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

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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.

This is a No Bake Cheesecake that tastes very similar to a classic Baked Cheesecake, made without the fuss of baking! It boasts an exceptionally smooth, light-yet-creamy filling and a buttery, crumbly crust that everybody is mad for.

The best no-bake cheesecake

I am fiercely loyal to my classic baked cheesecake, but a no-bake version is perfect for hot summer days or when I’m short on time because I don’t have to fuss with baking.

That said, I have a very firm view that a no-bake cheesecake shouldn’t compromise on quality for convenience. Like a classic baked cheesecake, the filling should be rich yet light, with a silky smooth texture, but set enough to cut neat slices.

To achieve this, we need gelatin powder. It’s affordable, widely available, and it’s essential for a successful no-bake cheesecake. I’ve tried it without, and trust me—it either doesn’t set or requires way more cream cheese, making it too dense (see FAQ for more details). There has been a LOT of cheesecake coming out of my kitchen lately!

My attempt at proving the creaminess of the filling to you – an elegant smear. 😂 There’s a better demo in the recipe video below!

Ingredients for No Bake Cheesecake

Here’s what you need to make this no-bake cheesecake. Not that much actually! I find the most challenging thing is planning ahead so there’s sufficient time for it to set in the fridge (6 hours for this one).

What you need for a no-bake cheesecake fillinG

See rant in the introduction paragraph above for why I insist we use gelatine! And remember – easy. And cheap. 🙂

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

  Softened at 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!)

  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 – I prefer to use powder rather than gelatine leaves when I can because it’s simple to use, sold at regular grocery stores, cheap 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 – just 2 tablespoons – so we don’t dilute flavour.

• Whipping cream – Whipped cream helps create a lovely light textured filling. 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! Eat salad tomorrow.
  2. Fridge cold! The cream needs to be fridge cold else it will not whip.

• 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. 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 pure and unaltered in the recipe.

• 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.

• 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.

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!

How to make a No Bake Cheesecake

If there’s one piece of advice I can give you, it’s to know that cheesecakes are not as fragile as you think they are! The biscuit crust will look a little loose and crumbly when you first press it into the pan. But once the cream cheese filling is in, it will absorb moisture which makes it set more, and once the filing is set, it holds the whole cheesecake together quite firmly.

So, handle the finished cheesecake with care but there’s no need to be terrified! (I’m talking to my 18 year old self here 😂).

1. inverted base (pro tip!)

To make it easier to remove finished cheesecake, flip the base of the springform pan so it’s upside down. Why? Because this way you don’t need to worry about bumping the cheesecake over the lip of the base which could cause cracks in the crust. Instead, it will glide off smoothly!

1. Flip the base of a 20cm/8″ springform upside down.

2. Clip with excess paper sticking out – Grease very lightly with butter, just enough to hold the paper in place so it’s not sliding around when you clip the sides in. Then top with a square sheet of paper and clip the sides in so the excess paper is sticking out.

   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!

2. Cheesecake crust

I’m an absolute sucker for the crumbly, buttery biscuit crust of cheesecakes. So I insist on a biscuit wall. But if you want to take the easier path, just do a biscuit base and leave the sides naked.

1. Break biscuits up roughly by hand and put them in a food processor.

2. Blitz until they become fine crumbs, about 10 to 15 seconds on high, depending on how powerful your food processor is.

3. Add the butter, cinnamon, sugar and salt, then blitz again until it becomes wet sand.

4. Wet sand! It should press together when pinched between fingers.

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

5. 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. No need to be overly neat at first, do it roughly initially then refine it (next step).

6. Press and neaten – Use something with a flat base and vertical walls (I use a measuring cup) to press the crumbs firmly into the walls and the base. It will seem a little fragile at this stage but once the filling is in and the cheesecake has been refrigerated, the crust becomes firm and crispy.

   Tip: For an extra neat crust, run the measuring cup (or whatever tool you use) back and forth along the corner to make it a neat 90° angle rather than curved. I also like to use a butter knife along the rim to tidy it up, but it’s not essential (you’ll see me demo this in the video).

2. BLOOM THE GELATINE

Gelatine is 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.

   ⚠️ 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.

   ⚠️ 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. If it solidifies again, re-melt gently.

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 = 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 lichens 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 nudge into the corners then smooth the surface.

6. Set – Refrigerate for at least 6 hours (12 hours is safest) or until the filling is set. I do this uncovered but if your fridge has strong smells (garlic or marinated meats come to mind) you will want to cover it.

4. REMOVING FROM THE CAKE PAN AND DECORATING

In this step, you are going to be so grateful I insisted that you invert the base of the cake pan!

1. Sides first – Gently unclip then remove the sides of the springform pan.

2. Slide paper off base – Grip the paper overhang and slide the cheesecake off the base onto a serving platter.

   ⚠️ If the paper is stuck to the base, it’s because you used too much butter which, when ice cold, glues firmly to the paper! You can either warm the underside of the pan to melt the butter slightly (like putting it on a tea towel damp with warm water) or run a large offset spatula, knife or something else long and thin under the paper to loosen it.

