Cheesecake is one of life's greatest pleasures, but there are many different ways to make this classic dessert.
In America, the two most popular kinds of cheesecake are New York style, an extremely rich and smooth version made from cream cheese, heavy cream and egg yolks, usually baked in a graham cracker crust; and Chicago-style, which has a firm outside and light, creamy interior due to sour cream added to the cream cheese batter, and typically baked in a shortbread cookie crust. Then there is no-bake cheesecake, which are mostly made from cream cheese and leave out the eggs.
Classic cheesecake with all the cream and eggs is really delicious, but sometimes you want a dessert that doesn't need to use oven space. No-bake cheesecake to the rescue! Truthfully lots of people prefer this kind of cheesecake, not only is it easy but you can make them with all your favorite flavors.
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This version of no-bake cheesecake is infused with the flavors of my favorite Israeli dessert, halva. Two of my favorite things, quick and halvah!
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 cups finely ground chocolate cookies crumbs about 30 cookies
- 4 ounces melted unsalted butter
- Pinch sea salt
Cheesecake
- 1 pound cream cheese room temperature
- 14- ounce can condensed milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 12 ounces marbled chocolate halvah roughly chopped
- Garnish: additional halvah crumbled as a topping
Nutritional Facts
Instructions
Crust:
- Stir crumbs, butter and salt together. Press crumbs into the bottom and about 1-inch up the sides of an 8-inch spring form pan (I use a small glass to help get into the edges of the pan).
- Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Cheesecake:
- Beat cream cheese, on low, with a paddle attachment of a mixer until smooth and creamy. Add condensed milk and vanilla and beat until incorporated.
- Mix in halvah by hand to keep from breaking it up too much.
- Pour into chilled crust. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until firm.
- Run a spatula around the edge to loosen it from the pan.
- Remove from pan. Garnish with halvah crumbs.