Easy No-Bake Yuzu Cheesecake
A creamy no-bake yuzu cheesecake with a buttery cookie base, bright Japanese citrus and a silky yuzu curd topping. Just 20 minutes of prep, no oven needed.
Serving: 12
Calories: 479kcal
Ingredients
For the Cookie Base
- 300 g digestive cookies, 10.5 oz, about 21 cookies
- 120 g unsalted butter, melted (8 tbsp)
For the Cheesecake Filling
- 600 g full-fat cream cheese, 21 oz, softened
- 100 g powdered sugar, ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp
- 300 ml heavy cream, 1 ¼ cups, cold
- a pinch of sea salt
- 75 ml yuzu juice, 5 tbsp
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest, about 2 lemons
To Decorate
- 200 g strawberries, 7 oz, halved or sliced
- 250 g yuzu curd, about 1 US cup, chilled
- fresh mint leaves
- 4 lemon slices
Instructions
For the Cookie Base
- Blend the cookies in a food processor until you have fine crumbs. Pour in the melted butter and pulse again until the crumbs look like wet sand.
- Tip the mixture into a lined 8-inch (20 cm) deep springform pan. Press it down firmly and evenly, using the flat bottom of a glass to compact it. Chill for 20 minutes while you make the filling.
For the Cheesecake Filling
- Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a stand mixer or with an electric hand whisk until completely smooth, about 1 minute.
- Pour in the cold heavy cream, and a pinch of salt and keep whisking. As soon as the mixture starts to thicken, add the yuzu juice and lemon zest, then whisk again.
- Carry on whisking until the filling is very thick and holds its shape on the whisk. Check it often so you don't take it too far, then fold it through with a spatula to even everything out.
- Spread the filling over the chilled base and smooth the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
To Decorate
- Release the cheesecake from the pan and slide it onto a serving plate. Spread the chilled yuzu curd (optional) over the top, then pile on the strawberries, citrus slices and thyme just before serving.
Notes
Cookies and butter. Shortbread cookies also work beautifully and give a richer base. If you use them, drop the butter to 100 g (7 tbsp), since shortbread already carries a lot of fat. Graham crackers work with the full 130 g.
Optional pre-bake. If you have time, bake the crust at 350°F / 180°C for 10 minutes before chilling it. It gives a crisper, nuttier base. Let it cool completely before adding the filling, or the warm base will melt the cream in the mixture.
US cream cheese. 600 g is about two and two-thirds standard 8 oz blocks. If you'd rather use three full blocks (680 g), add 1 extra tablespoon of powdered sugar and 1 extra tablespoon of yuzu juice to keep the balance.
Cream cheese soft, cream cold. The cream cheese needs 30 minutes out of the fridge so it beats smooth. The heavy cream must be fridge-cold or it won't whip, and whipped cream is the only thing holding this cheesecake up.
Don't stop whisking too early. Underwhipped filling is the number one reason a no-bake cheesecake ends up soft in the middle. It should be very thick and hold its shape before it goes on the base.
Yuzu juice. Look for bottles labeled 100% yuzu juice with no added salt. Salted yuzu is made for savory cooking and will ruin the dessert. No yuzu? Use the same amount of lemon juice, or a mix of lemon and lime.
Storage. Keep the cheesecake covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Add the curd and fruit only when you're ready to serve, or the berries will weep onto the surface. The curd keeps in a clean jar in the fridge for up to a week.
Freezing. Chill the cheesecake fully, then freeze it whole or in slices, wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil, for up to 1 month. Freeze slices on a tray first so they don't stick together. Thaw overnight in the fridge, never at room temperature, and add the curd and fruit fresh.
Make ahead. Make the cheesecake up to 2 days ahead and the curd up to a week ahead. All the work happens in advance, which makes this a brilliant dinner party dessert.
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Nutrition
Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 294mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 1294IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 1mg
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.