Sunday 30 May 2010

No-Bake vanilla and strawberry cheesecake




English strawberries are just too lovely at the moment to resist and they make a perfect topping for this simple cheesecake.


This cheesecake could not be easier to make – it doesn’t require any cooking, only contains 7 ingredients and barely takes 20 minutes from start to refrigerator!


Of course, you can use any fruit for the topping. I loved the way that half the strawberries are kept whole and the other half turned into a lovely thick coulis.


The CCB (Caked Crusader’s Brother) declared that this was the cheesecake he’d been waiting for me to make.
After all my attempts, I’ve finally found the cheesecake he’s been wanting for years! He has now said that he needs to find something else to nag about......


Ingredients

For the cheesecake:

250g digestive biscuits (personally, I prefer hobnobs for a cheesecake base but I bowed to family pressure)
100g unsalted butter
1 vanilla pod
600g cream cheese – I used Philadelphia
100g icing sugar
284ml double cream

For the topping:

400g strawberries, washed, hulled and halved
25g icing sugar
1 teaspoon water

Method

Place the ring from a 20cm round springform tin on the plate you’ll server the cheesecake from. Wrap the ring in either clingfilm or greaseproof paper to ensure that you can free the cheesecake easily.

Break the biscuits into crumbs – either in a food processor or with the bag and rolling pin method (i.e. place biscuits in a bag. Secure end. Bash with rolling pin)

If using the food processor method add the butter to the crumbs and pulse it until the butter is distributed. If using the bag method, melt the butter and stir in.

Use the crumbs to line the base of the cheesecake. Press them down onto the plate but not so hard that you create biscuity concrete!

Refrigerate while making the cheesecake.

Slice the vanilla pod in half and remove the seeds.

Place seeds in a bowl along with the cream cheese and icing sugar and beat until smooth and well combined.

Pour in the cream and beat until the mixture is completely combined.

Spoon over the biscuit base and level.

Leave to set overnight in the refrigerator.

To make the topping puree half the strawberries along with the icing sugar and water.

Sieve this mixture to remove the seeds.

Add the remaining halved strawberries to the top of the cheesecake and, when ready to serve, pour over the coulis/puree.

Remove the cheesecake from the fridge about 30 minutes (depending on your weather conditions!) before you wish to serve and remove the ring from the edge.

Bask in the glory of the wonderful thing you have created.

Eat.


17 comments:

Confessions of crafty mummy said...

I know what im going to be doing tomorrow! That looks delicious!

Helen said...

Oh yum yum yum.

I need cake! I will be baking next week.

Victoria said...

CC...yum yum yum!! i just picked and ate the fist perfectly ripe strawberry from my window box!! I've spied some lovely looking berries in the market...going to give this a go!! :)

Unknown said...

I'm with you on the hobnob choice! Thanks for the recipe

Cakelaw said...

Phwoar! I just want to sink my teeth into a slice of this.

Cupcake Crazy Gem said...

Wow this looks delicious, glad you've finally found your fail safe cheesecake recipe! and thanks for sharing! I'm growing some strawberries in hanging baskets so as soon as they're ripe enough to pick you can be sure I'll be whipping one of these up!
As for the tearoom...it is still open, not sure they're looking for assistants! but if you ever happen to be in St.Albans you could always pop in for a piece!! haha

Maggie said...

The huge cheesecake layer and then topped off with strawberries and coulis - perfect. Looks delicious.

Ruth said...

It looks delicious! I was wondering if you'd ever made a strawberry cheesecake where the cheesecake mixture is strawberry-flavoured? I've searched online & found recipes using strawberry jelly or jam but not fresh strawberries. I decided to just add some strawberry puree to the cheesecake mixture only it didn't set :( Pity because it tasted yummy!

The Caked Crusader said...

Hi Ruth

I made a cheesecake with raspberries (in the body of the cheesecake - http://thecakedcrusader.blogspot.com/2009/05/raspberry-cheesecake.html) but it was a gelatine cheesecake so did set.

I wonder if maybe you swapped the puree for some of the cream, if that would help?

Ruth said...

Aah I see, gelatine is probably what I need then! Will definitely try your raspberry cheesecake, it sounds lovely. Thank you!

Leanne at Beale's Kitchen said...

Wow that looks amazing!

Ruta said...

This lookes amazing! How did you make the cheesecake mixture stay in one piece though? I'm really worried it won't set!

The Caked Crusader said...

Hi Miss Nak

Have no fears - it will set!
The cheese is thick and the fact that you whip cream into it firms it up even more - chilling is then all it needs to firm up further. I've made this so many times and it's always perfect. Please try it!

Happy (non)baking

CC

Anonymous said...

Wow it looks amazing! About how many people would the cheesecake serve?

The Caked Crusader said...

Hi Anonymous

I always find this a tricky question because I cut big slices! I would say 8, but more normal people could probably get 12 portions out of it

Happy baking

Anonymous said...

Wow, okay!Thank you so much, will definitely be trying this one!

Anonymous said...

Made these tonight and they are ace! X