Nigella's No Bake Cheesecake

 
This was the first dessert I made in my life.

I like to think that I've a long way since then.

For someone who has never actually set foot in the kitchen before, I think this was quite an achievement.

Even my husband couldn't believe I made it...

He rolled his eyes when I was buying that 9" springform cake pan...
I bought it anyway...

He flinched when I said I want to make a cheesecake...
I didn't care.

He suggested we buy a ready made cheesecake.
I had other plans...

He Shrugged when he saw me pressing biscuit crumbs into the pan...
I moved on...

"You can't cook to save your life" he proclaimed...
"He might be right" I thought...

When he sampled it, he gave me a high five...
 In the end, I got him hooked...


Conclusion? If you've never set foot in the kitchen, even if you don't own an oven, but you plan to make a start. Start with this. Everyone will be impressed with your "culinary skills". You won't regret it.

There are many no-bake-cheesecake recipes. I've tried  A LOT of them, in the end this is the recipe I fall back to. It doesn't use gelatine, yet the cheesecake holds its shape pretty well (thanks to the whipped cream).

I've modified the original recipe by adding more cream cheese, sour cream & sugar. I had to make sure its heart clogging material, else I would not eat it.

No Bake Cheesecake

Adapted from Nigella Lawson
{Click here for printable recipe}

Ingredients:
For the biscuit base:

• 125 gram(s) digestive biscuits
• 75 gram(s) butter (soft)

For the filling:

• Three packs or 600g cream cheese (ex. Philadelphia cheese)
• 2/3 cup or 75g powder sugar
• 1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon(s) lemon juice
• 1 cup or 250ml whipping cream 
• 1 cup or 250g sour cream
• 284g cherry jam or any jam of preference (e.g., jar of St Dalfour)

Steps:

Prepare the biscuit base:

1. Blitz the biscuits in a food processor until beginning to turn to crumbs.Add the melted butter and blitz again till the butter has been absorbed by the biscuits. 
2. Press this mixture into a 9" springform pan. 
3. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

Prepare the filling:

1. In the bowl of mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the whipping cream,until soft peaks. Remove from the bowl, and put it in the fridge.
2. In the food processor, or the mixer, mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and lemon juice until smooth.
3. Using a spatula or metal spoon, gently fold the whipping cream into the cream cheese mixture.
4. Poor the filling into the refrigerated crust. Smooth the top with a spatula. 
5. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
6. When you are ready to serve the cheesecake, unmold it and spread the black cherry over the top.

See you next recipe...