Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Nigella's Easy No-Bake Cheesecake

I was perusing a friend's Nigella Lawson cookbook when I ran across a no-bake cheesecake that looked wonderfully easy. I also happened to have some cherry preserves in the pantry that needed using.

This recipe is a great way to showcase a special soft-set preserve you've made and it can be made in a matter of minutes (minus the setting time in the fridge).

So incredibly tasty that I end up doubling the original recipe because it seems like a shame not to share this with a bunch of people you love...

Nigella's Easy No-Bake Cheesecake
This can be made with regular cream cheese, light cream cheese or organic spreadable cream cheese with equally good results. This can also be prepared up to a day ahead, but allow at least 3 hours for it to set. This recipe is doubled and should serve 8, but it depends on how much you like this cheesecake...it is so good, it may actually serve fewer...

1. Put 125 g biscuits (about 1/3-1/2 box of graham crackers, nilla wafers, chocolate bisuits or gingersnaps) in food processor and process until fine crumbs form.
Add 75 g (1/3 cup) softened butter and process until crumbly.
Press into 8" round springform pan.

2. Whip 500 ml heavy cream until stiff peaks form, then remove to a small bowl.

3. Beat together in first bowl (no need to dirty another):
2- 250 g  (8 oz) packages softened cream cheese (light or organic work as well)
2 tsp vanilla (or scrape seeds from one small vanilla bean)
1 tsp lemon juice
120 grams (1 cup) icing sugar

4. Add whipped cream to cream cheese mixture and combine well. Spoon onto crust and smooth out with spatula. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

5. Serve with any topping---cherry preserves or any other soft-set preserve, lemon curd, stewed fruit or fresh fruit topping, chocolate drizzle, etc.