SIMPLE BASIC UNBAKED CHEESECAKE WITH VARIATIONS.

Simple Basic Unbaked Cheesecake With Variations. image

I found this is in a NZ magazine that had chef Genevieve McGough as a guest food writer. She says that cheesecake is believed to have originated in ancient Greece. The first recorded mention is that it was served to athletes during the first Olympic Games in 776BC !!! The two main techniques used these days are baked or gelatine based. This one is even easier as it does not use gelatine, does not require baking and only three ingredients are needed for the filling. I haven't made all the variations but I am sure they will be delicious. I have included 2 variations here and will post another separately. For the biscuit bases Digestive or plain sweet biscuits eg Nice or Super Wine biscuits seem to be most commonly used. However, try to match your base with filling eg,chocolate chip biscuits with chocolate filling. Chocolate covered biscuits as long as they don't have a chewy filling make a softer textured base that is easy to slice but as the packets weigh less, more than one is needed. NOTE:Cooking time is chill time.

Provided by Jen T

Time 4h30m

Yield 10 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 5

Ingredients

90 g butter (melted and cooled to room temp)
250 g biscuits (your choice)
400 g cream cheese (room temp)
120 g caster sugar
400 ml heavy cream (whipping cream, chilled)

Steps:

BASE:.
In a food processor or blender combine the biscuits and melted butter until fine crumbs.
Press the crumbs evenly and firmly into a 23cm (9") round springform tin or one with a removable base.
Smooth with a spoon and place in fridge.
FILLING:.
Beat the cream cheese for a few mins on low speed with an electric beater until soft and lump free.
Slowly add the sugar while continuing to beat on low.
Once the sugar is incorporated slowly pour in the cream while still beating on low.
On a higher speed whip the cream cheese & cream mixture til it holds its shape completely when the beater passes through the mix and it looks a little grainy.
Spoon into the chilled base and smooth with a spatula.
Chill for at least 4hours or overnight.
Remove from tin and place on serving dish.
Cut into portions using a hot dry knife. Between each slice, clean & reheat knife by dipping into hot water & drying. This makes neater portions.
VARIATION #1.
RIPPLED JELLY CHEESECAKE:.
Make a basic cheesecake and place in fridge while you prepare jelly.
Place 250mls water, 90g raspberries or other berries and 3Tblsp sugar into a pot and simmer for 2mins.
When cooled a little, puree in a blender until smooth and return to clean pot on the stove and over a low heat stir in 1tsp gelatine until dissolved.
Pass the mixture through a fine sieve into a metal bowl and chill until it reaches a thick soup like consistency.
Pour this over the chilled cheesecake and use a fork to fold in the jelly by working in circles.
When the jelly is partially worked in, tap the tin on the bench until the surface flattens, then place in fridge for at least 4hrs to set.
VARIATION #2:.
CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESECAKE.
Make basic cheesecake using either plain or chocolate biscuits for base.
Melt 120g dark chocolate, then squiggle onto the surface of made cheesecake before chilling.
Using a fork, quickly work circles of chocolate through the cheesecake. The chocolate will set while you are doing this.
Tap the tin on the bench to settle & flatten the surface then chill for 4hrs or overnight.
For a real treat you can use both the jelly and chocolate in the one cheesecake to make it a "Rippled Jelly & Chocolate Chip Cheesecake :).