3. Slice cheesecake off paper – Then slide the paper out from under the cheesecake. I sort of hold the cheesecake in place as I’m pulling the paper out from underneath it.

   ⚠️You shouldn’t have trouble with the cheesecake sticking to the paper in this step. If you do, it is probably the excess butter from the biscuit crust that has adhered to the paper when it solidified in the fridge. Just give it 5 minutes or so to soften and loosen then try again. Else, do as above and run a large offset spatula or knife under the crust.

4. Decorate (optional) – If you’d like to decorate your cheesecake as pictured in this post, pipe whipped cream along the edge then top every second swirl with a halved strawberry. See below for more decorating ideas.

Other cheesecake decorating ideas

Sometimes, the best cheesecake is one that is left un-adorned. Just 100% cheesecake perfection! You won’t feel like you’re missing anything, eating a plain slice of cheesecake (at least, not one that’s made well, which of course, ours is! 😉)

However, when you’ve got company or if you’re taking this cheesecake somewhere, it is nice to decorate it. Here are some ideas:

• Whipped cream piped along the edge with halved strawberries, as pictured;

• Full coverage whipped cream – Spread softly whipped cream all over the surface, doing big beautiful swirls, then scatter with mixed berries and dust with icing sugar (powdered sugar);

• Either of the above with passionfruit;

• Serve slices with a dollop of whipped cream on the side and some strawberries or other berries;

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

• Sauce – You could also 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. 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!

That’s cheesecake perfection, right there.

I hope you try this one of these days. It’s such a beautiful, elegant dessert and everyone who has tried this always comments on how it tastes decadent but it’s not too rich, and borders on the “just sweet enough” line.

In fact, I’ve added tips in the recipe to dial up the sweetness for people who prefer “American-level-sweet” because as a general rule, American cake recipes tend to be on the high end of sweetness compared to, say, French and Japanese which are on the lower end.

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! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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No bake cheesecake

Recipe video above. To make a no-bake cheesecake that rivals a classic baked one, using gelatine is essential. It's affordable, easy to find, easy to use, and results in a superior cheesecake compared to denser or sloppy alternatives made without gelatine. See FAQ above for rantings!

The filling is exceptionally light-yet-creamy and melts into a smooth, velvety texture with every bite. And everybody loves the crispy, crumbly buttery crust!

PS 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 cup.

Course Sweet

Cuisine Western

Keyword Cheesecake recipe, No bake cheesecake

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Fridge setting 6 hours hours

Servings 12

Calories 288cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

Biscuit crust:

• 200g/7 oz digestive biscuits (13 pieces, 1 2/3 cups crumbs), or other plain biscuits/cookies
• 90g (6 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder (optional)
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• Pinch of salt

No-bake cheesecake filling:

• 2 1/4 tsp (9 g) gelatin powder , unflavoured (Note 2)
• 2 tbsp cold tap water
• 1 cup thickened or heavy cream , or any whipping cream, FRIDGE COLD (Note 3)
• 500g/ 16 oz cream cheese block (not tub), well softened at room temperature (Note 4)
• 3/4 cup caster sugar / superfine sugar (Note 5)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (not critical, can do without)

Optional decorations:

• 6 strawberries , halved (plus extra for serving)
• Whipped cream (half batch for decorating, or full batch for extra to serving on side)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

ABBREVIATED RECIPE:

• Blitz crumb ingredients. Press into 20cm/8" inverted base lined springform. 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 crust, fridge 6 hours.

FULL RECIPE:

Inverted cake pan:

• Invert & line – Turn the base of a 20cm/8" springform pan UPSIDE DOWN (Note 6). Grease with butter very lightly. Place a square piece of parchment/baking paper on the base. Then clip into the springform pan – excess paper will stick out.
• Line sides – Butter and line the side of the pan.

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 cake tin. Use a spatula to roughly spread it out over the base and up the walls. Then flatten and press the base and walls using something with a flat base and vertical edges (I used a measuring cup). Aim for the wall to be ~9mm (0.35") from the top of the rim (Note 7). Refrigerate crust 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).

No-bake cheesecake filling:

• Whip cream – Put the cream in a bowl and whip it with an electric beater on high for 2 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 minute 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 crust, smooth the surface. Refrigerate for 6 hours+ to set.

Serving:

• Remove sides of the cake pan. Use then overhang paper to slide cheesecake off the cake pan base onto a serving platter. Then slide the cheesecake off the paper.
• Decorate the top with whipped cream and strawberries, if desired (or just dollop whipped cream on the plate). Cut into slices and serve!

Notes

1. Biscuit base – You can use any plain biscuits you want (ie no filling like Oreos, no chocolate coating). If the biscuit you use doesn’t hold together when pinched, just add a bit of extra butter until it does (some types are a little drier)

Packet crumbs (eg Graham Cracker Crumbs) – 1 2/3 cups crumbs = 200g / 7oz

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 2 3/4 tsp.

