Lemon and poppy seed cheesecake is a perfect dessert for any time of the year, it is a refreshing summer dessert and is equally great served during the Christmas holiday season. This easy no bake cheesecake recipe is easy to follow and can be prepared ahead of time making it ideal for when you are expecting guests. The quantities in the recipe below are sufficient to make either one 20cm cheesecake or eight 8cm diameter individual cheesecakes.
Ingredients
For the base
- 200g plain biscuits such as digestives, rich tea or Marie biscuits
- 120g butter
- 1 dessertspoon (10ml) runny honey
For the cheesecake cream and decoration
- 250g mascarpone (at room temperature)
- 200ml whipping cream
- 20g caster sugar
- Zest (finely chopped) and juice of 2 lemons
- Poppy seeds to decorate
Equipment needed to make lemon and poppy seed cheesecake
- Kitchen scales
- Large saucepan to melt the butter (and prepare the biscuit base)
- Dessertspoon
- Knife to cut the butter
- 20cm diameter loose bottomed non-stick flan dish or eight 8cm diameter individual dessert rings
- Medium sized bowl to mix the mascarpone and sugar
- Wooden spoon to cream the mascarpone and sugar
- A second medium sized bowl to whip the cream
- Hand whisk or electric whisk for the cream
- Tablespoon (15ml metal spoon) to fold in the cream
- Zester or grater for the lemon zest
- Sharp knife to chop the lemon zest
- Board for chopping the lemon zest
- Juicer for the lemon juice
How to make lemon and poppy seed cheesecake
How to prepare the cheesecake base
Start by crushing the biscuits (200g biscuits). I find a good way to do this is to place the biscuits in a strong, clear plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.
Weigh the butter (120g butter) and place in the saucepan. Measure 1 dessertspoon (10ml) runny honey and add to the butter in the pan. Heat gently over a low heat until the butter has melted, stirring to ensure the butter and honey are thoroughly mixed.
Add the crushed biscuits to the melted butter/honey mixture and mix together well.
Pack the biscuit mixture into the base of the loose bottomed flan dish, or individual dessert rings, pressing into place with the back of a spoon.
Place the cheesecake base (or bases) in the fridge to set.
How to prepare the lemon cheesecake cream
Before starting, the mascarpone should be at room temperature. Place 250g mascarpone and 20g caster sugar into a bowl and cream together using a wooden spoon.
Zest two lemons. This can be done either with a zester or grater, and then finely chop the lemon zest into fine pieces.
Juice the two lemons and add the chopped lemon zest and lemon juice to the cheesecake cream mixture and mix together.
Lightly whip the cream (200ml). Add the lightly whipped cream to the bowl with the mascarpone/sugar mixture and fold in using a metal spoon.
Place the bowl of cheesecake cream in the fridge for a minimum of one hour to set.
How to assemble the lemon and poppy seed cheesecake
If you are making a single 20cm diameter cheesecake then spoon the chilled cheesecake cream mixture onto the chilled biscuit base and spread evenly over the base. If you are preparing individual mini cheesecakes, divide the cheesecake cream between each of the biscuit bases and finish to a level surface.
Return the cheesecake/s to the fridge and chill again for around an hour.
When the cheesecake/s have chilled, carefully remove from the tin/moulds and place on a tray or plates. Liberally sprinkle poppy seeds over the top of the cheesecake/s.
Tips
- Remove the mascarpone from the fridge ahead of starting to prepare the cheesecake to enable it to reach room temperature.
- If you don't have caster sugar, place granulated sugar in a food processor and blitz for a short time to create a finer sugar.
- Store the cheesecake in the fridge until ready to serve. Any remaining cheesecake can be stored in the fridge until the next day.
You may also like to try cherry cheesecake with a chocolate crumb crust., another easy to make no bake cheesecake. It is made with a chocolatey base and is topped with a delicious homemade cherry sauce.
Lemon and poppy seed cheesecake
Equipment
- Kitchen scales
- Saucepan
- 1 dessertspoon
- Knife
- 20cm/8" loose bottomed non stick tin or eight individual 8cm dessert rings
- 2 medium sized bowls
- Wooden spoon
- Hand whisk or electric whisk
- 1 tablespoon
- Zester or grater
- Sharp knife
- Board
- Chopping board
- Juicer
- Greaseproof paper
- Metal tray for the individual cheesecakes
Ingredients
For the cheesecake base
- 200 g plain biscuits
- 120 g butter
- 2 tsps runny honey (1 dessertspoon)
- 1 teaspoon olive oil if making a single 20cm/8" diameter cheesecake
For the cheesecake cream and decoration
- 250 ml mascarpone at room temperature
- 200 g whipping cream
- 20 g caster sugar
- 2 lemons zest and juice
- 3 tbsps poppy seeds
Instructions
To prepare the base
- Crush the biscuits to fine crumbs.
- Place the butter and honey in a pan and heat gently until the butter has melted and stir.
- Add the crushed biscuits to the butter/honey mixture and mix well.
- If making a single 20cm/8"diameter cheesecake, line with greaseproof paper and lightly oil.
- If making individual cheesecakes, place the dessert rings on greaseproof paper on a metal tray.
- Pack the biscuit mixture into the base/s of the lined tin (or eight individual dessert rings) and compact with the back of a spoon.
- Place in the fridge to chill.
To prepare the lemon cheesecake cream
- Place the mascarpone and caster sugar in a bowl and cream together using a wooden spoon.
- Zest and juice 2 lemons and finely chop the zest with a knife.
- Add the lemon zest and juice to the cheesecake cream mixture and mix well.
- Lightly whip the cream, add to the bowl with the mascarpone and sugar and fold in using a tablespoon.
- Place the bowl of cheesecake cream in the fridge for about half an hour.
To assemble the cheesecake
- For a single 20cm/8" diameter cheesecake, spoon the cheesecake mixture over the chilled base. If you are making individual cheesecakes, divide the mixture between the eight biscuit bases and finish to a level surface.
- Return to the fridge to chill for about an hour.
- Carefully remove from the tin/moulds and place on a tray or plates and liberally sprinkle poppy seeds over the top.
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