6.29.16
The week of ‘MURICA continues!!!! Yesterday I posted the scrumptious and lovely dessert pizza I made. Today, you don’t even have to turn on an oven, AND this can (and should and has to be) made the night before. I have been wanting to make a no-bake cheesecake for a while. But I mean cheesecake with a capital C; a tall, creamy, rich cheesecake that I want to sit on my couch and eat the whole thing. The type that Rachel and Chandler would want to eat off the floor (Don’t know that Friends episode???? Do yourself a favor and immediately watch it.)
I looked through a lot of recipes, and finally adapted one that I knew would be perfect. I think the key to this cheesecake is using homemade whipped cream instead of already-made whipped topping. It gives it a real fluffiness that you can’t get from fake stuff. I encourage you to make your own whipped cream. However, if it just isn’t possible, whipped topping is easily available, and just sub it out for the cream.
I brought this cheesecake to work and I knew it was a success by the amount of people who came back for seconds. I always know I’ve done right when that happens. When co-workers actually start cursing my name because it’s so good, I nailed it.
For the Raspberry Puree
For the Graham Cracker Crust
And once again, I’ve faltered in taking an ingredient picture. Sigh. No pictures of the actually filling ingredients. I guess I got excited to just start making it. Imagine a huge pile of softened blocks of cream cheese and you’ve basically got it.
The amount of ingredients in the crust can be cut in half if you want a less dominant crust….but WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!
That is a lot of filling. Folding in the whipped cream can definitely give your arms a workout, but it’s worth it, and now your forearms looks amazing.
I’ll make the raspberry puree layer a little thinner if I do it over again, spreading the second layer of cream cheese on top is tricky when there’s so much puree. It will crawl up the sides and threaten to ruin your perfectly white top. There will be puree left over, put it over ice cream and call it a day.
I put the blueberries, a splash of lemon juice and 1/4 cup sugar in a pan and let it break down a bit. If you don’t want the juices all over the cake, just place them on top without the saucepan step. The presentation will definitely be more crisp.
These colors don’t run……unless they do, all over your plate and then into your mouth.
Because of the heat and the amount of berries on top, the cake did begin to crack a little after being on my counter for a while subjected to a ton of photos. Make sure to let it chill for 24 hours, and I’d recommend keeping it cold until you are ready to serve. Even with the humidity cracks post pictures, it tasted great.
This cheesecake was to die for. First attempt a win. Now celebrate some red, white and blue with this dessert which requires zero oven time!
You get one more holiday recipe before I send you out into the world to create them yourself.
Red, White & Blue No Bake Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the Raspberry Puree
- 12 oz frozen raspberries
- Splash lemon juice
- 1/4 cup sugar
For the Crust
- 1 1/2 packets graham crackers
- 6 Tbsp melted butter
- 1/3 cup sugar
For the Cheesecake
- 2 1/2 lbs cream cheese, softened
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 cups whipped cream (I whipped about 3 cups heavy cream to make sure I had plenty, I did)
- 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Blueberries to garnish
Instructions
For the Crust
- Place all your graham crackers in a large plastic ziplock and using a rolling pin, break them up until crumbled, make sure not to go so far as to just create dust
- Mix all crust ingredients into medium bowl with a fork until it becomes clumpy from the melted butter
- Pour crust into springform pan and using the bottom of a glass, stamp the crust to cover the bottom, pushing excess crust up the sides, packing it all together
- Freeze crust for 30 minutes
- While the crust freezes…
For the Raspberry Puree
- Place all puree ingredients into blender and pulse until smooth
- Strain if desired, but not necessary
- Keep chilled in airtight container until using
For the Cheesecake
- In a chilled mixing bowl, whip heavy cream with electric mixer and whisk attachment until stiff peaks form, set aside
- In another mixing bowl using paddle attachment on medium speed, beat together cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract until combined and smooth
- Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture, making sure no white streaks remain
To Assemble
- Take out frozen crust and pour half of cream cheese filling into crust, using a spatula to even out
- Carefully spoon raspberry puree on top of cream cheese layer, spread out using the of back of spoon
- Pour remaining cream cheese filling into the center of cake, carefully spreading it out over raspberry puree with spatula (make sure to spread it by pushing the top of filling out towards the sides to avoid pushing the puree up the sides of cake and onto the top)
- Even out top with offset spatula and cover with plastic wrap
- Place in fridge and chill for 24 hours
- When ready to serve, top the center with blueberries
- Slice and enjoy
Adapted from Flicks and Food
