No-Bake Cheesecake
Easy and delicious dessert with a graham cracker crust and a creamy filling topped with fresh strawberries
Easy and delicious dessert with a graham cracker crust and a creamy filling topped with fresh strawberries
- Carbohydrate 10.2790271578698 g
- Cholesterol 52.8981472899054 mg
- Fat 16.7971821800406 g
- Fiber 0.00762500013519127 g
- Protein 1.88734312611988 g
- Saturated Fat 9.929528122624 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (52g)
- Sodium 124.516031664196 mg
- Sugar 10.2714021577346 g
- Trans Fat 1.83176251870055 g
- Calories 195 calories
Step-by-step
- In a bowl, mix together crushed cookies and graham crackers with melted butter and the 3 tablespoons sugar.
- Press into a 7 inch springform pan. Place in refrigerator until ready for use.
- In another bowl, beat cream cheese, 1/3 cup of sugar and lemon juice.
- Whip cream, and fold into cream cheese mixture.
- Spread into pan.
- Top with sliced strawberries (optional). Freeze for 1 hour, covered with foil.
- Place in refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.
Swapping pecan sandies for standard graham crackers introduces shortbread fats that alter the structural density of the crust, requiring a firm press into the 7-inch springform pan to prevent crumbling upon release. Acid from the lemon juice interacts with the casein proteins in the cream cheese, causing them to coagulate slightly and thicken the batter without the application of thermal heat. Heavy whipping cream incorporates air cells that lighten the dense cheese base, provided the fat content remains sufficiently high to trap those air bubbles during mixing.
- Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks before folding to ensure the dairy fats support the weight of the cheese mixture.
- Chill the assembled crust in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to solidify the butter fats holding the crumbs together.
- Transfer the frozen dessert to the refrigerator 30 minutes before slicing to allow the interior to soften uniformly.
Proper folding prevents the collapse of aeration achieved during whipping. Controlling internal moisture prevents ice crystal formation during the one-hour freezing phase.
