Straightforward Christmas Cheesecake Slab – no bake!

December 10, 2024

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This no bake Christmas cheesecake is designed for scorching Aussie summers – no sweating over a scorching oven! Designed to serve a crowd, it’s the simplest cheesecake recipe I do know but it nonetheless captures all of the hallmarks of a fantastic traditional baked cheesecake.

Adorn with whipped cream, berries and rosemary sprigs for a simple, fairly festive look.

A Christmas dessert for decent summer season days

This Christmas dessert is made particularly with fellow Aussies in thoughts. Whereas half the world is having fun with the magic of snowy Christmases, right here in Australia, we’re absorbing the blazing summer season solar!

So though there’ll all the time be a spot in my coronary heart for the nice Aussie Pav and traditional Christmas cake, something that doesn’t require an oven will get an additional huge thumbs-up from me. Introducing – my brand-new Christmas cheesecake that doesn’t require use of the oven in any respect!

I really like that it seems so festive but there’s no fidgeting with fondant or looking down Christmas cake toppers. It’s simply berries, orange slices, rosemary and a dusting of icing sugar!

Christmas Cheesecake - slab no bake cheesecake

About this Christmas Cheesecake

That is formally the simplest cheesecake recipe I do know. It’s simpler and quicker than baked cheesecakes as a result of there’s no baking, cooling or stressing a few cracked floor.

And it’s simpler than my spherical no-bake cheesecake as a result of this slab type has no biscuit sides (which will be fiddly), simply the bottom!

But , this slab-form festive Christmas cheesecake captures all of the light-but-creamy, indulgent allure of a fantastic traditional baked cheesecake. It’s not too candy as I’m very specific about sweetness stage in truffles. I describe it as French / Japanese patisserie stage candy, which is much less candy than typical Western desserts.

It’s in a big rectangle form “slab type” and thinner than common spherical cheesecakes as a result of it’s designed to serve a lot of folks – 18 to 24 folks. It’s additionally preferrred for gatherings the place there’s loads of meals as a result of the serving portion will be smaller than chopping wedges of tall spherical cheesecakes.

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

Components

This no bake Christmas cheesecake relies on the traditional no-bake cheesecake I revealed earlier this yr – pop over to learn glowing evaluations! Right here’s what you want:

Biscoff biscuit base (or not!)

I take advantage of Biscoff for the bottom as a result of it’s having a second (so that you get road cred, particularly with the below 25 crowd), it has built-in vacation flavours (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg – that type of factor) and I just like the wealthy golden color. Nevertheless, you should utilize any plain biscuits you need – see beneath for ideas.

Biscoff – That is spiced biscuit from Belgium has been round “endlessly” in Europe however actually gained reputation lately due to social media. It’s a stunning spiced cookie, and preferrred for this specific recipe due to the vacation spicing, however I actually don’t know why folks lose their minds over it. (Talking frankly, as a completely un-hip foodie!).

It’s additionally somewhat dearer than different plain biscuits. Don’t fret in the event you can’t discover it or want a extra economical possibility, noting that you could purchase 2 packets because the recipe requires 300g/10oz and every packet is 250g/8.8oz. (I did strive with only one packet however the base was too skinny and lacked construction).

Different biscuit choices – you should utilize any plain biscuits you need. Marie Crackers (widespread cheesecake base right here in Australia), digestives, graham crackers (US). You may as well add a contact of additional spices for vacation flavour if you’d like (nutmeg, ginger, all spice), see recipe notes for quantities.

Keep away from biscuits/cookies coated with chocolate, or sandwiched with filling (like Oreos) as a result of it might have an effect on how properly this no-bake base units.
Butter – That is what holds the cheesecake base collectively as a result of it solidifies when the cheesecake is refrigerated.
Sugar – Only a smidge, for a lift of sweetness within the base. It’s, in any case, the vacations! 🙂
Cinnamon – For an additional contact of vacation flavour.

The no-bake cheesecake filling

Alarmed since you noticed gelatine? Don’t be! See beneath for why.

Cream cheese – I all the time use Philadelphia however in the event you’ve had success with one other model, be happy to make use of that.

