No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake

My apology for being absent for a long time.  I think I mentioned it on my last post that I'm taking more responsibility at work now that my priorities at home has also changed.  I also don't feel like making desserts or sweet treats for a while so this break is much needed.

My son also has an early bird class which makes my day is longer than usual.  I'm in bed by 10 most nights and I believe sleep is one of things I won't miss out.  A well rested wife and mommy is a much appreciated person during the day :)

This month I finally feel the urge to start baking again.  But the first thing I made is actually involves little time in the oven.  I had a slice of cheesecake on my church potluck and I wanted to eat cheesecake at home.  I don't think I've ever made no-bake cheesecake before that this time is the right time to try it.  Strawberries have started coming in the stores so automatically it's the fruit that I fancy putting in the no-bake cheesecake.

The crust is made of chocolate graham crackers with some oats and brown sugar.  It tastes very yummy; actually this combo strawberry and chocolate is super delicious.  The addition of whipped cream and extra strawberries on top makes it even better.  This actually reminds me of strawberry ice cream without the brain freeze!

Now the fresh strawberry slices are mixed with melted marrionberry jam because I run out of my strawberry jam.  They taste just fine with it, it's just when photographed it looks a little funny with those little seeds of marrionberry.  This also told me that I need to make more strawberry jam in a month or two.

I hope you'll give this a try!

No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake

Serves 10


Crust:
9 whole chocolate graham crackers
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
3 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin (from 2 envelopes)
1 1/2 8-ounce packages Philadelphia-brand cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 cups chopped strawberries

Topping:
1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
4 cups fresh strawberries, cut in half
1/2 cup strawberry jam


To make the crust:  Preheat oven to 350F.  Blend graham crackers, oats, brown sugar, and salt in processor until graham crackers are finely ground.  Add melted butter and vanilla; process until moist crumbs form.  Press crumb mixture onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides.  Bake crust until deep golden brown, about 12 minutes.  Cool.

To make the filling:  Pour 1/4 cup water into small saucepan; sprinkle gelatin over.  Let stand until gelatin softens, about 15 minutes.  Stir over very low heat just until gelatin dissolves.  Blend cream cheese, cream, sugar, and lemon juice in processor until smooth, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl.  Add berries; puree until smooth.  With machine running, add warm gelatin mixture through feed tube and blend well.  Pour filling into crust.  Cover; chill overnight.

Cut around pan sides to loosen cake; remove pan sides.  Transfer cake to platter.

Topping:  Using electric mixer, beat cream and sugar in medium bowl until peaks form.  Spread cream mixture thickly over top of cheesecake.  Place berries in bowl.  Heat jam in small saucepan over low heat until just melted.  Pour jam over berries; toss to coat.  Mound coated  berries on cream, leaving 1-inch plain border.  Chill cake at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.


Source:  adapted from Bon Appetit Desserts

Golden Vanilla Pound Cake with Fresh Strawberries

There's a danger of not posting recipe soon enough.  One, the season may have passed and that strawberry post is becoming old story when everyone has moved on to apple.  Second, I tend to forget where I get the recipe.  A pound cake recipe could come from fifty different books or one hundred Pinterest ideas.

This forgetting business is scary because as I'm growing older, it seems like one brain cell fades away everytime I'm idling.  Retracing steps has become a bit harder, a tad slower.  That's why I like it when everything is put back in place in the house because then I don't have to worry of not finding it in its usual place.  And it helps to put a bookmark in the book so I can retrace where I get the recipe :)

This is a very simple recipe of a pound cake.  The idea of eating fresh strawberries, pound cake, and whipped cream is one the reasons I bake.  I love the idea of brushing the top of the cake with sugar mixture; it adds sweet crunchiness to the tender crumbs of the cake.  Another way to eat this is to cube the cake and make a parfait consisting of ice cream, whipped cream, and chopped strawberries.

Local strawberries is a distant memory now but surely that will be replaced with different berries or even peaches.  Yes, I can't wait for peach season!

 Golden Vanilla Pound Cake With Fresh Strawberries

Yield 9" loaf cake, 18 servings

For the cake:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
5 large eggs, at room temperature
3 tablespoons milk
1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

For the topping:
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon water

Whipped cream
Fresh sliced strawberries



Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Lightly grease a 9" x 5" x 2 3/4" loaf pan.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the butter, cream cheese, salt, sugar, baking powder, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well combined.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; the mixture may look slightly curdled/grainy.  After you've added the final egg, beat at high speed for 3 minutes.  Once all the eggs are added, stir in the milk.

Sprinkle the flour gradually, with the mixer going at low speed.  Mix just until combined.  The batter will be smooth and thick, but still pourable.  Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

To make the topping, combine the sugar, vanilla, and water.  Stir until the mixture is syrupy.  At first, it'll seem very stiff, but will become "drizzlable" as you stir.  Set the topping aside.

Set the cake on a baking sheet for easiest handling.  Bake it for 55 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven, and brush/drizzle with the sugar mixture.  Return the cake to the oven for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.  Remove the cake from the oven, and set it on a rack.  Insert a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean.  The very top, right under the crust, will still be kind of soggy; don't worry about it.

After 5 minutes loosen the cake's edges and turn it out of the pan to cool completely on a rack.

Eat with whipped cream and sliced fresh strawberries.


Source:  adapted from The King Arthur Flour