Blackcurrant cheesecake (no bake cheesecake)

Blackcurrant cheesecake is a perfect year round dessert and can be made using either fresh or frozen blackcurrants. This foolproof recipe has a ginger biscuit base, a creamy cheesecake topping packed with blackcurrants and does not require baking.

This easy cheesecake recipe is a great way to make use of a glut of blackcurrants in the summer months especially if you have grown your own. If you don't have fresh blackcurrants then frozen fruit works just as well, simply defrost at room temperature until they are soft enough to use. Or you could use of other cheesecake fruits such as strawberries or blackberries.

If you enjoy cheesecake then you may also like to try double chocolate cheesecake, cherry cheesecake with a chocolate crust or lemon and poppy seed cheesecake.

This blackcurrant cheesecake recipe is sufficient for around 8 servings.

Ingredients for blackcurrant cheesecake

For the cheesecake base:

• 200g ginger biscuits - here I have used ginger biscuits but you could use other types of biscuit such as digestives, hobnobs or crunchy oat biscuits.

• 115g butter - use either salted or unsalted butter depending on your preference and what you have in your fridge. Alternatively, you could use margarine if you prefer.

For the cheesecake topping:

• 250g mascarpone - mascarpone is a soft and creamy cheese and is ideal for making cheesecakes. Remove from the fridge before starting to make the cheesecake so that it reaches room temperature.

• 300ml double cream - in the UK double cream contains about 48% fat but you could substitute whipping cream which has around 36% fat if you prefer. The cream lightens the texture of the cream cheese and adds moisture to the cheesecake cream.

• 20g caster sugar - use caster sugar rather than granulated sugar as it has finer sugar crystals.

• 100g blackcurrants (plus extra to decorate) - use either fresh or previously frozen blackcurrants.

A little bit about blackcurrants

Blackcurrants are a popular garden fruit in Britain. I have had so many summers with a glut of blackcurrants, have spent time searching for recipes with blackcurrants and have found that cheesecake is always a winner.

Blackcurrants are in season in the UK between June and August, depending on location, making them ideal for summer desserts.

After harvesting, the fruits should be topped and tailed with scissors to remove any remaining stems. If you plan to freeze the blackcurrants then this is easier to do while they are frozen.

Fresh blackcurrants can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days or can be frozen. Freezing is an ideal way to store them until you have enough for your recipe or until you are ready to use them. They will keep well for up to a year in an airtight container, after which time they start to get tough and should be discarded.

Prepare the cheesecake base

Crush the biscuits until they resemble crumbs. I find the easiest way to do this is to place in a large plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. If any pieces remain they can be crushed with the back of a spoon.

Place the butter in a saucepan and melt over a low heat. Add the biscuit crumbs and mix together.

Line the base of a 20cm non stick loose bottomed flan tin with greaseproof paper. Lightly oil the paper and sides of the tin so that your finished cheesecake can easily be removed. If you don't have a loose bottomed tin then place a sheet of non-stick baking paper in the base of a similar sized dish.

Spread the mixture evenly over the base of the lined flan tin. Press firmly with the back of a spoon until it is well compacted. Place in the fridge to set for about an hour.

Prepare the blackcurrant cheesecake filling

Cream the mascarpone and caster sugar together.

Lightly whisk the double cream in a separate bowl until it is fairly thick but not solid. If you whisk to the point where it becomes solid it will be difficult to combine with the mascarpone and sugar mixture.

Combine the cream with the mascarpone/sugar mixture by folding with a metal spoon. Place the cheesecake filling in the fridge for a minimum of one hour to chill.

Place the blackcurrants in a bowl and lightly mash with a fork so that some of the juice starts to run from the fruit, but leaving some fruits whole.

When the cheesecake mixture has chilled, add the crushed blackcurrants and mix together. The juice will turn parts of the mixture an attractive shade of pale pink.

Assemble the fruit cheesecake

Remove the base from the fridge and spread the cheesecake topping over the base, levelling the top with a knife. Return to the fridge to chill for about an hour.

Carefully remove the cheesecake from the tin and place on a plate. Decorate with additional blackcurrants before serving.

Tips

1. Digestives or oat biscuits could be used instead of ginger biscuits.
2. If you don't have any caster sugar then place some granulated sugar in a food processor and blitz until a finer sugar is created.
3. The cheesecake is ready to be eaten as soon as it has been removed from the tin.
4. The base and cheesecake topping can be prepared ahead of time or the day before assembling the cheesecake and stored in the fridge.
5. If you don't have a loose bottomed tin then simply place a sheet of non-stick baking paper in the base of a similar sized dish so that the cheesecake can easily be lifted out.
6. Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for two to three days. Some of the juice may run from the blackcurrants and affect its appearance but it can still be eaten.
7. This easy cheesecake recipe can be used with other fruits in place of blackcurrants such as raspberries, strawberries, blackberries or mango.

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