Ensure the cream cheese is well softened at room temperature so it is easy to whip until smooth.

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!

6. Inverted cake pan – So the cheesecake can slide off the base smoothly rather than dealing with the lip which could cause crackage. It can be a bit fiddly to clip it in, but you’ll get there! Worth it, to eliminate cracking risk.

7. Wall height – If you want to be exact, my biscuit wall is 4.8 cm (1.9″) high measuring from the surface of the clipped in inverted cake pan. I build up the biscuit wall so it is 9mm (0.35″) lower than the top of the rim. My springform pan sides are 7cm high (2.76″).

But, don’t fret about being exact! If your walls are a little lower, just don’t use all the filling. If they’re a little higher, you can always scrape off and tidy the edge at the end (once set and sides released).

Storage – Keep it in the fridge and serve cool or cold. Keeps the shorter of the cream shelf life, or 7 days though the biscuit base does start to soften at the 4 day mark. The cream piped on top will deflate a bit but it’s not a big deal because it’s a small amount.

Nutrition per serving assuming 12 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

Life of Dozer

As promised in the last post – home movie of a day in the Life of Dozer!

The post No bake cheesecake appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

The iconic Basque Cheesecake has landed! With a mousse-like creamy vanilla texture and gorgeous golden “burnt” surface, the flavours remind me of créme caramel. You’ll be amazed how easy this recipe is (she says, 25 versions later 😅).

Basque cheesecake

The next time you want to make a cake that really stands out, make this Basque Cheesecake. Sure, people ooh and aah over the appearance. That golden surface, after all, screams look at me!

And you’ll get street cred for making something that’s on-trend. Though, I’m a few years late. Everybody knows I’m not cool enough to keep up with food trends. 😂

But it’s the eating part that really blows everyone away. Beautifully light and airy inside, almost like mousse. Just sweet enough, tastes luxurious yet not at all rich.

And of course, there’s the “burnt” surface, with the distinct caramel flavour. Combined with the vanilla cheesecake underneath, the flavour reminds me of créme caramel. It’s to-die for!

Ingredients

There’s very few ingredients in Basque Cheesecake. Making a great one comes down to technique!

• Cream cheese – Philadelphia is my go-to, but we made this with a variety of brands (including most economical) and it still worked great. Tub spreadable cream cheese also works, albeit the inside is marginally more creamy (some would find it even more appealing!) But DO NOT USE LOW FAT! Won’t set properly.

• Measuring the eggs – This recipe calls for 220g / 200 ml / 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon of whisked eggs which is 4 to 5 large eggs. Yes, I really need you to measure the eggs for this recipe, because those selfish chickens, they just won’t lay the same size eggs every time! And using the right amount really matters for the best outcome with this recipe. Too little, and the cheesecake won’t set. Too much, and it gets denser.

  I rarely ask this in cakes – only when it matters. So please measure the eggs! Crack, whisk, measure. 🙂

• Whipping cream – Make sure you use cream that can be whipped. Not all creams are, some are made for just pouring or dolloping. Read the label to check. And – NO LOW FAT! 🙂

  The recipe calls for you to take it out of the fridge 15 minutes prior to use. This is to take the fridge chill out of it slightly, so it incorporates better with the other ingredients.

• Flour – This stabilises the filling so it stays aerated and fluffy once baked. We use the minimum amount possible – too much flour makes the filling drier.

• Vanilla – Use vanilla extract or bean paste. Imitation vanilla flavour is not as good because it’s….well, it’s imitation. 🙂

• Sugar – Caster / superfine sugar is best here as the grains are finer so it dissolves more easily. However, regular sugar can be used too.

How to make Basque Cheesecake

Basic recipes will have you just dump everything into a bowl and mix. Easier. But the inside is not as light and airy, as Basque Cheesecake should be!

Lining the pan

1. Scrunch up baking / parchment paper in your hands. This makes it easier to press and stay in the pan as well as creating the signature rustic sides on the cheesecake.

2. Fit the paper into the cake pan. There’s no need to grease the pan to make the paper stick, just fit it in – the batter will weight it down. Press the paper into the corners of the pan and fold the sides down over the rim.

   Don’t be tempted to try to make the cheesecake sides smooth by lining the cake pan the traditional way with flat strips of paper! The crumpled paper actually keeps the sides of the cheesecake from overcooking as it’s not fully pressed against the pan walls. Flat paper = thicker band of drier cheesecake. Tried and tested!

Basque cheesecake batter

No tricky steps here! The method is designed specifically to achieve an incredible delicate, “mousse-like” texture that you get with the very best traditional Basque Cheesecakes.

Use a handheld electric beater or stand mixer with the paddle attachment. I personally prefer hand-held beater because the beating times are pretty short, and you can move it around which means less scraping down sides.

1. Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Then beat in the sugar, just until incorporated.

