 2 minutes or until stiff peaks form. We’re not looking for silky soft whipped cream, we want full on stiff whipped cream, as this makes our cheesecake beautiful light and fluffy.

2. Beat cream cheese – Put the cream cheese and sugar in a separate bowl and using the same whisk (no need to clean it), beat for 1 minute on high just until it’s softly smooth. Then add the vanilla, lemon, salt and melted cooled gelatine, then beat it in just until dispersed.⚠️ Don’t beat excessively because it can cause unsightly large air bubbles in the filling (not the end of the world though, I’m just fussy!). 

3. Fold in whipped cream – Using a rubber spatula, fold through about 1/4 of the cream into the cream cheese filling. This lightens up the cream cheese mixture a bit before adding the rest of the cream, so less air is knocked out of the cream.Once the initial cream is mostly mixed through, gently mix through the remaining cream. Don’t stir vigorously as you will knock air out of the whipped cream which will make the cheesecake filling denser than we are aiming for! 

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared crust. 

5. Smooth – Gently spread the filling across the base and smooth the surface.

6. Set – Cover the pan with a large cutting tray, baking tray or foil (not cling wrap, it might sag and touch the surface). Refrigerate for at least 12 hours until the filling is set.

4. REMOVING FROM THE PAN AND DECORATING

1. Remove cheesecake from pan – Use the paper overhang to lift the cheesecake out of the pan and transfer it to your serving platter. Then slide the paper out from underneath.

   Tips/notes:
   – Sagging base: Don’t fret if your base sags a little bit when you lift it out, it still holds together. You’ll see in the recipe video mine is not 100% stiff and straight, and it’s totally ok.
   – Stuck! It you were a little too enthusiastic greasing your pan with butter and your cheesecake is stuck, just wet a tea towel with hot water and put the pan on it to accelerate softening the butter without having to leave the cheesecake out for too long (blazing hot Aussie summers are not a friend of cheesecake). It should only take a minute or two.

2. Decorate as you please! Here’s what I did for a Christmas Cheesecake look. First, spread generously with whipped cream.

3. Pile on berries (I used cherries, raspberries, small strawberries), tuck in orange slices (to break up the visual mass of berries), poke some rosemary sprigs in.

4. Dust with icing sugar / confectionary sugar. This always makes things look so pretty!

Assemble ahead with stabilised whipped cream!

There you go! My brand new Christmas dessert for 2024 built with practicality in mind.

Speaking of which, I have a gold tip for making this ahead! Because even though it’s easy to write the instruction to decorate the cheesecake just prior to serving, the reality is that nobody wants to leave the party to go and whip cream, spread it on the cheesecake, decorate and dust…

But whipped cream, being the delicate thing that it is, starts to deflate within a few hours. But not if you stabilise the whipped cream! You just need to add a little gelatine when you whip the cream, and this will stabilise it enough so it stays fluffy for a couple of days, like it was freshly whipped. It doesn’t alter the texture or taste of the whipped cream, and nobody except you (and anyone you decide to disclose your secret to) will know.

See the recipe notes for how to make the stabilised whipped cream. It’s a game changer for cream decorated cakes – so handy! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Print

Easy Christmas Cheesecake Slab – no bake!

Recipe video above. Based on my classic no-bake cheesecake, this Christmas cheesecake is designed for sizzling Aussie summers because there's no need to turn on the oven, it's no bake! Excellent one to feed lots of people, this captures the light yet lusciously creamy qualities of a classic baked cheesecake, but it's considerably easier to make.

New to gelatine powder? Don't worry! It's affordable, easy to find, easy to use and gives the cheesecake a superior texture that’s smooth and stable, unlike denser or sloppy versions made without it. See FAQ above for rantings!

Decorate with whipped cream, berries and rosemary sprigs for a festive look that's effortless to do.

This will serve 24 people as a smaller dessert (ideal after a big meal) or 18 generous pieces.

