A light, fluffy, no-bake cheesecake with a watermelon flavor. The cheesecake is very delicate and melts in your mouth. The hint of watermelon in the cream cheese mixture is subtly noticeable. The cream cheese-watermelon mixture pairs perfectly with the blackcurrant nectar jelly. Alternatively, you can use red currant juice, or for a simplified version, cherry jelly.
Ingredients:
Crust:
- Butter cookies, 200 g (for gluten-free version: gluten-free cookies)
- Softened butter, 125 g
Cheesecake Filling:
- Cream cheese from a tub or quark, 300 g
- 10 gelatin leaves (equivalent to 7.5 flat teaspoons of powdered gelatin)
- 400-600 g watermelon
- Sugar, 75 g
- Vanilla sugar, 2 teaspoons
- 1 lime
- Sweet cream, 600 g (30-36%)
Blackcurrant Jelly:
- Blackcurrant nectar, 200 ml
- 2 gelatin leaves (or 1.5 flat teaspoons of powdered gelatin)
Preparation:
Prepare the cookie crust. Crush the cookies into very fine crumbs. (The easiest way is to blend them into sand using a food processor or blender. Alternatively, place them in a freezer bag and crush them with a rolling pin). Mix with softened butter. Line the bottom of a 26 cm diameter springform pan with parchment paper, then tighten the rim. Spread the cookie mixture and press it with a spoon onto the bottom. Chill the pan in the refrigerator. Prepare the cheesecake filling. Squeeze the lime juice.
Soak the gelatin in 8 tablespoons of cold water. Allow it to swell. Cut the watermelon into pieces, separate from the skin, and remove the seeds. Blend 200 g of watermelon with sugar, vanilla sugar, and lime juice until smooth. Heat the swollen gelatin, stirring until dissolved. Remove the pot from the heat and, while stirring with a whisk, add some of the blended watermelon, then mix in the rest. Chill in the refrigerator. Once it begins to thicken, add the cream cheese and mix vigorously.
Whip the cream until stiff peaks form, then gently fold it into the cream cheese-watermelon mixture. Pour the mixture into the prepared crust and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, until set. Prepare the jelly. Soak the gelatin in 2 tablespoons of cold water. Allow it to swell. Dice the remaining watermelon into small cubes and place them on top of the set cheesecake. Heat the blackcurrant nectar, add the gelatin, and mix thoroughly until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Allow to cool. Pour the prepared jelly over the cheesecake. Refrigerate until set.