2. Cream and flour – In a separate bowl, using a handheld whisk, whisk the flour with about 1/4 of the cream until it’s lump free. It will become paste-like. ⚠️Don’t add too much cream at the beginning otherwise it’s impossible to whisk in the flour without lumps!

3. Then whisk in the remaining cream and vanilla. Just whisk until mixed in. We’re not making whipped cream here!

4. Pour the cream mixture into the cream cheese while beating on low speed.

5. Pour slowly whisked eggs into the mixture while beating on low speed. ⚠️Stop beating as soon as the eggs are incorporated to minimise bubbles in the batter. This leads to unsightly blemishes on the cake surface! (Just visual, so not the end of the world).

6. Batter thickness – This is the thickness of the batter. Pourable but thick and silky!

Baking and cooling

Bake until the surface is deeply caramelised but not burnt. The baking times will vary from oven to oven, but the inside will be the same light and airy whether it takes 45 minutes (my oven) or 65 minutes (JB’s oven). We checked this multiple times because we couldn’t believe our eyes!

1. Bubble popping – For a lovely blemish free surface, bang the pan on the counter to make bubbles rise to the surface. Then pop the bubbles with a small sharp knife. Repeat 2 or 3 times. This is for visuals only, it’s not a big deal!

2. Bake for 45 minutes in a hot 220°C / 425°F (200°C fan-forced), or until the surface is a deep golden brown. Keep a close eye on it for the last 15 minutes. There’s a fine line between “deeply caramelised” and “burnt”. Don’t fall on the wrong side of the line!

   ⚠️ Bake time variations – With the many versions we tested, we found that the bake time can vary wildly between ovens. With most ovens, it takes 45 minutes. But in other ovens, it was taking as long as 65 minutes for the surface to become golden – and that’s ok! The inside will still be creamy. This was an incredible observation from the many versions we made. This cheesecake batter is extremely forgiving!

3. This is the colour we’re aiming for. Very deep golden brown but not actually burnt on the edges. And a little paler in the middle. The centre should be jiggly like soft jelly! If it’s not wobbly, it’s overcooked = dry cheesecake = 😭 The jiggly centre will firm up once refrigerated.

4. Rise & fall – As it bakes, the cheesecake rises dramatically like a soufflé. It even rises above the rim of a 6cm / 2.5″ cake pan! But don’t get too excited because as it cools, it collapses….

5. Collapsed – And here it is once cool. The crater is totally normal. 🙂

6. Cool – Let the cheesecake cool on the counter for a couple of hours. Then refrigerate uncovered for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.

   I refrigerate uncovered because even the smallest amount of residual heat left in the centre of the cheesecake will cause condensation which will drip and blemish the beautiful bronzed surface.

Once the cheesecake has been refrigerated, it’s time to EAT!!

Matters of serving

I like to serve Basque Cheesecake on the paper because it looks rustic, the classic Basque Cheesecake look.

But you can absolutely do a neater presentation and transfer to a cake platter without the paper. Once refrigerated overnight, so it’s easy to handle.

It cuts into neat slices, so serve it like cake. For neat slices, wipe the knife clean between each cut. You can dip into a jug of warm water, if you like, but it will smear the cut face. I personally prefer the “sponge-like” look so I just wipe the knife clean.

As for what to serve Basque Cheesecake with? Absolutely nothing. No cream, no berries, no coulis, no sauce. It doesn’t need it. Enjoy every bite plain, and if you don’t sigh with satisfaction, you must be made of stone. – Nagi x

RECIPE CREDITS

Iconic recipes like today’s Basque Cheese are often the result of a collective team effort, and I just want to take a moment to thank those involved. Because it was a difficult one!!

Many thanks to Jennifer Pogmore, French pastry Chef extraordinaire, who has found herself in the unlikely position as my baking mentor. Located in France, we work online together, experimenting and developing recipes. She is exceptionally talented, classically trained at Le Cordon Bleu where she subsequently returned as a teacher after years of working in Parisian pastry boutiques.

I feel very fortunate that our paths crossed! Much of the groundwork on what makes a perfect Basque Cake is attributed to Jennifer, drawing on her experience from her time in the Basque Country.

The recipe was then picked up by JB and I who then took it through its paces here in Sydney. Collectively, we made at least 25 versions of Basque Cheesecake, testing various iterations.

Why am I so extreme with the testing? Because this is such an iconic, traditional Spanish recipe, we want to do it well. This Basque Cheesecake recipe really does work as promised, and it is truly excellent, because we would not settle for anything less! I hope you love it as much as we do. ~Nagi, JB and Jennifer

Watch how to make it

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Basque Cheesecake

Recipe video above. This is the iconic Burnt Basque Cheesecake, in all its rustic perfection with the signature golden "burnt" surface that tastes like caramel, and light-as-air creamy vanilla cheesecake inside. Stunningly luscious yet light, and not that sweet at all!

The surface becomes golden by baking at a higher temp than classic baked cheesecakes – 160C/320F vs 220°C/425°F for Basque.

