I am part of an Instagram baking group that does collaborations each month based on a theme and the theme this month was No bake desserts . And while there are plenty of no bake dessert options , the first thing that comes to my mind are no bake cheesecakes. I have already tried a vanilla cheesecake in pastel hues and a no bake Oreo cheesecake . And this time around , thought I’d swap the Oreos for Bourbons and make a no bake bourbon cheesecake !
Bourbons are crumbly chocolate biscuits filled with a chocolate cream , and are really really popular in India. They have been around long before Oreos made their way to supermarket shelves and are marketed under several brands. I have nothing against Oreos , really like them in fact and I really like Bourbons too. I have even made some homemade Bourbons twice or thrice. Not so neat , but so very yum !
So the cheesecake – the base is made of powdered Bourbons along with some melted butter. The filling is cream cheese , a wee bit of cocoa , sugar and some whipped up cream. The cream cheese gives the cheesecake taste and the whipped cream is what holds it up. Some crushed up bourbons are mixed into the filling (that’s 15 bourbons in a small 6 inch cake , not even counting the ones decorating the top). Set it in the fridge for a couple of hours and voila – a smooth , velvety, delicious cheesecake .
And oh. I used homemade cream cheese here which worked like a dream in this cheesecake. See how easy it is to make by clicking here.
What I didn’t like too much about this no bake Bourbon cheesecake , was the odd (?almost ashy) colour . You can skip the cocoa if the colour puts you off !
No bake bourbon cheesecake
Ingredients
For the crust :
- 100 grams or 10 Bourbon cream biscuits
- 2 tablespoons or 28 grams Unsalted butter
For the filling :
- 180 grams or 3/4 cup cream cheese room temperature
- 50 grams or 1/4 cup granulated or castor sugar
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 120 ml or 1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream cold
- 50 grams or 5 Bourbon cream biscuits
Optional (for the top):
- 2-3 Bourbon cream biscuits
Instructions
To make the crust :
- Melt the butter
- Crush the biscuits , either by hand or in a mixer / food processor to a fine powder
- Mix the butter into the powdered biscuits until a wet sand like consistency is achieved
- Press the mixture into the bottom of a round 6 inch springform or loose bottomed pan. If you don't have one , you can line the bottom of a regular 6 inch pan with cling wrap with the sides long and reaching the top edge of the pan
- Press as evenly as possible and chill in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
To make the filling :
- Roughly chop up the 5 biscuits into small pieces . Keep aside
- Whip up the cream to soft peaks (when you upturn the bowl, the cream shouldn't fall) . Keep aside
- In a bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth
- Add the sugar and beat well
- Beat in the cocoa, salt and vanilla extract
- Beat or whisk In the whipped cream ( at low speed) until you achieve a uniform colour.
- Fold in the chopped Bourbons (along with any powder )
- Spread this filling on top of the chilled crust. Smoothen the top
- Chill the cheesecake for 3 hours or overnight.
- Unmould from the pan or pull out (if using cling film lined pan)
- Serving suggestion : Powder 2-3 Bourbon biscuits and sprinkle over top in desired pattern before serving.
Notes
This is such a simple dessert to put together and needs minimal ingredients. Its light , creamy and so loaded with Bourbon flavour that it will not disappoint !