Cheesecake with berries – No bake

It was one of those blazing hot summer days when the last thing you want is to turn on the oven, or, you know, do any serious cooking. Then, out of nowhere, a bunch of friends announce they’re popping over for a barbecue. Panic? Nah, just a little dessert dilemma. What do you whip up when it’s hotter than the sun and everyone expects something tasty?

Enter: the no-bake cheesecake with berries. No oven, no fuss, just pure, cool deliciousness. It’s like the dessert version of jumping into a pool on a scorching day. Light, fruity, and just the right amount of fancy to impress without breaking a sweat.

Ingredients:

• 450 g plain biscuits
• 200 g butter
• 1 kg fresh cottage cheese
• 400 g liquid cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 packets of vanilla sugar
• 160 g powdered sugar (I used vanilla-flavored)
• 500-700 g raspberries for decoration (you can also use strawberries if you don’t have raspberries; this option is even more affordable)
• 13-15 strawberries, roughly equal in size
• 4 packets of gelatin

Preparation:

In a bowl, prepare the 2 packets of gelatin according to the instructions on the package and set aside to cool slightly. In a food processor, break the biscuits into pieces and pulse until you get fine, even crumbs. Melt the butter in the microwave for about a minute, then pour it over the biscuit crumbs and mix thoroughly until you have a smooth, well-combined mixture.

We take a pan with a removable bottom (mine is 26 cm in diameter), line the bottom with baking paper, then pour in the biscuit and butter mixture, pressing it firmly to form the base of our cake.

We remove the stems from the strawberries and cut each one in half. Then, we arrange them around the edge of the tray with the cut side facing outward, gently pressing them so they stick slightly to the tray. We continue this until the entire circumference of the tray is covered.

Once the strawberries are arranged around the edge of the tray, we begin preparing the cream. In a bowl, use a kitchen mixer to blend the cheese, sugar, vanilla essence, and the two sachets of vanilla sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy, so smooth that when you rub a small amount between your fingers, you no longer feel the sugar grains. The texture should be light and airy.

Next, gradually add the liquid whipped cream while continuing to mix. After all the whipped cream is incorporated, beat the mixture at medium-high speed for about 2 minutes. Finally, add the prepared gelatin and mix for an additional minute. The cream may lose a bit of its firmness, but don’t worry.

Pour the cream over the cake and strawberries in the pan, then refrigerate for about 5 hours or until the cream feels firm to the touch.

Once the cream has set, prepare the remaining two gelatin packets according to the instructions and set them aside. Arrange the raspberries on top of the cake in a circular pattern, starting from the outer edge and moving inward. After placing all the fruit, use a spoon to gently pour the gelatin evenly over the raspberries. This will help keep the decoration intact when you remove the cake from the mold and slice it, ensuring the fruit stays beautifully in place just as you arranged it.

We place the cheesecake in the refrigerator for about an hour. When ready, gently loosen the edges of the pan, using a knife if needed, to separate the cake from the sides.

If you try the recipe, let me know how you liked it! 😊

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