This recipe is not a basic "dump and beat" recipe, but the result is better. Texture is fluffier, as it should be, with no thick band of dry overcooked cheesecake (notorious problem!). Use a handheld electric beater or stand mixer with the paddle attachment. See Note 5 about speeds.

Course Sweet Baking

Cuisine Basque country, Spain

Keyword basque cheesecake, burnt basque cheesecake

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Cooling / chilling 8 hours hours

Servings 12

Calories 398cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 750 g / 1.5 lb cream cheese blocks , room temperature (I use Philadelphia, Note 1)
• 1 cup caster / superfine sugar (regular white sugar ok too)
• 1 1/4 cups whipping cream , take out of fridge 15 minutes prior (Note 2)
• 1/4 cup flour , plain/all-purpose
• 1 tsp vanilla bean extract or paste
• 3/4 cups + 1 tbsp lightly whisked eggs , at room temperature, ~4-5 large eggs (yes, I need you to measure! Note 3)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• See below for full length written recipe. Shorthand recipe is for experienced bakers.
  

Shorthand recipe

• Prep – Preheat oven to 220°C / 425°F (200°C fan) with the shelf in the middle. Press scrunched paper into 20cm/8" springform pan.
• Batter – Beat cream cheese 2 minutes on medium. Beat in sugar on low speed for 10 seconds. In separate bowl, hand whisk 1/4 cup cream with the flour (becomes like paste). Whisk in remaining cream and vanilla. While beating on low, slowly pour cream into cream cheese, then eggs (don't overbeat).
• Bake – Pour into pan, bang pan on counter, pop bubbles with knife. Bake 45 min (up to 65 min possible, Note 8) until top deep golden. Cool 2 hrs on counter then 8 hrs+ in fridge uncovered. Ready for serving!
  

Full instructions recipe

• Preheat oven to 220°C / 425°F (200°C fan) with the shelf in the middle of the oven.
• Pan prep (Note 4) – Press 2 x 40cm/16" sheets of scrunched up baking/parchment paper arranged in an "X" into a 20cm/8" springform pan (6cm / 2.5" tall), and fold down over the rim to hold in place. You'll need to scrunch/pleat to fit which creates the signature rustic sides! The batter will weigh it down so don't worry if it doesn't stay in.
• Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed, until smooth and lump-free. Add sugar and beat on low speed for 10 seconds.
• Flour & cream (Note 6) – Put about 1/4 of the cream and all the flour in a medium bowl. Hand whisk until lump free (it will be paste-like), then slowly pour in the remaining cream while whisking. Once flour is incorporated, whisk in vanilla. (PS not making whipped cream here! Should be pourable)
• Slowly pour the cream into the cream cheese bowl with the beater going on low. Beat just until combined. Then slowly pour the eggs in while the beater is still on low speed. As soon as the eggs are incorporated, stop beating to minimise getting bubbles in the batter (Note 7).
• Remove air bubbles – Pour into the prepared pan. Bang the pan on the counter then pop bubbles that rise to the surface with a small sharp knife. I do repeat 3 to 5 times. (Note 7)
• Bake 45 minutes or until the surface is a deep golden brown. It can take up to 65 minutes and that's fine! (Seriously, read Note 8) Keep a close eye on it for the last 15 minutes, you want it deeply golden but not burnt. The centre will still be wobbly and the cake will rise like a soufflé.
• Chill overnight – Cool in the cake pan for at least 2 hours on the counter (it will sink, that's normal). Then refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours, uncovered.
• Serving – Release the sides of the springform pan. Hold excess paper overhang to lift off base onto a cutting board or plate. Fold down sides – I love serving it on the paper, it's part of the visuals! Bring to room temp for 30 minutes if time permits, though also great served chilled. Cut like cake! Eat as is – doesn't need cream, berries etc.

Notes

1. Cream cheese – 3 x 250g/8oz blocks. Philadelphia is my go-to, but we made this with a variety of brands (including most economical) and it still worked great. Tub spreadable cream cheese also works, albeit the inside is marginally more creamy (some would find it even more appealing!) But DO NOT USE LOW FAT! Won’t set properly.

2. Whipping cream – Make sure you use cream that can be whipped. Not all creams are. Read the label. 🙂 And again, NO LOW FAT! 🙂 Taking it out of the fridge prior to use is to de-chill slightly so it incorporates better with the other ingredients.

3. Measuring the eggs – Yes, I really need you to measure the eggs for this recipe, because selfish chickens just won’t lay the same size eggs every time. I rarely ask this in cakes – only when it matters! (PS Eggs are slightly lighter than water so 220g eggs = 200 ml).

4. Pan & lining – Don’t get too hung up about the paper, the batter will weigh it down. Scrunch paper in your fist, makes it easier to fit into pan and you get the signature nubbly sides. Fit into corners as best you can – sometimes I use cans to mould in while I make filling. Also prevents side from overcooking (because side is not in full contact with pan). Don’t grease the pan – conducts heat and the sides will get too brown. 

