In the mood for some delicious, creamy cheesecake but worried you don’t have the skills to make one from scratch? Here are 2 simple cheesecake recipes that you can whip up even if you are an absolute beginner. And the best part – they don’t even require baking!
- New York Style Strawberry Cheesecake
Perfect for absolute beginners, this no-bake cheesecake recipe does not require extensive prep and will soon become your favourite decadent dessert! If you are too lazy to buy strawberries and make the sauce from scratch, store-bought preserves work just as well.
Ingredients
For graham cracker crust
- Graham cracker crumbs – 200gms
- Brown sugar – 65gms
- Unsalted butter (melted) – 8tbsp
For cheesecake
- Heavy cream – 300ml
- Full-fat cream cheese – 680gms
- Granulated sugar – 100gms
- Confectioners’ sugar – 15gms
- Sour cream – 60gms
- Lemon juice – 2tsp
- Pure vanilla extract – 1tsp
For strawberry sauce
- Strawberries – 500gms
- Cornstarch – 1.5tsp
- White sugar – 100gms
- Vanilla extract –½ tsp
- Lemon juice – 2tbsp
Mint leaves – for garnish
Instructions:
- Mix the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter till they are completely blended. Pour into a 9-inch pan and pack tightly. Be sure to pack it tightly together as this will prevent it from crumbling apart later. Freeze till you work on the filling
- Whisk the heavy cream with a hand or a stand mixer on medium-high speed, till you see stiff peaks
- With a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar till you get a creamy mixture. To this, add the confectioners’ sugar, sour cream, and 1 tsp each of lemon juice and vanilla extract. Beat for 2-3 more minutes until everything is combined into a smooth mixture. Ensure no lumps are formed
- Now mix the whipped cream and the cream cheese mixture on low speed till combined
- Mixing it at low speed ensures that the air from the whipped cream is not deflated
- Spread the filling on top of your graham cracker crust and smooth down the top so there are no bubbles or whirls, and freeze overnight or at least for 4-6 hours. The longer you let it freeze the better it sets
- Make the sauce when you are almost ready to serve the cheesecake. For the sauce, chop up half of the strawberries and add it to a saucepan with the remaining vanilla and lemon juice and the white sugar. Stir on medium heat for about 10 minutes until the strawberries soften and break down
- Mix the cornstarch and water and add to the saucepan
- Add some more chopped strawberries and cook for 1 more minute
- Remove the sauce from the stovetop and set it aside to cool and thicken
- Take out your cheesecake from the freezer and pour the sauce over it till the entire cake is completely covered. Add a few pieces of the diced or halved strawberries on top for extra crunch and flavour. Garnish with mint leaves and serve!
If you don’t like the sweet and sour taste of strawberries, you can buy bananas and mix them with your favourite chocolate or hazelnut spread and add those as toppings instead!
2. Blueberry Cheesecake
Want something a little more flavourful? How about blueberries to not only add some yummy tartness but also transform the light yellow cheesecake to a beautiful purple colour!
Ingredients:
For graham cracker crust – same as recipe #1
- For cheesecake and blueberry sauce – All the ingredients from recipe #1 with –
- Frozen or fresh blueberries, or blueberry preserve – 250gms
- Granulated sugar – 70gms
- Hot water – 60 ml
- Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
- Cornstarch – 2 tbsp
- Vanilla extract – ½ tsp
- Cold water – 2 tbsp
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- For the blueberry sauce, combine the blueberries, granulated sugar, hot water, and lemon juice in a saucepan and simmer over medium heat
- Cook for around 10 minutes till the blueberries become soft and break down
- Mix the cornstarch in cold water and add the mixture to the saucepan and cook for 30 seconds – 1 minute
- Remove from the stovetop and add the vanilla extract and salt and store it in the fridge. You can use this sauce for up to 1 week.
- Create the graham cracker crust from recipe 1
- Follow steps 1 and 3 from recipe 1 to create the cheesecake filling
- Mix the whipped cream and cream cheese mixture, and to this add ½cup of the blueberry sauce
- Follow step 5 from recipe 1 and freeze the cheesecake overnight
- While serving, add some more blueberry sauce on the top to garnish! You can also add some more blueberries on top for a stronger flavour.
Want to try out some other desserts the next time you are craving something sweet? Head over to Desserts You Can Prepare with The Gooey Custard Apple.
