No-Bake Blackberry Cheesecake

Prep time: 45 mins Cook time: Chill 6 hours - overnight Total time: 6 hours 45 mins - overnight

Ingredients

The Crust

3 cups digestive cookie crumbs

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted 

Cheesecake filling

½ cup heavy whipping cream

450g full fat cream cheese, room temperature

1 1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Blackberry Preservative

2 cups blackberries

½ cup sugar (or less if you wish)

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon corn starch

Equipment

Measuring cups and spoons

2 four inch springform pans

Food processor or two plastic bags and rolling pin

2 Medium bowls

Large bowl

Handheld electric whisk

Spatula or spoon

Plastic/Cling wrap

Knife (medium or large sized)

Medium heat proof pot

How To

The Crust

Place digestive biscuits into a food processor or two plastic bags and beat down and blend until you have a fine texture. Pour into a medium bowl together with butter and mix well. 

Pour into the springform pans and using your fingers, start pressing the mixture against the pan's wall slightly up to the brim. Then do the base by pressing the mixture to the bottom of the pan. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.

Blackberry Preservative

Place the blackberries, sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice in the heatproof pan. Sauté it under medium heat stirring occasionally with the spatula. You will need to keep it on the heat with occasional stirring for about 30-40 minutes until it starts to thicken.

After 30 minutes, add the cornstarch and quickly stir it in. Keep it over the heat until thick.

Remove from the heat and let it cool completely. Scoop the jam into the jar. Set aside.

Cheesecake Filling

Using a handheld electric whisk, beat the cream cheese and strawberry jam in a large bowl. Beat until creamy. Once creamy, add the lemon juice, vanilla extract, sour cream and sugar. Beat until well combined.

In another medium bowl, using the handheld whisk beat the whipped cream until it forms stiff peaks.

Fold in the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling until combined. Do it slowly so you hold the air.

Remove the crust from the freezer. Pour the filling into the pan and smooth the top of the filling with a spatula or spoon. Repeat with the other mini-cake pan.

Top with the blackberry preservative.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight.

Once ready to serve, take the cheesecake out of the fridge. Remove the springform. Insert a small knife underneath the cheesecake crust and gently move it all around to help loosen the cheesecake from the pan. Using the same knife, lift the cheesecake a bit and insert a flat spatula underneath. Do the same in the opposite direction. Holding both spatula and knife, swiftly and confidently transfer the cheesecake to a serving plate.

Alternatively you can just remove the side of the springform pan, and leave the base. You can put the cheesecake with the base onto a serving plate.

Put a handful of blackberries on top of the cheesecake (optional).