No springform pan? It’s ok, just use a slightly larger paper so you can lift the cake out of your regular 20cm/8″ cake pan (6cm / 2.5″ high).

5. Beater speeds: Low = lowest speed, medium = halfway (eg speed 5 of 10), medium high = 3/4 of the way (eg speed7 of 10).

6. Cream & flour – Be careful not to pour in too much cream at the beginning else you’ll get pesky flour lumps.

7. Air bubbles in batter = browned lumps on surface of cooked cake. It’s just a visual thing, totally not a big deal. Almost always have some bubbles on the surface 🙂

8. Baking time – Go by surface colour to tell when it’s done. The bake time differs from 45 minutes to 65 minutes depending on oven brands. Mine is a Miele (45 min), JB‘s Westinghouse takes 65 min. End result is the same, both surface colour and creaminess of inside. It’s extraordinary! We tested this quite extensively because we found it hard to believe ourselves. 🙂

9. Leftovers will keep for 5 days in the fridge. Flavour gets even better on Day 2 and beyond! Not suitable for  freezing.

Nutrition per serving, assuming 12 servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 398cal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 146mg | Sodium: 224mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 1283IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 0.5mg

Life of Dozer

Promised look at the kitchen of the Air BNB I stayed at on the Colo River in a rural area just 90 minutes north of Sydney! Gorgeous. This is the sort of kitchen that speaks to me! Character – but with a killer stove and oven and a big sink. Yes!

Not a bad view while doing the dishes. 🙂

The post Basque Cheesecake appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

HOT OFF THE PRESS: I found out my cookbook made the New York Times Best Sellers list!! Much screeching, jumping and tears, captured in this home movie ❤️:

Enough about me. Back to today’s recipe for you – Cheesecake Stuffed Carrot-Bundt Cake!

Not usually a fan of bundt cakes. Too much cake, not enough frosting. But THIS, I’m all over! Three cake favourites in one – a creamy cheesecake stuffed inside carrot cake with a thick cream cheese glaze. YES!

Not your usual bundt cake!

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I don’t understand the appeal of bundt cakes. It’s a thick wad of cake, usually drizzled with a pretty thin glaze. No fluffy frosting sandwiched inside like a layer cake, nor smothered with whipped cream with piles of juicy fruit like pavlova.

Too much cake. Not enough of the fun stuff!

So I decided to up the fun-factor by stuffing it with cheesecake. Inspired by a cake I first saw on my friend Jennifer Sabin Sattley’s website, Carlsbad Cravings. Perfect for a party, it combines two holiday favorites into one – a carrot Bundt cake with creamy cheesecake inside, with a generous amount of thick cream cheese glaze!

What you need

Here’s what you need to make this.

Cheesecake filling

Basically everything you need for cheesecake!

• Cream cheese – Blocks are the standard choice for cooking but actually, the spreadable cream cheese in tubs works fine too. You will need 2 whole blocks for this recipe – we use half of one block in the glaze.

• Sour cream – Lightens up the cheesecake a bit. Without, it’s just a little rich for my taste. I use sour cream in all my cheesecake recipes.

• Flour – This stabilises the cheesecake mixture. Without, it doesn’t set.

• Large egg at room temperature. 50 – 55g / 2 oz each, “large eggs” labelled on the carton. Make sure it isn’t fridge cold else it won’t incorporate into the mixture and you’ll end up with lumpy cheesecake. Yup – been there, done that!

  Egg plus the flour is what sets the filling so it doesn’t become a runny messy inside the cake.

• Lemon zest – Hint of freshness. Love it.

• Sugar – For sweetness. Regular / granulated or caster / superfine is fine here.

• Vanilla – For flavour.

Carrot cake bundt cake

Here’s what you need for the Carrot Cake part. It is exactly the same as my classic Carrot Cake! The “secret ingredients” in this are:

• Crushed  pineapple (canned) – this adds to the moistness of the crumb, as well as sweetness and flavour. We’re going to use all of the pineapple and some of the juice; and

• Coconut and walnuts (or pecans) – they add a subtle soft crunch which provides great textural contrast in this cake that has a very soft crumb.

• Crushed canned pineapple in natural juice. If the liquid is sweetened, it will still work but unsweetened is better. Can’t find crushed pineapple? Just chop up rings or pieces.

  See above photo for commentary on why it’s a secret ingredient in this cake!

• Baking soda / bi-carb rather than baking powder. It’s ~3x stronger than baking powder and works better in this cake which benefits from the extra power to make it rise. It’s a sizeable cake! I haven’t tested with baking powder because I’m pretty sure the cake won’t rise as well.

• Vinegar activates the baking soda to give it a kick start. Don’t worry, you can’t taste it!

• Carrots – peeled and shredded using a standard box grater.

• Desiccated coconut – Finely shredded coconut, not the large flakes. Unsweetened is best (this is standard in Australia).

• Walnuts – For fabulous CRUNCHY!

• Brown sugar for caramel-y goodness and makes the cake crumb softer and more moist than white sugar.