Softened to room temperature – Take it out of the fridge not less than 1 hour prior so the cream cheese is softened, not fridge-cold-hard. We would like to have the ability to beat it so it’s fairly delicate, easy and fluffy so the whipped cream mixes effortlessly into it with out knocking out the air (which implies a stunning gentle aerated cheesecake filling = win!). It’s additionally essential to make sure the gelatine mixes in easily. No person desires little bits of gelatine of their cheesecake! 😱

Blocks not tubs – This recipe requires cream cheese blocks that are firmer than cream cheese in tubs that are softer as they’re designed for spreading. In case you can solely get tubs, you simply want to make use of somewhat extra gelatine. See notes within the recipe card for amount.
Gelatine – That is important for a no-bake cheesecake that rivals the feel of a fantastic traditional baked cheesecake (which has egg within the filling, that’s what units it), one that’s light-yet-creamy but set sufficient to chop slices. With out gelatine, you want extra cream cheese so the cheesecake units sufficient to chop, which implies it’s heavier and denser. See FAQ beneath for some background on variations I attempted.

Gelatine is low-cost, simple to make use of, and offered at common grocery shops. I want to make use of powder relatively than gelatine leaves once I can as a result of it’s extra accessible and (essential to me) the power is comparatively common around the globe. The identical can’t be stated for gelatine leaves. 🙂

Discover gelatine powder within the baking aisle in small tubs (pictured above) or packets of small sachets (open and measure utilizing a teaspoon).
Water – That is to “bloom” the gelatine (defined within the step photographs beneath). I take advantage of the naked minimal for the quantity of gelatine I take advantage of – simply 3 tablespoons – so we don’t dilute flavour.
Whipping cream – Whipped cream helps create a stunning gentle textured filling by aerating the cream cheese. You should utilize thickened / heavy cream, or common cream. Simply be certain it may be whipped as a result of not all cream is made for whipping (for instance, pouring cream, dolloping cream). The label ought to say if it may be whipped.

Couple extra cream guidelines:
1. No low fats! Now just isn’t the time! It can compromise the feel.
2. Fridge chilly! The cream must be fridge chilly else it won’t whip correctly.
Sugar – Finest to make use of caster sugar (superfine sugar) that are finer grains than common sugar (granulated sugar) so we will be assured it would dissolve. It’s particularly essential as a result of this can be a no-bake recipe so we don’t have warmth on our aspect right here to soften the sugar. In case you solely have common sugar, that’s okay. Simply beat the cream cheese for somewhat longer than per the recipe and rub the combination between your fingers to make sure there’s no sugar grains left.
Vanilla – Please use vanilla extract which is actual flavour extracted from vanilla beans (therefore the title!) relatively than vanilla essence which is imitation. It’s particularly essential for no-bake recipes as a result of the vanilla flavour is “uncooked” and doesn’t take pleasure in baking within the oven to deliver out the flavour.
Lemon juice – Only a contact, to deliver a smidge of tang to the filling. It’s not a deal breaker in the event you don’t have it, simply go away it out.
Salt – Customary baking follow lately to deliver out the flavours in candy baked items. We use only a tiny quantity so it doesn’t make it salty by any stretch of the creativeness.

Decorations

For a Christmas look, I smothered the cheesecake with a reasonably beneficiant quantity of whipped cream then embellished it with berries and rosemary dusted with icing sugar.

I additionally tucked in some orange slices so as to add a pleasant splash of vibrant orange and break up the busy mass of berries. I feel it really works fairly properly!

