Six Little Hearts: Try This No Bake Chocolate Crusted Lemon Cheesecake Recipe

Tuesday, 26 July 2016

Try This No Bake Chocolate Crusted Lemon Cheesecake Recipe

Oh boy it's been an effort getting this original recipe live!

I'd had the intention of making this cheesecake for weeks, so I bought all the ingredients to get the job done. My kids were beyond excited about a delicious cheesecake for dessert. ...I was excited about cheesecake! (I am always excited about desserts at any time.)

Yet as soon as my back was turned, my thieving kiddos ate the essential biscuits I required for the base of this recipe, Over. And. Over. Again! Twenty-two packets of Chocolate Ripple biscuits later, and my new hiding spot for my 'especially delicious' baking essentials had finally remained undiscovered. Phew! I was successfully able to pull this one off.

Despite these setbacks, it's been worth the wait. This is a great cheesecake and one that requires no baking whatsoever. This dessert is a small effort, plus it's very quick to make. The result is quite spectacular too.

My chocolate crusted lemon cheesecake is very simple to prepare. For best results, make this in a stand mixer, (hand mixing cream cheese can be tiring). Or try whizzing it together in a food processor as an alternative. You will need to refrigerate the finished cheesecake for around 4-6 hours (preferably overnight) until set, so keep this in mind if you do go ahead and make this one.

No Bake Chocolate Crusted Lemon Cheesecake

Preparation time: 10 minutes.

One regular packet of Arnott's Chocolate Ripple biscuits*

60-80g of margarine or butter melted.*

400g can of condensed milk

500g of Philadelphia Cream Cheese (at room temperature.)

1/4 cup of lemon juice and half a lemon rind, grated finely

2 egg whites

Gelatine

Grated chocolate to decorate.

*Actual quantity of biscuits and butter required may vary depending on your desired results. For a larger pan or a thicker base, I use a whole packet of Ripple biscuits and vary the butter accordingly. Aim for a crumbly texture over an excessively 'wet' one.

Grease a round spring-form baking pan (or one with a removable base) and add baking paper to the bottom and set aside.

In a food processor or Thermo, add the biscuits and crush until they become crumbs.

Place the crumbed biscuits into a separate mixing bowl and add the melted butter or margarine slowly, blending both together until the mix becomes stiff and crumbly - suitable for lining the base of the cheesecake.

Press this crumbed base into the prepared spring-form pan and smooth it over the entire base to prevent any leaks. Refrigerate this base to set while you prepare the second stage.

For the cheesecake mixture (the yummy part!), in the mixing bowl of your stand mixer (or food processor), add the cream cheese, condensed milk, lemon juice and rind, plus the egg whites and beat slowly at first. When the mixture comes together, turn up the speed and whip for a few minutes until any lumps are removed.

While the cheesecake mixes, it's time to prepare the gelatine. Dissolve one tablespoon of gelatine in 1/4 of a cup of hot water and allow this to cool slightly, before adding to the mixer bowl and blending this a little more.

Pour the cheesecake mixture onto the biscuit base and smooth evenly, working quickly as you do. Give the cheesecake a gentle 'tap' on your benchtop to remove any air bubbles and place the pan in your fridge (and on a plate) until set and required.

To serve, gently run a knife around the sides of the pan and release the spring-form ring from the sides of the cheesecake. Carefully slide the finished dessert onto a serving platter and top with grated chocolate for a gorgeous finish.