No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake

No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake

Serves
Cooking time 2h 30m

This impressive no bake cheesecake will wow your guests and have them lining up for more. With its vibrant layers and incredible flavour, it elevates the humble cheesecake to an entirely new level and is well worth the effort!

Ingredients

Whipped cream, to serve (optional)

Base

150gplain sweet biscuits, such as Marie biscuits

1 1/2 tspground cinnamon

1 tspground ginger

100gunsalted butter, melted

Filling

2 punnets(250g) Driscoll's blueberries

1 Tbspfreshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup(110g), plus 2 tablespoons caster sugar

1/4 cup(60ml) cold water

3 tsppowdered gelatine

500gcream cheese, at room temperature, coarsely chopped

1 tspvanilla extract

250gmascarpone

300mlpure cream, whipped to soft peaks

Blueberry sauce

2 Tbspcaster sugar

2 Tbsp & 2 tspcold water

1 Tbspfreshly squeezed lemon juice

2 punnets(250g) Driscoll's blueberries

1 tsparrowroot

Method

  1. Preparation

    Grease a 20cm round spring form pan with oil and line with baking paper.

  2. Base

    To prepare the base, place the biscuits, cinnamon and ginger in a food processor and blend until finely ground. Add the butter and process to combine. Tip into prepared pan and using the back of a spoon press into the base to make an even layer. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, or until firm.

  3. Filling

    To prepare the filling, place the blueberries, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a medium saucepan. Set over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes, or until juice reduces to a thick syrup. Using a stick blender, puree the blueberries. Transfer into a small bowl and set aside to cool. Place the water in a small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatine in an even layer over the surface. Set aside for 10 minutes, to soften. Meanwhile, using an electric mixer beat the cream cheese, remaining sugar and vanilla together until smooth. Add the mascarpone and beat to combine. Gently heat the softened gelatine, until dissolved. Add 1 large spoonful of the cream cheese mixture to the gelatine and stir to combine. Add gelatine cream to the remaining cream cheese mixture and beat to combine. Add 1 large spoonful of whipped cream to the cheese mixture and stir to combine. Fold in the remaining cream. Transfer one-third of the mixture into a small bowl and set aside. Add the blueberry puree to remaining mixture. Stir well to combine. Pour into the prepared base. Spread to make an even surface. Cover and freeze for 10 minutes, or until set slightly. Dot the reserved plain cream cheese mixture over the blueberry filling. Spread to make a smooth even surface. Refrigerate.

  4. Sauce

    To prepare the blueberry sauce, place the sugar, 2 tablespoons of the water and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Simmer over low-medium heat for 2 minutes, or until sugar dissolves. Add the blueberries and simmer for 2 minutes, or until some of the berries begin to burst. Blend the arrowroot with the remaining water in a small bowl. Stirring continuously, gradually pour arrowroot into the hot blueberries. Cook for 30 seconds, or until sauce thickens. Transfer into a small bowl and set aside to cool completely.

  5. Serving and storing

    Once cooled, pour the blueberry sauce over the cheesecake, spreading to cover the entire surface. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. To serve, slice with a hot knife. Alternatively, for a quicker option try a plain blueberry cheesecake; simply add the blueberry puree to all of the cream cheese mixture. Pour into the base and set in the refrigerator. Serve plain or top with blueberry sauce, if desired.