Mixed berry cheesecake (no-bake)

Summer is the perfect time to treat yourself to a light, refreshing, easy dessert that captures the essence of the season.

This no-bake mixed berry cheesecake recipe is not only oh-so-easy to make, but it's also a little lighter than the heavier mascarpone-based, or baked cheesecakes.

With its creamy texture, fragrant, delicious berries and buttery digestives, this will sure be a hit at your next barbeque, or just as a sweet treat after dinner.

Love cheesecake? Be sure to try this dreamy Milkybar cheesecake, or the popular No bake white chocolate cheesecake with ginger.

Key ingredient notes and substitutions

Jelly

Or Jello as it's known in the US. We use a packet of 11.5g jelly crystals in powder form, but you can also use 135g of jelly in block form.

This recipe calls for raspberry flavour. You can swap this for your favourite and adjust the types of berries to match.

Digestive biscuits

If you don't have digestives, you can substitute them with any plain biscuit like Graham crackers, Rich Tea biscuits or shortbreads.

Butter

We use unsalted butter, but you can also use salted butter if that's what you have available.

Cream cheese

When making cheesecake, opting for full-fat cream cheese ensures a rich and indulgent texture.

Nevertheless, for a lighter alternative, you can choose a reduced-fat or light version of cream cheese.

Double cream (heavy cream)

For a lusciously creamy cheesecake, double cream (heavy whipping cream) is the best choice.

If you don't have double cream, you can substitute it with a lighter version like single cream or whipping cream.

The berries

For this triple-berry cheesecake recipe, you'll need fresh raspberries, strawberries and blackberries.

However, feel free to make it your own by using your favourite berries. You can choose just one type of berry, two or even more than three types.

Just ensure the total weight of the berries you use is around 90 grams.

How to make berry cheesecake

Do the prep

1. In a small bowl, dissolve the raspberry jelly, whether it's in powder or block form, in 125ml of boiling water. Set it aside to cool slightly, approximately 10 minutes.

2. Line a 2lb standard loaf tin with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang to make it easier to lift the cheesecake out later.
   
   A standard loaf tin is about 21cm long, 11cm wide and 7cm wide. Alternatively, it's also known as a 2lb or 900g tin.

3. Melt the 50g of butter in the microwave

To make the biscuit crust

4. In a food processor, whiz the digestive biscuits into fine crumbs. You can also do this by hand by bashing the biscuits with a rolling pin in a plastic bag.

5. Add the melted butter to the crumbs and whiz again until well combined. Or, if you bashed the biscuits by hand, stir the butter through the crumbs.

6. Tip the crumb mixture into the loaf tin. Spread it out equally and press it down firmly with the back of a spoon. You can also use the bottom of a glass.

7. Put the tin in the fridge until needed.

Make the cheesecake filling

8. Add the cream cheese to the dissolved jelly in a large mixing bowl.

9. Whisk together at a medium speed. You can use an electric mixer or a stand mixer for this step.

10. In a separate large bowl, whip the double cream to stiff peaks.
    
    Top tip: Cream whips up better when it's fridge-cold, rather than at room temperature.

11. Add the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture.

12. Beat again on a low speed until you have a uniform consistency with no lumps.
    
    The mixture should be whipped to such a consistency that it's firm enough to hold the berries in place without them sinking to the bottom of the tin.

13. Slice the 30g strawberries, 30g blackberries and 30g raspberries into slightly smaller pieces.
    
    We quartered the strawberries and halved the blackberries and raspberries.

14. Add the sliced berries to the cheesecake mixture and gently fold through. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to ensure everything is fully incorporated.

15. Scoop the creamy filling over the biscuit base in the loaf tin. Level the top of the cheesecake with the back of a spoon. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 3 hours to set.

16. When the cheesecake is set, lift it out with the help of the parchment paper and place it on a serving plate. You should be able to easily pull the parchment paper out from underneath it.

To make the optional raspberry coulis

17. Place the 120g of raspberries in a jug, or medium bowl, along with the icing sugar and the lemon juice.

18. Whiz the raspberries with a stick blender/immersion blender until liquidised.

19. Place a sieve over a bowl and pour the raspberry puree into it.

20. Use a spoon or silicone spatula to push the puree through the sieve, leaving the seeds behind.

21. Collect the coulis in a small jug, ready to be poured over the cheesecake.

22. Decorate the berry cheesecake with extra berries and drizzle some of the raspberry coulis over the top.

Variations

• Swap the raspberry jelly with strawberry jelly and use 90g strawberries to make it a strawberry cheesecake.

• Swap the raspberry jelly with black cherry jelly and replace the berries with 90g pitted cherries or maraschino cherries.

• Swap the raspberry jelly for pineapple jelly and replace the berries with 90g pineapple pieces from a tin.

• Add vanilla extract or other extracts, like strawberry, for an extra flavour boost.

How to serve berry cheesecake

Fresh fruit: Top the cheesecake with a handful of berries like fresh strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, blueberries or blackberries.

Whipped cream: Serve each slice of cheesecake with a dollop of freshly whipped cream or mascarpone whipped cream.

Berry coulis: Drizzle some of the homemade berry coulis you prepared earlier over each slice of cheesecake.

Mint leaves: Garnish the cheesecake with a few sprigs of fresh mint leaves. The bright green colour and refreshing taste of mint complement the sweetness of the berries.

Chocolate shavings: Sprinkle chocolate shavings on top of the cheesecake for an added touch of indulgence.

Citrus zest: Sprinkle fresh orange or lemon zest over the cheesecake.

Vanilla ice cream: Serve each slice of cheesecake with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream. The combination of the cold ice cream and the rich cheesecake creates a delicious contrast of flavours and textures.

Freeze-dried strawberries: Sprinkle with a dusting of freeze-dried strawberries for a concentrated strawberry flavour and a bit of crunch.

Toasted almonds: Sprinkle toasted almond slices or chopped almonds on top of the cheesecake.

Storage

To store the cheesecake, put it in a sealed airtight container or wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Keep it in the fridge to keep it fresh. Remember to eat the cheesecake within 3-5 days.

Can you freeze berry cheesecake?

While you can freeze this cheesecake, keep in mind that it may not freeze as well as heavier mascarpone-based cheesecakes.

Alternatively, you can enjoy it as a frozen dessert without fully defrosting it, as complete defrosting might cause it to release some liquid.