No-Bake Mini Strawberry Cheesecake

With fresh strawberries in abundance and relatively cheap I decided to make something out of these big, luscious, sweet strawberries.  After making the Lychee Cheesecake recently, of course Strawberry Cheesecake came to mind.  

This is a no-bake smooth, creamy and refreshing cheesecake where Greek yogurt is added to give a lighter texture and adds more flavour.  Top it with fresh strawberries before serving and it will suit any dinner party.

Crust: 
150g Marie biscuits, or any biscuits of your choice
85g butter, melted

Filling:
250g cream cheese, softened
150g caster sugar
350g strawberries, washed and hulled
6 gelatin sheets
40g lemonade (I used Sprite)
125g thickened cream (chilled)
125g Greek yogurt

• Process biscuits finely in a food processor.  Add in melted butter and mix to combine.
• Press biscuits into individual dessert mould and using a glass, firmly press down the crust to compact it.  Refrigerate while preparing the filling.
• Beat chilled cream and yogurt together until soft peaks form.  Set aside in the fridge.
• Place gelatin sheets into a bowl of cold water for about 10 minutes to soften them. Meanwhile gently heat up the lemonade. Squeeze out excess water from the gelatin sheets; then add into the warmed lemonade and stir gently until it dissolves.  Set aside.
• Using a stick blender blend the strawberries to get 250g of strawberry puree.  Then push the puree through a fine sieve.  Add gelatin mixture into the strained puree and blend to combine.
• Beat softened cream cheese and caster sugar until smooth and creamy.  Gradually add in the strawberry puree and beat to combine.   
• Lastly fold in whipped cream and yogurt mixture.
• Spoon the mixture into crusts and cover with plastic wrap.  Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.  

Note:  If you are using gelatin powder, dissolve  15g gelatin powder in 40g strawberry puree or lemonade.

No-Bake Lychee Mini Cheesecake

Crust:
150g Marie biscuits
85g butter, melted

Filling:
250g cream cheese, softened
145g caster sugar
250g pureed lychee (blend 150g canned lychee + syrup)
1/2 tbsp lime juice
5-1/2 gelatin sheets
40g lychee syrup
250g thickened cream (chilled)
extra lychee, chopped coarsely

• Process biscuits in a food processor.  Add in melted butter and mix to combine.
• Press biscuits into individual dessert mould and using a glass, firmly press down the crust to compact it.  Refrigerate while preparing the filling.
• Beat chilled cream until soft peaks form.  Set aside in the fridge.
• Place gelatin sheets into a bowl of cold water for about 10 minutes to soften them. Meanwhile gently heat up the lychee syrup. Squeeze out excess water from the gelatin sheets; then add into the warmed lychee syrup and stir gently until it dissolves.  Set aside.
• Blend the lychee and enough syrup to get 250g of lychee puree.  Add in lime juice and gelatin mixture and blend to combine.
• Beat softened cream cheese with caster sugar until smooth and creamy.  Gradually add in lychee puree and beat to combine.   
• Lastly fold in whipped cream and chopped lychee.
• Spoon the mixture into crusts and cover with plastic wrap.  Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.  

Note:  If you are using gelatin powder, dissolve  15g gelatin powder in 40g lychee syrup

Loose base pan

Non-baked Lychee Cheesecake

Crust:
250g Granita biscuits
120g butter

Filling:
250g cream cheese, softened
130g caster sugar
140g lychee + enough syrup
1/2 tbsp lime juice (optional)
extra lychee, chopped coarsely
15g gelatin + 50g hot water
250g thickened cream (chilled)

• Process biscuits in a food processor; add in melted butter and mix to combine.
• Pour biscuit crumbs into a 21cm springform pan and press crumbs over the base and sides of the pan to form a crust.  Chill in the refrigerator while preparing the filling.
• Blend lychee and syrup to get 250ml lychee purée.  Add in lime juice.
• Dissolve gelatin in the hot water.  Add into lychee purée.  Set aside.
• Place chilled cream in a cold bowl and beat until soft peaks form.  Set aside.
• Beat softened cream cheese with caster sugar until smooth.  Gradually add in lychee mixture, beating well to combine.
• Fold in whipped cream and chopped lychee.
• Pour cream cheese mixture into the crust and chill overnight.

