No-Bake Berry Cheesecake

A few weeks ago Jordan bought me Gordon Ramsay’s Fast Food cookbook. Never in my life have I found a cookbook that I have wanted to make about 3/4 of the recipes. It is amazing, simple, and just full of good food. His recipe for No-Bake Berry Cheesecake caught my eye and I needed to find a reason to make it. Labor day weekend was a great excuse. It was to die for. All the tastes of cheesecake in a light and fresh dessert cup. I made a few minor changes. This is a keeper and I can’t wait to make it again and again and again.

No-Bake Berry Cheesecake
Source: Gordon Ramsay’s Fast Food cookbook (adapted slightly)
Make 8 servings

Topping

• 8 graham crackers (I used Cinnamon flavored)
• 6 TB superfine sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

Berries

• 2 pints blueberries (or you can use blackberries)
• 2 TB superfine sugar
• Splash of water

Vanilla Cream Cheese

• 16 oz. cream cheese (softened)
• 9 TB confectioners sugar
• Juice of one lemon
• 1 vanilla bean, split
• 2 1/4 cups whipping cream

For the topping, coarsely grind the graham crackers in a food processor. Melt the sugar in a heavy-based nonstick pan until it begins to caramelize, then carefully add the butter, shaking the pan to mix the caramel with the butter as it melts. Add the crushed crumbs and toss to coat in the caramel. Tip on to a plate, chill for 5 minutes until firm, then break into pieces. Wipe out the pan with kitchen paper.

Pour the blueberries into the pan and sprinkle with the sugar and a splash of water. Cook over a medium-high heat for a minute until the blueberries are slightly soft. Spread on a plate; leave to cool.

For the vanilla cream cheese, put the cream cheese, icing sugar and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add the seeds from the vanilla pod and beat until smooth. In another bowl, lightly whip the cream to soft peaks, then lightly mix into the cream cheese mixture.

Fill eight 9 oz. plastic cups with the cream cheese mixture about 3/4 of the way full and level the tops with the back of a knife. Chill until ready to serve. Spoon the blueberries over the cream cheese mixture and sprinkle with the graham topping.