Welcome to the no bake cheesecake series! Today we are starting with basics, a very easy vanilla cheesecake made with only 7 ingredients that you probably have at home. This cheesecake is supersoft and has a lovely crunchy base, topped with some fresh fruit, it’s the perfect dessert for any occasion!

Vanilla Cheesecake

I have a bone to pick with anyone who uses the term vanilla to describe something boring or bland, I love vanilla and this cheesecake is a celebration of how amazing it is. Made with very little ingredients, it’s packed with flavour, easy to make and the perfect summer dessert.

What you’ll need

As I mentioned, you only need 7 ingredients to make this cheesecake and you probably already have some of them at home.

• Digestive biscuits and butter: the super easy crust for this cheesecake is made with good old digestive biscuits and a splash of butter, nothing more, nothing less.
• Cream cheese: as I am sure you were expecting, this cheesecake contains a healthy amount of cream cheese.
• Greek yoghurt: unlike other no bake cheesecakes I’ve made before, this one contains a splash of greek yoghurt, I like to use a thick one for extra thickness and creaminess.
• Vanilla bean paste: this is obviously the key to this cheesecake. I chose to use vanilla bean paste because I really wanted to “invest” in this cheesecake, vanilla is the only flavour present and I wanted it to be seen, which you can’t really do with vanilla extract. That said, if you want to use vanilla extract you are more than welcome to, measurements are the same.
• Double cream: again, definitely an obvious one for delicious creaminess and thickness.
• Icing sugar: this adds the sweetness to your cheesecake. I always add sugar gradually and try as I go to make sure I have the perfect balance, this was perfect for me, but I always advise to try it as you make it so it has the right taste for you.

A few tips for success

• Is vanilla extract ok? Yes, it is, I used vanilla bean paste to give the cheesecake a more “vanilla look” since you can see small bits of the vanilla pod, however, you can substitute it for the same ratio of vanilla extract.
• Moisture on the cheesecake base – it is completely normal for the biscuits to release a bit of moisture once the cheesecake has come down to room temperature. Biscuits have sugar, which absorbs moisture when frozen, so it will release it when it comes back to room temp. Don’t worry, it’s just a little bit of moisture and it won’t make your cheesecake soggy.
• Making in advance – you can make this cheesecake ahead of time and leave it in the freezer for up to 3 weeks.

No Bake Vanilla Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 200 gr of digestive biscuits (graham crackers)
• 60 gr of butter
• 280 gr of cream cheese
• 250 gr of double cream
• 150 gr of unsweetened plain greek yoghurt
• 2 tbsp of vanilla bean paste
• 100 gr of icing sugar

For the garnish (optional):

• 150 gr of strawberries
• Extra biscuits

Method:

1. In the microwave or in a pot, melt the butter and allow it to cool down for a few minutes. In the meantime, crush the cookies using either a food processor or by putting them in a bag and crushing them with a rolling pin.
2. In a large bowl, mix the butter and the biscuits and press them on the bottom of a lined springform baking pan (mine was 18-20 cm/7-8 inch) and place it in the freezer so it firms up.
3. To make the filling, in a large bowl use a hand mixer to beat the cream cheese, vanilla bean paste and greek yoghurt. In a separate smaller bowl beat the double cream until soft peaks, then transfer to the larger bowl and fold using a spatula or wooden spoon until combined.
4. Take the base out of the freezer and top it with the cheesecake filling. Place in the freezer for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight.
5. A couple of hours before it’s time to eat, take it out of the freezer and allow it to sit at room temperature for an hour, note that it may take longer to come to room temperature in the winter. Then, top up with your topping of choice and keep in the fridge.
6. For the garnish I crushed some extra cookies and sprinkled them around the edges of the cake and then topped it with some fresh strawberries.