A fast and simple no-bake fruit cheesecake recipe

There are many recipes with fruit, like a comforting homemade fruit crumble or fruit pie, but none quite as delicious as no-bake fruit cheesecake.

What is a no-bake fruit cheesecake?

It’s a cheesecake that is chilled in the refrigerator rather than being baked in an oven. It is a wonderful dessert for the summer because you don’t have to slave away in a hot kitchen in front of the oven.

Some of the most popular fruits and fruit combinations for fruit cheesecake are strawberry, passion fruit, raspberry, blueberry, mango and passion fruit, summer fruits, and mixed berries. (See also: Recipes with fruit).

Basic no-bake cheesecake (serves 12) around 30 mins prep time

For the crust:

• Graham cracker crumbs – 1 ¼ cups
• Granulated brown sugar – ¼ cup
• Unsalted butter, melted – ¼ cup
• Kosher salt – ½ tsp

Filling:

• Cold heavy whipping cream – ¾ cup
• Three 8-oz blocks of full-fat cream cheese softened to room temperature
• Confectioners’ (powdered) sugar – ½ cup
• Sour cream (room temperature) – ¼ cup
• Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
• Lemon juice (optional) – 2 tsp

Step 1

Combine the crust ingredients evenly. Transfer them into a 9-inch springform pan that has been greased or sprayed. Press the mixture firmly into the bottom. Place in the freezer for 10-20 minutes.

Step 2

In the bowl of a stand mixer (or hand mixer) fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream on a medium-high speed for 4 to 5 minutes until it forms stiff peaks. It should make about 1¼ cup of whipped cream.

Step 3

In a clean bowl beat the cream cheese on a medium speed with a paddle attachment until perfectly smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, sour cream, lemon juice (optional), and vanilla extract. Beat for 2 to 3 minutes on medium-high speed until smooth and combined.

Step 4

Fold the whipped cream into the fruit cheesecake filling slowly, with the rubber spatula or the mixer on low speed.

Step 5 

Spread the fruit cheesecake filling it into the chilled crust and smooth with an off-set spatula. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Chill overnight for the best results.

A side note: If the fruit cheesecake filling is too runny, either you didn’t whip the cream for long enough, or it wasn’t chilled for long enough.

A strawberry twist

To transform the above basic cheesecake recipe into a strawberry fruit cheesecake, you will need to add:

• 1 cup strawberry puree or sugar-free jam (strained) – you could try other fruit flavors too.
• 12 similar-sized fresh strawberries halved for garnishing – or other fruit depending on what puree you use.

Follow the above recipe for the basic cheesecake recipe, and at step 2beat the cream cheese with the fruit puree on a medium speed.

At step 5, arrange the halved strawberries around the edge of the pan, cut side against the pan. Pour filling into the pan and smooth down the top.

Raspberry swirl fruit cheesecake

Sauce ingredients:

• 2 ½ to 3 cups frozen raspberry puree
• 1tsp lemon zest finely grated
• ¼ cup granulated sugar

Combine the ingredients in a saucepan and cook over medium heat. Stir continuously until the sauce begins to simmer. Turn the heat to medium-high and continue stirring while you wait for the mixture to thicken. Strain the mixture to remove the seeds. Scrape the underside of the sieve. There should be about ¾ cup raspberry puree which then needs to be chilled.

After pouring the fruit cheesecake filling into the prepared crust and smoothing the top, take ¼ cup of the chilled puree and dot the top – about 1 teaspoon per dollop. Swirl the puree into the filling using a skewer or an offset spatula. Chill the fruit cheesecake overnight or for at least 8 hours.

You can serve chilled with leftover puree if desired. Otherwise, use the leftover puree in homemade fruit yogurt.

So, instead of going back to a familiar fruit pie recipe why not try something novel. No-bake fruit cheesecake is a mouth-watering treat for a special occasion. As you can see the basic cheesecake recipe can be adapted to your taste with little effort. Simply choose the fruit flavor you prefer, and you’ll have people coming back for more.