• Oil instead of butter which also keeps cakes moist. Why? Simple – butter firms up. Even after melting in a cake. Oil does not. So – moister! (Is that a word??)

• Plain / all-purpose flour, not cake flour which will make the cake too damp. Also, self-raising flour cannot be used here. Wrong ratio of rising agent to flour.

• Large eggs at room temperature. 50 – 55g / 2 oz each, “large eggs” labelled on the carton. Make sure they aren’t fridge cold else they won’t incorporate into the mixture.

Thick cream cheese glaze

Not a fan of thin see-through glazes. I like mine THICK! The frosting is always the best part, right? 😀 (Though actually, in this cake, it ties with the cheesecake part. The cake is just a vehicle to deliver the glaze and cheesecake. 🤣)

• Cream cheese – The rest of the block is used for the cheesecake stuffing.

• Butter – For buttery richness in the glaze.

• Icing sugar / powdered sugar – Australia: use soft icing sugar, not pure icing sugar which is intended for hard-set icing like royal icing that you decorate biscuits with.

• Milk – For loosening. USE WITH CAUTION as I find glazes go from too thick to too thin with just the tiniest amount of liquid!

• Lemon and vanilla – For flavour.

How to make cheesecake stuffed bundt cake

OK – the making part! It’s pretty fun actually. Love piping the cheesecake filling into the cake!

1. Cheesecake filling first

Make the cheesecake filling first so it can firm up a bit in the fridge while you make the batter. This makes it easier to pipe.

1. Beat – Beat the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla just until smooth. Beat in flour, just until incorporated. Then beat in the egg until mixed in.

   The goal here is to make the filling smooth but minimise the air incorporated into the mixture which can create air bubbles when baking. It’s just a visual think though, and won’t affect the taste!

2. Fridge – Transfer cheesecake mix into a piping bag fitting with a 1.5 – 2 cm / ~0.6″ round nozzle. Then refrigerate while you assemble the rest of the cake.

2. Batter

It’s very easy – mix wet, mix dry, mix wet and dry!

1. Drain pineapple well in a colander, pressing out excess liquid. Reserve the liquid – you need some for the batter. Use the rest for your morning smoothie!

2. Whisk wet cake batter ingredients until smooth. Eggs, brown sugar, oil, milk and 1/4 cup of the reserved pineapple juice.

3. Stir in carrot, coconut and walnuts.

4. Whisk Dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

5. Pour wet into the dry ingredients.

6. Mix just until the flour is incorporated.

3. Assemble

TIP OF THE DAY: Dust your bundt pan with cocoa powder not flour. It will blend invisibly into the cake rather than leaving white flour. 🙂 Also, dust well! Cakes stuck in a bundt pan is the worst! 😭

1. Some batter – Spread 1 1/2 cups of batter into the base of the bundt pan.

2. Pipe the cheesecake filling in. I do approximately two layers of piping. Avoid touching the walls!

3. Cover with the remaining batter. I spoon the batter on the edges of the cake first and cover the cheesecake filling last. This helps keep the cheesecake filling where it should remain – right in the middle!

4. Bake for 60 minutes, covering with foil at the 30 minute mark to prevent it from becoming too brown.

   We bake at a little higher temperature than typical for cakes – 200°C/400°F (180°C fan). It needs the heat to cook the cake with all the extra moisture inside from the cheesecake. Also, the slightly higher heat cooks the cake on the outside more and the cheesecake less, which means – yup, you guessed it – beautifully creamy cheesecake!

4. The glaze

The glaze is as simple as beating the ingredients together. Use milk to adjust the thickness of the glaze so it’s loose enough to drip slowly down the side of the cake but to cover the cake thickly.

This is what we’re looking for. A thick glaze that covers the cake without being see-through!

Expect shape variations!!!

Your cheesecake filling shape may not be the same as pictured. It might be more like a smile, some parts of the cake might have more, some less. Some sections might not be fully surrounded by cake, some sections might be a bit wonky.

I chose the best slice for the photos, and crossed my fingers when I did the cake-slice-pull-out for the video. 😀

And it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t look exactly the same. What’s important is the flavour! Creamy cheesecake, moist carrot cake and that cream cheese glaze I keep going on and one about. It’s a winning combo!! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Print

Cheesecake stuffed carrot bundt cake

Recipe video above. Perfect for a party, this combines two holiday favorites into one – a carrot Bundt cake with creamy cheesecake inside! A combination that everybody adores. Inspired by a cake spied on my friend Jennifer Sabin Sattley’s website, Carlsbad Cravings (love!).

You will need 2 full blocks of cream cheese for this recipe. Take care with the glaze thickness – keep it thick so it blankets the cake generously. Not the usual thin see-through glaze. Feel so cheated!