Course Sweet

Cuisine Western

Keyword Cheesecake recipe, christmas cheesecake, No bake cheesecake

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Fridge setting 12 hours hours

Servings 18 – 24 people

Calories 288cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Biscuit crust:

• 300g/10 oz Biscoff (38 pieces) or other plain biscuit/cookies 1 1/2 cups crumbs) (Note 1)
• 120g (8 tbsp) unsalted butter , melted
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder (optional, recommended)
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• Pinch of salt

No-bake cheesecake filling:

• 3 1/2 tsp (13.5 g) gelatin powder , unflavoured (Note 2)
• 3 tbsp cold tap water
• 1 1/2 cups thickened or heavy cream , or any whipping cream, FRIDGE COLD (Note 3)
• 750g/ 24 oz cream cheese block (3 blocks, , well softened at room temperature – don't use tub (Note 4)
• 1 1/4 cups caster sugar / superfine sugar (Note 5)
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (not critical, can do without)

Whipped cream (Chantilly cream)

• 2 cups thickened or heavy cream , or any whipping cream, FRIDGE COLD (Note 3)
• 3 tbsp caster sugar / superfine sugar (or double quantity of icing sugar, sifted)
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Christmas decoration

• Strawberries (halve or quarter larger ones, mine were small)
• Berries – I used blackberries and raspberries
• Cherries
• Rosemary sprigs
• 6 orange slices , cut into half moons
• Icing sugar / confectionary sugar , for dusting

Cups – Metric

Instructions

ABBREVIATED RECIPE:

• Blitz crumb. Press into 33 x 23 cm / 9 x 13" lined pan with paper overhang (important). Bloom gelatine in the water, re-melt. Whip cream. In separate bowl whip cream cheese + sugar, then vanilla, lemon, salt and gelatine. Fold in 1/4 cream, then remaining cream. Fill pan, fridge 12 hours, decorate!

FULL RECIPE:

Line pan with overhang:

• Line – Grease a 23 x 33 cm / 9 x 13" can VERY lightly with butter or spray with a plain oil (I use canola). Line with parchment/baking paper with lots of overhang on the long side to lift the cheesecake out once set (see photos).

Biscuit crust:

• Blitz – Break up biscuits roughly by hand and place in a food processor. Blitz until it becomes fine crumbs (~30 seconds).
• Add butter – Add the butter, cinnamon and salt. Blitz until it resembles wet sand (~ 10 second). It should stay together when pinched between your fingers.
• Press – Pour into the prepared pan. Spread then use your hand or something flat to press it in firmly (firmer = more stable base). Refrigerate until required.

Gelatine (Note 2):

• Bloom gelatine – Put the water in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatine across the surface (don't dump it in one place. Whisk until dissolved then set aside for 3 minute or until it firms up like rubber.
• Melt – Microwave for 15 seconds on high or until it melts (do not let it boil). Cool for 5 minutes while you make the filling (make sure it's still liquid when you use it, if there's a skin on surface or walls, warm for 5 seconds to liquify).

No-bake cheesecake filling:

• Whip cream – Put the cream in a bowl and whip it with an electric beater on high for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes until firm peaks form (ie not softly whipped, we want good aeration!).
• Whip cream cheese – Put the cream cheese and sugar in a separate large bowl. Using the same beater (no need to clean), beat on high for 1 1/2 minutes just until it's soft and smooth. Add the vanilla, lemon and melted gelatine, then beat for 10 seconds on high to mix it through thoroughly. Don't beat excessively as we don't want too many air bubbles in the cheesecake (unsightly).
• Fold – Add about 1/4 of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Gently fold through using a rubber spatula or large spoon (don't mix aggressively, you'll knock all the air out of the cream!). Then fold in the rest of the cream.
• Refrigerate – Pour into the pan and smooth the surface. Refrigerate for 12 hours+ to set.

Decorating:

• Remove – Use the paper overhang to lift the cheesecake out of the pan and transfer it onto a serving platter. Then slide the paper out from underneath. Refrigerate until ready to decorate.
• Whip cream – Put the ingredients in a bowl and whip on high for 2 to 3 minutes until softly whipped. (Use an electric beater or stand mixer fitted with a whisk. Also, see Note 6 for stabilising to assemble ahead).
• Decorate – Spread the cream in big swirls across the surface of the cake. Pile on the berries and cherries, tuck in the orange slices and rosemary. Dust with icing sugar then cut into slices and serve!