Different adorning concepts – The rectangle cheesecake floor is actually like a clean canvas, prepared so that you can work your magic! Listed below are a number of extra adorning concepts:

Aussie summer season Pavlova type! I see passionfruit, mango slices, strawberries and blueberries with little mint leaves for a splash of color. Beautiful!
Fruit compote and sauces (additionally see Mango Cheesecake, Strawberry and Blueberry Cheesecake, and Blueberry Cheesecake Bars);
Sauce – Serve with a chocolate or salted caramel sauce, although once I make chocolate or caramel cheesecakes I prefer to get these flavours contained in the cheesecake too by swirling them in (I additionally often add a hidden layer inside, for further affect). They are going to be coming onto my web site ultimately! 🙂
Sprinkle of nuts and/or chocolate shavings – Suppose, macadamia and white chocolate, peanuts and darkish chocolate, pecans and chocolate, pistachios or almonds. Beautiful addition of texture!
Fairly spring backyard – Edible flowers, petals and leaves (dried or recent), pistachios, gold leaf! I’ve visions I hope to make a actuality someday. 🙂

Tips on how to make this Slab No Bake Cheesecake

This slab type cheesecake is less complicated than my traditional spherical no bake cheesecake which has a biscuit wall. Though not technically troublesome, biscuit partitions could be a bit fiddly in the event you’re a primary timer.

The one essential step to recollect is to line the pan with loads of paper overhang so you may simply raise the cheesecake out of the pan as soon as it’s set.

1. biscoff crust

In case you don’t have a meals processor, simply put the biscuits in a ziplock bag and bash with a rolling pin or meat mallet (it’s very satisfying). Due to the quantity we’re utilizing, you would possibly discover it simpler to do that in two batches.

Put together pan – Evenly grease a 23 x 33cm / 9 x 13″ rectangle pan with butter or a plain oil spray (I take advantage of canola), simply sufficient for paper to stay. I emphasise LIGHTLY as a result of in the event you use an excessive amount of butter, it acts as a glue as soon as refrigerated so it’s a must to wait till the butter softens earlier than eradicating the cheesecake (Sure I do know this from private expertise 😁)

Then line the pan with baking paper (parchment paper) with LOTS of overhang on the lengthy aspect, to make it simple to raise the cheesecake out on the finish. It’s okay in the event you don’t get 100% protection on the bottom (like mine, as a result of customary baking paper is somewhat shorter than my pan).
Blitz – Break the Biscoff biscuits up roughly by hand and blitz till they change into fantastic crumbs, about 10 to fifteen seconds on excessive, relying on how highly effective your meals processor is. Add the butter, cinnamon, sugar and salt, then blitz once more till it turns into moist sand.

CHECK for clumping potential! The combination ought to press collectively properly when pinched between fingers. That is essential to examine as a result of structural integrity of the bottom is vital to make sure your cheesecake holds collectively whenever you raise it out of the pan!

⚠️ Not urgent collectively? Simply add somewhat further melted butter. You may need this downside in the event you used a decrease fats biscuit than Biscoff, or in the event that they have been a bit stale.

Pour the crumbs into the ready pan.
Press it in firmly. The firmer you press it in, the extra steady your base might be. Then refrigerate till required.

Notice: The concept right here with this no-bake biscuit base is that the melted butter solidifies and that is what holds the biscuits crumbs collectively.

2. BLOOM THE GELATINE

There isn’t a must concern gelatine! It’s easy to make use of in the event you simply comply with the steps I’ve supplied. There’s a motive for each course!

Bloom gelatine – Put the water in a small bowl then sprinkle the gelatine throughout the floor. Combine with a small whisk (or spoon) – it would change into like lumpy jelly. Then go away it for five minutes. That is referred to as “blooming” the gelatine, and it makes gelatine powder dissolve so it may be stirring into liquids to make them set.

⚠️ Don’t dump the gelatine in a single place and don’t pour water into the gelatine. This could trigger the gelatine to show into a giant lump instantly.
Rubbery! The gelatine ought to solidify right into a agency rubber. If it doesn’t, then your gelatine is lifeless – time to get one other!

Gently re-melt – Microwave for 15 seconds on excessive to soften it then combine till lump free.⚠️ Don’t let it boil as it may well destroy the setting talents of gelatine.
Cool for five minutes when you make the filling. The melted gelatine might be whipped into the filling.

⚠️ Ensure that the gelatine doesn’t have a pores and skin on the floor or sides whenever you pour it in as this won’t combine into the cheesecake filling correctly. If it does, re-heat for five seconds within the microwave.

⚠️ Don’t pour scorching gelatine into cream or something that it might soften or deflate. Cool it first however be certain it’s nonetheless in liquid type. It’s okay to make use of barely hotter than room temperature.