Course Cake, Sweet Baking

Cuisine Holiday, Western

Keyword bundt cake, cheesecake stuffed cake, stuffed cake

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Cake cooling 3 hours hours

Servings 14

Calories 534cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 400g/14 oz can crushed pineapple in natural juice (Note 1)
• unsalted butter , for greasing
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder (unsweetened), for dusting (Note 2)

Cheesecake Stuffing:

• 340g / 12 oz cream cheese block , softened (Note 3)
• 1/3 cup sour cream , full fat (yoghurt also ok)
• 1/2 cup white sugar (regular/granulated)
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp plain/all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg , at room temperature

Batter:

• 2 cups plain/all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda/bi-carb (NOT baking powder, Note 4)
• 1/2 tsp salt (cooking/kosher salt)
• 2 tsp cinnamon powder
• 2/3 cup milk , full fat, at room temperature (not fridge-cold)
• 1 tsp white vinegar (Note 5)
• 3 large eggs , at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups (packed) brown sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil (or other neutral oil)
• 2 cups shredded carrot , using a box grater (2 carrots)
• 1/4 cup desiccated coconut , unsweetened (finely shredded, not large flakes)
• 1 cup walnuts , roughly chopped

Thick cream cheese glaze:

• 115 g / 4 oz cream cheese , softened (Note 3)
• 30g/ 2 tbsp unsalted butter , softened
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups soft icing sugar / powdered sugar , sifted
• 1 1/2 tbsp milk , full-fat, plus more as needed
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan). Grease a 12-cup (3 litre) Bundt pan (Note 6) with butter, then dust well with cocoa, shaking out excess. (Why cocoa? See Note 2)
• Prep pineapple – Drain pineapple in a colander, pressing out excess juice and reserving. Set pineapple and juice aside.
• Cheesecake filling – Using an electric beater, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, lemon and vanilla just until smooth. Beat in flour, just until incorporated. Beat in egg until mixed in. Transfer cheesecake mix into a piping bag and refrigerate until required.
• Batter – Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, vinegar, eggs, brown sugar, canola oil, and ¼ cup of the reserved pineapple juice. Whisk until smooth, then stir in the crushed pineapple, shredded carrot, coconut flakes, and walnuts, if using. Pour this over the flour mixture and gently stir until combined.
• Assemble – Pour about 2 1/2 cups of batter into the Bundt pan. Cut a 1.8cm / 3/4" hole in the end of the piping bag. Pipe a ring of the filling directly on top of the batter—avoid touching sides of pan. Cover with remaining batter.
• Bake for 30 minutes. Remove, cover loosely with foil and bake for another 30 minutes. Check with a skewer to ensure it's cooked (straight down into cheesecake, and also on the inner wall of the ring)
• Glaze – Cool 20 minutes in the pan. Invert on to a rack and allow to fully cool. Spoon the glaze on top, allowing it to drip down the sides of the cake. Sprinkle with walnuts, if using. Cut with a hot knife (for neater slices) and serve!

Cream cheese glaze:

• Beat butter, cream cheese, and vanilla until smooth. Beat in icing sugar in two batches, starting on a low speed first (to avoid powder storm!).
• Adjust thickness – Beat in milk and lemon juice. Add extra milk 1 teaspoon at a time until it becomes a thick glaze – BE CAREFUL, it will go from too thick to too thin with just a tiny bit of milk! GOAL: a glaze you can spoon onto the cake, so it oozes thickly down the sides, rather than being thin and transparent like most glazes.

Notes

1. Pineapple – If you can only get pineapple in syrup, that’s fine too. Be sure to press out excess liquid well otherwise batter will be a bit too wet. We will only use some of the liquid – reserve the rest for your morning smoothie!

Crushed pineapple in the US commonly comes in 20 oz cans. Just use approximately 3/4 of the can. No need to be exact here, as long as you press out liquid well. 

Pineapple pieces / rings – chop it yourself and use per recipe!

2. Cocoa powder is used to dust the pan to prevent the cake from sticking because it blends invisibly into the cake surface and you can’t taste it. If you use flour, you will end up with some visible white powder.

3. Cream cheese – Spreadable cream cheese in tubs works too.

4. Baking soda is ~3x stronger than baking powder and works better in this cake which benefits from the extra power to make it rise. It’s a sizeable cake!

5. Vinegar activates the baking soda to give it a kick start. Don’t worry, you can’t taste it.

6. Bundt pan – You can also use a 10-cup (2.5 L) Bundt pan. Just remove ¾ cup of batter (and make cupcakes with excess!), and only use 2 cups batter in the base of the Bundt cake before adding the cheesecake filling.

7. Leftovers will keep for 5 days in the fridge. Not sure about freezing, but instinct tells me the cake will go a bit too wet (it’s a moist cake).

Nutrition per slice, assuming 14 slices. Don’t forget, there’s vegetables and fruit in this which offsets the butter and sugar.😀

Nutrition

Calories: 534cal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 492mg | Potassium: 327mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 55g | Vitamin A: 3412IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 171mg | Iron: 2mg

Life of Dozer

Earnestly explaining the reward that awaits him if he co-operates for a photo:

Said photo. (He’s totally looking at the camera, not the treats!)

The post Cheesecake stuffed carrot bundt cake appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.