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An easy and delicious no-bake cheesecake that is creamy and studded with grapes is a perfect dessert this summer or any season.
I was intrigued to try this no-bake grape cheesecake recipe after seeing it on YouTube. Spring and summer are the perfect time to make a dessert that features fruits. Grapes are one of our favorite fruits. I never thought about the combination of grapes in a cheesecake. It works so well. The naturally sweet grapes with creamy and rich cream cheese are so yummy!
No-Bake Grape Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 250 g graham crackers or digestive biscuits
- 110 g unsalted butter melted
Cream cheese filling:
- 500 g heavy cream
- 225 g cream cheese softened
- 85 g icing sugar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 15 g gelatin powder or 3 sheets of leaf gelatin
- 2 Tbsp hot water
- 150 g seedless grapes red or green, plus more as needed
Grape jelly layer:
- 250 g water
- 50 g sugar
- 150 g seedless grapes red or green
- 15 g gelatin powder see notes
- 2 Tbsp hot water
Instructions
Prepare crust:
- Melt butter and let it cool down completely. Process the crackers/biscuits into fine crumbs by using a food processor or manually crush them by putting them in a zipper plastic bag, push all the air out, seal the bag and use a rolling pin to crush them finely. Mix with the melted butter (no longer warm) and mix until the texture resembles wet sand
- Use a 9-inch springform pan about 3 inches high. Press the crumb mixture onto the base firmly. Use the back of the spoon to press to pack it down. Put in the fridge to let it harden while you prepare the filling
Prepare the filling:
- Slice about 8-10 seedless grapes into about 3-4 slices each (depending on how large is the grape). Keep the rest whole
- Combine gelatin powder and hot water in a small cup and let it dissolve. It should be clear when it dissolves
- If using leaf gelatin, simply soak them in water for 5 minutes until soft and pliable, squeeze the water out and then microwave for 5-10 seconds to melt before using
- Make sure the heavy cream and the mixing bowl is really cold. The whip cream whips better and smoother when it's cold. Pour heavy whipping cream into a bowl and use a whisk or hand mixer to whip until about 60% thick, which is still a very soft and thick creamy consistency. It barely holds the peak. Don't whip until stiff. Keep it chilled in the fridge
- Use a sturdy spatula to beat the room-temperature cream cheese with the powdered sugar until creamy and smooth. Add juice of 1 lemon and the zest. Make sure not to grate the white part of the lemon zest because it's bitter. Whisk until combine
- Add the melted gelatin to the cream cheese mixture and whisk again. Pour the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and fold to combine the two mixture evenly
Assembling:
- Remove the crust from the fridge. Press the sliced grapes onto the side of the cake pan firmly. Gently pour some of the cream cheese mixture into the pan, enough to cover the grapes on the side. Use a rubber spatula to spread some of the cream cheese upwards to cover the sides of the pan.
- Add some whole grapes on top of the cream cheese mixture. Cover with the cream cheese mixture
- Press more sliced grapes onto the side of the pan again and pour more of the cream cheese mixture into the pan.
- Place some whole grapes on the cream cheese mixture. Cover with the rest of the cream cheese filling. Smooth the top with an offset spatula (sorry I forgot to take photos of this step)
- Put this in the freezer to set for 1 hour
Prepare the jelly layer:
- Put the grapes, water, and sugar in a blender. Strain to remove the pulp. Combine gelatin powder and hot water in a small cup and let it dissolve. It should be clear when it dissolves. Add this to the grape juice
- Carefully pour this over the chilled cheesecake. Put this in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or best overnight to let it set completely (sorry I forgot to take a photo for this step)
To serve:
- Use a warm towel to wrap around the pan for a few minutes and then carefully release the springform pan and remove the ring. Use a very sharp knife to cut into serving sizes
To store leftovers:
- Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 days.
RECOMMEDED TOOLS
Marv’s Recipe Notes
*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*
Ingredients and substitutions
1. Graham crackers
You can also use digestive biscuits like Marie biscuits.
2. Cream cheese
I use full-fat cream cheese. I don’t recommend reduced-fat cream cheese
3. Powdered sugar
Sometimes known as icing sugar. If you don’t have any, you can process some regular granulated sugar in a food processor into a powder consistency
4. Lemon
You will use the zest and the juice
5. Gelatin powder
I usually work with gelatin powder. You can use gelatin sheets too. From what I read, 1 Tbsp of gelatin powder is about 3 silver grade gelatin sheets
6. Heavy cream
It may be called different name in different country, but it needs to have at least 30% fat
7. Butter
You want to use unsalted butter for the crust
8. Vanilla extract
Use high-quality vanilla extract. It does make a difference
9. Grapes
It is best to make this cake when grapes are in season. You can use red or green grapes.
Tips for success
1. Make sure the heavy cream is cold
2. Only whip the heavy cream to a soft consistency. Beating it to a stiff consistency gives the cheesecake an unsmooth grainy texture
3. Use full-fat cream cheese for the best texture
4. I highly recommend using a springform pan to assemble the cake. It just makes your life so much easier
5. The cake needs to be chill for at least 4 hours or best, overnight before attempting to cut and serve
5 comments
have you had any success with gelatin sheets? do you have to soak them? and do you add it in when you would gelatin powder? thanks!
I don’t have any gelatin sheets, but it should work. In general you will need 3 leaf gelatin to substitute for 15 grams of powdered gelatin. You need to soak them until soft, and then melt in the microwave for 5-10 seconds before using.
Alright, thank you so much!
Is there a video of this recipe
Hello, sorry I didn’t have time to make video for this. Please let me know if any part is unclear and I’ll try to clarify.