Blueberry Cheesecake

Before baking

Ingredients:

Crust:  
135g Granita biscuits
45g melted butter

Filling:
350g cream cheese, softened
70g caster sugar
10g corn starch
pinch of salt
2 egg
50g plain yogurt
zest of 1 lime
1/2 tbsp lime juice


Berry Sauce:  (Cook under low heat until sugar dissolves.  Simmer for 1 min)
130g fresh blueberries
90g sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice (Meyer lemon)
10g cornflour + 1 tbsp water

1. Greased and lined an 18cm spring form pan.  Preheat oven to 160 degrees C.
2. Beat cream cheese on low speed until smooth and creamy.
3. Beat in sugar, salt and cornstarch until combined.
4. Add in eggs, one at a time and beat until incorporated.
5. Beat in lime zest, yogurt and lime juice until combined.
6. Pour cream cheese mixture into the crust.  Spoon blueberry sauce over and swirl with a toothpick.
7. Bake in water bath  at 160 deg C for 15 mins.  Reduce oven temperature to 120 deg C and bake for a further 30 mins. (Cheesecake should be firm and slightly wobbly at the centre).  Allow to cool in the oven with door ajar for about 1 hour.  
8. Cover cheesecake and refrigerate overnight.

Mini Dulce de Leche Cheesecake

Homemade Dulce de Leche

Ingredients: (Makes 7 individual cheesecakes)

130g digestive biscuits (or any biscuits of your choice)
45g melted butter

Filling:

250g cream cheese, softened

60g caster sugar

6g corn starch

pinch of salt

1 egg

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp lemon zest

70g Greek yogurt

1/2 cup dulce de leche, microwave for a few seconds to soften slightly (you can opt for store-bought dulce de leche)

• Line muffin pans with cupcake liners.
• Process biscuits in a food processor; add in the melted butter and mix to combine.
• Spoon biscuits crumbs into paper liners and press crumbs firmly over the base of the liners to form a crust.  Chill in the fridge while preparing the filling.
• Preheat oven to 135 deg C.
• Beat cream cheese on medium-low speed until smooth and creamy.
• Beat in sugar, salt and cornstarch until combined.
• Add in egg and beat on low speed until incorporated.
• Add in yogurt, vanilla extract and lemon zest; on low speed beat until just combined.
• Divide the mixture evenly among the prepared liners. Spoon about 1/4 tsp of Dulce de leche over cheesecake mixture and swirl gently with a toothpick.
• Bake for about 20 minutes (cheesecakes should be firm but a little wobbly in the centre).
• Cool the cheesecake on a wire rack, then refrigerate overnight.
• Before serving, spoon a little Dulce de leche on the cheesecake and sprinkle with some seasalt (optional).

I am submitting this post to the Best Recipes for Everyone - 

May 2015 Event (Theme:  My Favourite Desserts)

Organised by Fion of XuanHom's Mom and

Co-host by Aunty Young

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs Up organised by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids and Doreen of My Little Favourite DIY and hosted by Cheryl of Baking Taitai.

This post is linked to Bake Along - 4th Anniversary Theme:  Cheesecake
hosted by Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, Lena of Frozen Wings
and Joyce of Kitchen Flavours 

No-Bake Raspberry White Choc TimTam Cheesecake

TimTam, the iconic Aussie bikkie (Australia slang for biscuit) remains Australia's favourite chocolate biscuit. Early March this year, Adriano Zumbo, the famous Australian pâtissier has created a limited editioin of TimTam range in celebration of Arnott's 50th year anniversary.  One of them is the Raspberry White Choc which I am using to make this delectable cheesecake.  

Ingredients:  (Makes 7 individual cheesecakes)

Crust:
130g Choc Ripple biscuits or any biscuit of your choice
45 butter, melted 

• Line muffin pan with paper liners.
• Process biscuits in a food processor; add the melted butter and mix to combine.
• Spoon biscuit crumbs into paper liners and press crumbs firmly over  the base of the liners to form a crust. Chill in the fridge while preparing the filling.

