While I do enjoy comforting, rich desserts in the winter, come summer I prefer desserts that are light and fresh. And this lemon cheesecake hits the right notes at this time of year! It's the perfect combination of sweet and tart and is incredibly easy to prepare. The best part of it all? It's a no-bake cheesecake. Take a look:
Here's the recipe:
Ingredients (Serves 3)
• 12 sheets (about 5 1/2 ounces) regular or cinnamon graham crackers
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 2, 8-ounce blocks cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1, 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Directions:
1. Spray 3 5-inch mini springform pans with nonstick spray. Meanwhile, in a food processor grind up the crackers into fine crumbs, then add the melted butter and pulse until the mixture comes together in a ball.
2. Then, divide the crust between the mini pans and press firmly into the bottoms. Put the pans in the freezer while you prepare the filling.
3. To prepare the filling, whip the cream cheese with a hand mixer until it becomes light and fluffy, add the sweetened condensed milk a little at a time to prevent the cream cheese from clumping. Then mix in the lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract.
4. Once done, divide the mixture among the springform pans. The filling should be just enough to fill each one to the top, then refrigerate for at least 4 to 6 hours, or overnight. Top with blueberries or raspberries before serving.
Keep in mind:
No-bake cheesecakes will never be as firm as baked cheesecake, so this may be a little jiggly.
The recipe will also work with a regular-sized springform pan, though will require more time to set.