Notes

1. Biscoff base – You’ll need to get 2 standard Biscoff packets (250g / 8.8oz each, 32 biscuits in each), and to use 1 full packet plus 6 extra biscuits (this is 300g/10 oz).

Substitute with any other plain sweet biscuits (ie no chocolate coating or filling like Oreos), like Marie crackers, digestives, graham crackers. If the biscuit you use doesn’t hold together when pinched after mixing in the butter, just add a bit of extra butter until it does (some types are a little drier).

For holiday spice flavour (built into Biscoff), add 1/8 tsp each nutmeg, all spice and ginger powder (or an extra 1/2 tsp cinnamon).

Packet crumbs (eg Graham Cracker Crumbs) – 2 1/2 cups crumbs = 300g / 10 oz

2. Gelatine – Sold in small containers or little sachets in the baking aisle. See in post for gelatine using tips. Needs to be liquid when used so re-melt again if needed, but make sure it’s not hot!

Other recipes that use gelatine: Mango Cheesecake, Trifle, Nutella cheesecake, Mirror glaze.

3. Cream – Make sure the one you get can be whipped! Not all cream is made for whipping. Label will say if it can be whipped. Also ensure you use the cream straight out of the fridge, cold, so it whips properly. Warm cream will not whip.

4. Cream cheese blocks are firmer than tubs (softer, for spreading). If you can only get the tubs, it’s fine, but increase the gelatine to 4 tsp.

Ensure the cream cheese is well softened at room temperature so it is easy to whip until smooth and for the gelatine to mix through – nobody wants lumps of gelatine in their cheesecake!

5. Sugar – If you only have regular white sugar / granulated sugar, beat the cream cheese + sugar for longer or until there’s no sugar grains (rub between fingers). Filling might have some air bubbles but that’s a minor sacrifice for no sugar grit!

Sweetness note – This cheesecake is not overly sweet, it is French patisserie/Japanese cakes level sweet. If you want American-level-sweet, increase the sugar to 1 3/4 cups.

6. Stabilised whipped cream – To assemble the day before or 3+ hours ahead, it’s best to stabilise the whipped cream (else it deflates/weeps).

Method: Sprinkle 2 tsp gelatine across surface of 2 tbsp water then follow the same steps in this recipe to bloom, re-melt then cool. While cream per recipe, adding the gelatine halfway through whipping. Spread on cake, refrigerate until serving, cream will be like freshly whipped for 2 – 3 days.

Alternatively, you can use my mascarpone method (recipe here) but it’s richer than I’d opt for this recipe, plus you need to go out and get mascarpone (whereas we already have gelatine!).

Storage – Keep it in the fridge and serve cool or cold. Cream is best spread as close to serving as you can as it will deflate a bit after a few hours, though if you beat it a little stiffer it holds better or you can stabilise it (see note 6 above). Cheesecake base is at its best 12 – 36 hours after putting it in the fridge, then softens a little bit (not very noticeable) on days 3 and 4, then a bit more at the 4 day mark (but not anything people complain about). Cheesecake filling keeps the shorter of the cream shelf life, or 7 days (though cream does deflate). 

Not suitable for freezing (filling gets sloppy).

Nutrition per serving assuming 18 servings, excluding cream (I cannot be responsible for how much cream you smother on top!). Lower than I expected! It’s practically diet food! 😉

Nutrition

Calories: 288cal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 360mg | Potassium: 158mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 500IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 1mg

My signature Christmas desserts

Christmas Cake – moist, easy fruit cake

Pavlova!!

Christmas Trifle!

Pavlova Christmas Tree

Never Ending Meringue Tart

Mini Pavlovas

No Bake Mango Cheesecake

Mini Cheesecakes

Christmas Desserts

Life of Dozer

After Dozer’s fertiliser munching emergency-vet-run earlier this week, happy to report he seems fine. Here he is, looking contrite and apologetic for all the worry and hassle he caused. (You need to look closely to catch the apology in his eyes. You might need to blow up the photos. Dozer also thanks everybody for their concern and well wishes.)

The post Easy Christmas Cheesecake Slab – no bake! appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.