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No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake with A Salted Almond Crust (Tarta de...

No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake with A Salted Almond Crust

Name: No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake with A Salted Almond Crust (Tarta de Queso con Fresas)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 145 min
Ingredients: 5 oz. 150 g unsalted butter (melted); 9 oz. 250 g of Graham cracker biscuits (or digestive biscuits work great too); 1.5 oz. 50 g salted almonds; ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg; 14 oz. 400 g of cream cheese (Philadelphia cream cheese or similar); 3.4 fl oz. (100 ml of double cream); ½ teaspoon of vanilla essence; 3 oz. 75 g of confectioners/icing sugar; 1.5 oz. 50 g chopped fresh strawberries; 7 oz. 200 g Fresh strawberries; 7 oz. 200g chopped strawberries; 2 tablespoons sugar; A dusting of icing sugar (optional)

(Tarta de Queso con Fresas)

Written By: Byron | April 19, 2024

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A slice of a no-bake strawberry cheesecake sits beside a fork.

No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake is a quick and easy dessert recipe with sweet fresh strawberries, a salted almond crust, and a delicious strawberry sauce. Like all no-bake cheesecakes, it requires only a few hours in the fridge to set (although a few hours more always works best) and once set, you’ve got a delicious creamy cheesecake filling with just a hint of strawberry mixed in.

Decorate the cheesecake with plenty of fresh strawberries and prepare the strawberry sauce and you’ve got a fantastic dessert recipe that is sure to impress!

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Serving:

6 slices

Ready in:

2 hrs, 25 mins

Skill level:

Easy

Serve with:

Fresh cream

Watch step-by-step recipe video

If you’re looking for this recipe’s video and many other great recipe ideas, why not check out our Spanish Radish YouTube Channel? We’ve got everything from quick and easy tapas recipes to delicious main meals, to incredible Spanish dessert options too.

Origins of the No-Bake Cheesecake

The no-bake cheesecake gained popularity during the mid-20th century in the United States, coinciding with the rise of convenience foods and refrigeration technology. Refrigeration allowed for the setting of cheesecake without the need for baking. This innovation likely appealed to home cooks and busy households looking for easy dessert options.

No-bake cheesecakes evolved as a convenient and faster alternative to traditional baked cheesecake. Baked cheesecakes have been around for centuries, with roots tracing back to ancient Greece.

Nowadays, no-bake cheesecake recipes are a favorite in many Spanish kitchens, simply because they are easy to make, taste amazing, and can be made with any topping or filling desired! Who doesn’t love a good cheesecake?!

How to Make No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake with A Salted Almond Crust

Ingredients

Biscuit Base

5 oz. (150 g) unsalted butter (melted)
9 oz. (250 g) of Graham cracker biscuits (or digestive biscuits work great too)
1.5 oz. (50 g) salted almonds
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Cheesecake Filling

14 oz. (400 g) of cream cheese (Philadelphia cream cheese or similar)
3.4 fl oz. (100 ml) of double cream
½ teaspoon of vanilla essence
3 oz. (75 g) of confectioners/icing sugar
1.5 oz. (50 g) chopped fresh strawberries

Cheesecake topping

7 oz. (200 g) Fresh strawberries
7 oz. (200g) chopped strawberries
2 tablespoons sugar
A dusting of icing sugar (optional)

Equipment needed

- Fridge
- A tart pan with a removable base or spring-form cake tin with a removable bottom
- A large mixing bowl
- A large spoon or spatula
- Food processor or mortar and pestle (for making the base)

a large bowl of fresh strawberries sists beside some biscuits and other ingredients used to make cheesecake.

Method

Step 1 – Prepare the Base

Add the biscuits to a food processor and buzz for around 30 seconds. Add the salted almonds and buzz for another 30 seconds.
Melt the butter in the microwave (or stove top) and add to the biscuits with a pinch of salt, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg and buzz for another 30 seconds. It should form tiny balls.
Spoon the biscuit mix into your cake tin (if you’re using a metal tin, don’t forget to grease the tin before use). Use a flat-bottomed glass or jar to press down the mixture into an even layer.
Refrigerate until required in the next step.

Step 2 – Make Cheesecake Filling

In a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and confectioners (icing) sugar and mix by hand until smooth. It should take around a minute. (Note: Do not use a food processor for this step).
Add the vanilla essence and slowly mix in the double cream a little at a time, and continue to mix until you see soft peaks. It should take around 2-3 minutes.
Add the chopped strawberries and mix well.
Remove the prepared cheesecake base from the fridge and add the cheesecake filling with a large spoon or spatula. There is no need to smooth the topping perfectly as we will be adding lots of strawberries on top.