3. MAKE FILLING

I want utilizing a handheld electrical beater to make the filling as you may transfer it across the bowl relatively than stopping and scraping down the edges such as you’d must do with a stand mixer. You additionally solely want to make use of one attachment (the whisks). In case 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 could aerate it an excessive amount of as a result of it’s extra highly effective = giant ugly bubbles + danger of collapse mid-setting).

Whip cream – Put the cream in a bowl and whip it on excessive for two minutes or till stiff peaks type. We’re not on the lookout for silky delicate whipped cream, we wish full on stiff whipped cream, as this makes our cheesecake lovely gentle and fluffy.
Beat cream cheese – Put the cream cheese and sugar in a separate bowl and utilizing the identical whisk (no want to wash it), beat for 1 minute on excessive simply till it’s softly easy. Then add the vanilla, lemon, salt and melted cooled gelatine, then beat it in simply till dispersed.⚠️ Don’t beat excessively as a result of it may well trigger ugly giant air bubbles within the filling (not the top of the world although, I’m simply fussy!).

Fold in whipped cream – Utilizing a rubber spatula, fold by means of about 1/4 of the cream into the cream cheese filling. This lightens up the cream cheese combination a bit earlier than including the remainder of the cream, so much less air is knocked out of the cream.As soon as the preliminary cream is generally blended by means of, gently combine by means of the remaining cream. Don’t stir vigorously as you’ll knock air out of the whipped cream which can make the cheesecake filling denser than we’re aiming for!
Pour the combination into the ready crust.

Clean – Gently unfold the filling throughout the bottom and easy the floor.
Set – Cowl the pan with a big chopping tray, baking tray or foil (not cling wrap, it’d sag and contact the floor). Refrigerate for not less than 12 hours till the filling is about.

4. REMOVING FROM THE PAN AND DECORATING

Take away cheesecake from pan – Use the paper overhang to raise the cheesecake out of the pan and switch it to your serving platter. Then slide the paper out from beneath.

Suggestions/notes:
– Sagging base: Don’t fret in case your base sags somewhat bit whenever you raise it out, it nonetheless holds collectively. You’ll see within the recipe video mine just isn’t 100% stiff and straight, and it’s completely okay.
– Caught! It you have been somewhat too enthusiastic greasing your pan with butter and your cheesecake is caught, simply moist a tea towel with scorching water and put the pan on it to speed up softening the butter with out having to depart the cheesecake out for too lengthy (blazing scorching Aussie summers should not a buddy of cheesecake). It ought to solely take a minute or two.
Adorn as you please! Right here’s what I did for a Christmas Cheesecake look. First, unfold generously with whipped cream.

Pile on berries (I used cherries, raspberries, small strawberries), tuck in orange slices (to interrupt up the visible mass of berries), poke some rosemary sprigs in.
Mud with icing sugar / confectionary sugar. This all the time makes issues look so fairly!

Assemble forward with stabilised whipped cream!

There you go! My model new Christmas dessert for 2024 constructed with practicality in thoughts.

Talking of which, I’ve a gold tip for making this forward! As a result of regardless that it’s simple to put in writing the instruction to brighten the cheesecake simply previous to serving, the truth is that no person desires to depart the celebration to go and whip cream, unfold it on the cheesecake, embellish and dirt…

However whipped cream, being the fragile factor that it’s, begins to deflate inside a number of hours. However not in the event you stabilise the whipped cream! You simply want so as to add somewhat gelatine whenever you whip the cream, and this can stabilise it sufficient so it stays fluffy for a few days, prefer it was freshly whipped. It doesn’t alter the feel or style of the whipped cream, and no person besides you (and anybody you resolve to reveal your secret to) will know.

See the recipe notes for the right way to make the stabilised whipped cream. It’s a sport changer for cream embellished truffles – so useful! – Nagi x

Christmas cheesecake FAQ

Watch the right way to make it

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Straightforward Christmas Cheesecake Slab – no bake!

A Christmas dessert for decent summer season days

About this Christmas Cheesecake