Filling:
125g cream cheese, softened
30g icing sugar
50g Greek yogurt
125g thickened cream, chilled
5g gelatine powder + 40g water
3 raspberry white choc TimTam biscuits, chopped coarsely (60g) + 1 extra for topping

• Fill a small heatproof bowl with 40g cold water.  Sprinkle gelatin powder evenly over water to keep lumps from forming.  Set it aside for a few minutes until it blooms.  Then place the bowl in a hot water bath until it becomes translucent. Ensure that all the gelatin granules have dissolved.  Set aside and let it cool to room temperature.
• Beat thickened cream until soft peaks form.  Set aside.
• In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with icing sugar until smooth.  Add in yogurt, beating well to combine.  Pour in gelatin mixture and beat to combine.
• Using a spatula, fold in whipped cream and chopped TimTam.  
• Pour cream cheese mixture into the lined muffin pan and sprinkle extra chopped TimTam on top.
• Chill the cheesecake overnight in the refrigerator.

Strawberry Cheesecake

Crust:

150g shredded wheatmeal biscuits
90g butter, melted

• Process biscuits in a food processor; add the melted butter and mix to combine.
• Pour biscuit crumbs into a lined loaf pan (21 x 10 cm) and press crumbs over  the base of pan  to form a crust. Chill in the fridge while preparing the filling.

Filling:

250g cream cheese, softened
250g strawberries, washed and cut into halves
6 extra strawberries, halved
180g sugar
15g gelatin
250ml thickened cream

• Place strawberries and sugar in a saucepan.  Cook under low heat until strawberries softened.  Blend and then strain.  This will yield about 500ml strawberry puree. 
• Dissolve gelatin in the strawberry puree.  
• Place chilled cream in a bowl and beat until soft peaks form.  
• Beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add strawberry puree into the cheese, beating well to combine.
• Fold in whipped cream.
• Pour half of the cream cheese mixture into the prepared pan.  Place some cut strawberries on the mixture and then pour the rest of the cream cheese mixture over the strawberries.
• Chill the cheesecake overnight.
• Serve with some fresh strawberries.

Tiramisu Cheesecake

Ingredients:

185g plain biscuits
100g butter, melted
zest of 1 lemon
375g Mascarpone cheese or Philadelphia cream cheese
2/3 cup lemonade
15g gelatin
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tsp lemon juice
1 cup cream - whipped
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup espresso coffee + 50ml Kahlua, Tia Maria or Marsala
10 Savoiardi biscuits (or sponge fingers)


Method:

• Process biscuits until finely crushed, add butter and lemon zest and mix well.
• Press biscuits mixture into the base of a greased and lined 20cm springform pan.
• Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• In a saucepan, combine lemonade, sugar and gelatin; stir over medium heat until dissolved.  Cool.
• Beat cream cheese until smooth.  Add in lemon zest and juice. Then add in gelatin mixture.  Beat well.
• Refrigerate until partly set.
• Fold in whipped cream.
• Pour half of the cream cheese mixture into the pan.  
• Dip Savoiardi biscuits one at a time in a bowl of cooled espresso coffee mixture and then lay them side by side on the layer of the cream cheese mixture.
• Pour the rest of the cream cheese mixture over the biscuits.  Chill overnight.
• Dust with sifted cocoa powder to serve.

Mango Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Base:

185g biscuits
90g butter, melted

• Process biscuits in a food processor; add the melted butter and mix to combine.
• Pour biscuit crumbs into a 21cm round springform pan and press crumbs over  the base of pan  to form a crust. Chill in the fridge while preparing the filling.

Filling:

2/3 cup lemonade
15g gelatine
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tsp lemon juice
2 mangoes, diced
1 cup cream (whipped)
1/2 cup sugar
375g cream cheese (at room temperature)

• In a saucepan, combine lemonade, sugar and gelatine; stir over medium heat until dissolved.  Cool.
• Beat cream cheese until smooth.  Add in lemon rind and juice. Then add in gelatin mixture.  Beat well.
• Refrigerate until partly set.
• Fold in whipped cream and diced mangoes.
• Pour into the pan and chill overnight.