Healthier Cheesecake with Homemade Cream Cheese (No Bake, No Egg, No Cream)
Look no further for a Healthier Cheesecake with Homemade Cream Cheese, which is No Bake, No Egg, No Cream Recipe. Cheesecake is a beloved dessert around the World. In this version of cheesecake which is a Greek Yogurt Cheesecake or a low calorie Cheesecake, I have made cream cheese with two simple home ingredients- Indian Cottage Cheese or Paneer and No Fat Greek Yogurt. These two ingredients are easy to procure rather than readymade cream cheese which may not be available in all places in India. And with homemade ingredients, you are sure about the freshness as compared to store bought preserved Cream Cheese.
Equipment
- Vitamix Blender
Ingredients
First Layer/Base Layer
- 200 gms Digestive Biscuits. You can use any other biscuit like Graham cracker or Thin Arrowroot biscuits too. The number of Digestive Biscuits used is 15. The powdered Biscuit measures 1.5 cups.
- 2 tbsp Melted Butter
- 2-3 tbsp Plain Milk. I used 3 tbsp of milk. Depending on the type of biscuit that you use, the quantity of milk may vary.
Second Layer/Cream Cheese Layer
- 500 Gms Indian Cottage Cheese or Paneer. Cut into Cubes.
- 1 cup Non Fat Greek Yogurt. As a substitute, you can use hung yogurt.
- 1 cup Honey
- 1 tbsp Lime Juice.
- 1 tsp Vanilla essence or Lime essence.
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp Grated Lemon zest.
- 1½ tbsp Agar Agar Powder. You may use either Lime flavored Agar Agar powder or Plain Agar Agar. For this recipe I have used 7 gms of Agar Agar powder.If you are ok to use Gelatin, you can use equal quantity of Powdered Gelatin.
- 100 ml Water.
Third Layer/Jelly Layer
- 85 gms Readymade Lime Jelly powder
- 2 cups Hot Water.
Instructions
First Layer/Base Layer
- Break Biscuits into big pieces.
- Add to a Blender and make a slightly coarse powder. The powder should have consistency of sand.
- Take out in a bowl. Add 2 tbsp melted Butter.
- Add 2-3 Tbsp plain Milk. Depending on the type of Biscuits used, the quantity of milk may vary.
- Mix everything together. The consistency should be like Bread crumbs. You should be able to hold it and then easily crumble it.
- Take a removable base pan or springform pan with a diameter of 6 inches. Layer with a parchment paper and brush parchment paper with some melted butter or oil.
- Layer the Biscuit crumbs in the pan. Press with a spatula. You can use a masher to press it firmly.
- Put the pan in refrigerator for about an hour so that the biscuit layer sets properly.
Second Layer/Cream Cheese Layer
- To a Blender add Paneer Cubes.
- Add Greek Yogurt or hung Yogurt.
- Add Honey.
- Add Lime Juice.
- Add essence.
- Blend everything together. The final mix will have a grainy texture.
- Add grated lemon zest.
- Empty the mix to a bowl and keep aside.
- Add Agar Agar powder to 100 ml of plain water. Mix thoroughly.
- Microwave for 1 minute first. Take out and mix again. Then again microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Agar Agar will turn into a Gel.
- Add this hot Agar Agar to the Cottage Cheese Mix immediately. Please ensure that the Agar Agar mix should not be cold while adding to the Mix. For some reason if it becomes cold and solid, add some water and reheat. Agar Agar will melt and again become semi liquid.
- Mix Agar Agar and Cottage Cheese mix together nicely.
- Pour the Cottage Cheese or Paneer Mix on top of Set Biscuit Layer.
- Refrigerate for 5 hours or overnight till the layer is completely set.
- The top should be firm and should not be sticky when you touch.
Third Layer/Jelly Layer
- Buy any instant Jelly Powder in Lime flavor and prepare jelly according to the instruction on the package. For this recipe, you will need about 1.5 cups of prepared jelly in liquid form.
- Arrange few slices of candied lemon slices on the Cream Cheese Layer which is fully optional.
- Pour the prepared lime jelly immediately.
- Refrigerate the whole thing again for atleast 6 hours till the jelly is completely set.
Final Serving
- Take out the set Cheesecake. Remove it from the Pan.
- Cut into slices and Serve.