Step 3 – Decorate the cheesecake with fresh strawberries

Give the strawberries a rinse first. Allow to dry and then remove the green stems and cut each strawberry in half (you may want to cut it into slices if using larger strawberries).
Arrange strawberries on top of the cheesecake.

Step 4 – Refrigerate cheesecake

Carefully cover your cheesecake and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (6 hours or overnight is even better). This will allow the filling to harden and will make serving slices easier.

Step 5 – Make Strawberry sauce

Loosely chop 200g (7 oz.) of fresh washed strawberries.
Add the chopped strawberries to a pan on medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of sugar and keep stirring until the strawberries start to reduce. Do not use a high heat. Aim for a low simmer with a few bubbles.
Simmer until the strawberries have become liquid with a few lumps. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool before spooning onto the top of the cheesecake.

Step 6 – Serve

Remove the outer mold from the cheesecake by placing the base on a bowl or flat dish and gently wiggle the sides of the mold.
To serve, cut slices with a sharp warm knife and serve using a cake slice.

A slice of a no-bake strawberry cheesecake.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Strawberries

Of course, the star of the show for this recipe is strawberries! Strawberries are seasonal and it really depends on the climate as to when you’ll start seeing local strawberries become available. In cooler climates (Northern US states), strawberries will start around June, and the warmer southern states will see bright red strawberries stocked in fresh fruit stores as early as February!

Cream cheese

Philadelphia Cream cheese is the most popular brand of cream cheese and you’ll find it in the chilled Dairy section of any supermarket or grocery store. There are plenty of other home brands offered by leading supermarket chains and these are often cheaper and reasonably comparable in quality.

Salted almonds

We add a small amount of crushed salted almonds to the base. This gives a little extra flavor. The salt works a treat to bring out the flavors too, think salted caramel, but in a cheesecake base!

Biscuit base

Graham cracker biscuits (USA) or Digestive Biscuits (UK) both work well for the base. They are easy to source at any supermarket and you’ll find them in the biscuit isle, or buy them online. Simply add your biscuit of choice to a food processor, buzz them for 30 seconds, and you have a perfect crumb texture for making the base.

Cinnamon and Nutmeg

Add a subtle spiced layer of flavor to your cheesecake base by adding a little cinnamon and nutmeg. Where possible, use the whole nutmeg seed and grate it directly from the seed. Ground nutmeg is fine to use, but you’ll notice the difference using freshly grated nutmeg.

A bowl of fresh strawberries sits beside a small bowl of salted almonds.

When (and Where) to Find the Best Strawberries

Strawberries are seasonal, and depending on where you hang your hat, strawberries are available at different times of the year. In cooler zones, you’ll see delicious bright red strawberries appear in stores around June in the northern hemisphere (around December for the southern hemisphere).

In warmer climates such as the southern US states, Spain, and southern France, you’ll see the strawberry season begin much earlier, around Early April.

Strawberries are Seasonal

Given the seasonality of how strawberries grow and are harvested, you’ll see an explosion of strawberries in supermarkets and fresh food retailers. Strawberries will usually be sold per pound in the USA, or by the kilo everywhere else.

Boxed Strawberries

Boxed strawberries (more an open-top crate) are also popular and it is not unusual to see 2-pound boxes (1kg) of strawberries sold for a few dollars. This is the best time to nab the freshest and brightest colored strawberries.

Pro Tips on Making the Best No-Bake Cheesecake

Chilling time is important: Make sure your cheesecake has plenty of time to set before slicing. We suggest a minimum of 2 hours, although you’ll see better results if you allow your cheesecake to set in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight.

Best pan to use: Use a Spring form cake pan or tart pan with a removable bottom. We opted for a 10-inch tart pan with crinkled sides around 1.5 inches high (4 cm).

Hand mixing: Mixing the cream cheese and double cream by hand is recommended as it doesn’t take long to whip. Use a Spatula or balloon Whisk for 2-3 minutes and you should start to see peaks in the mixture. It’s that simple!

Nutrition Facts

Serving size: 70g
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories	654
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 43.4g	56%
Saturated Fat 20.5g	103%
Cholesterol 85mg	28%
Sodium 564mg	25%
Total Carbohydrate 57g	21%
Dietary Fiber 3.5g	13%
Total Sugars 22.1g
Protein 11.5g
Vitamin D 0mcg	0%
Calcium 259mg	20%
Iron 30mg	166%
Potassium 218mg	5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.