No Bake Spider Cheesecake

Nothing says "New York dessert" like a cheesecake.  But sometimes you want something that is faster than the traditional recipe.  This recipe is a frozen dessert that is easy to make and Halloween themed.  There are a few steps, but they are easy and the ingredients are readily accessible. 

I found the recipe in Martha Stewart Living magazine in October 2008 and have been making it for my Pumpkin Carving Party ever since.  I love this recipe.  It is rich from the cream cheese and cream but sweet from the Oreo cookie crust.  The lemon juice brings some acid to it to cut through the sweetness.  And, the spiderweb design makes it perfect for adults and kids. 

The recipe below reflects my changes to the original recipe.  The changes are for ease, not for content of the cake.

Ingredients Serves 12 to 14. FOR THE CRUST Vegetable oil cooking spray 16.7 ounces Oreo cookies (one package), finely ground (4 1/2 cups) 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted 1 teaspoon Kosher salt FOR THE GANACHE 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, finely chopped 1/2 cup heavy cream FOR THE FILLING 32 ounces cream cheese (4 bricks), softened 11/2 cups sugar 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, cold

Make the crust: Coat a 10-inch spring form pan with cooking spray.

Pan sprayed

Place Oreos into a food processor and process until they are a fine crumb.

Crumbs processed into a fine crumb

Mix Oreos, sugar, butter, and salt in a medium bowl.

Oreo, butter, sugar and salt in a bowl

Combined and ready for the spring form pan

Pat mixture into pan, pressing firmly into bottom and all the way up sides. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to fill.

Crumbs pressed into the pan. 

Make the ganache: Place chocolate in a food processor.

Chocolate in the food processor

 Heat heavy cream in a small container in the microwave for 30-45 seconds, then pour into food processor over the chocolate. When chocolate begins to melt, process until smooth.

Chocolate and cream processed and smooth

Reserve 2 tablespoons ganache for decorating.  Spread the remainder evenly on bottom and all the way up sides of crust. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to fill.

Chocolate ganache spread over the crust

1. Place heavy cream into mixer and whisk cream until medium-stiff peaks form. Set  aside.

Heavy Cream added to bowl, mix on medium-high

Whisk until medium peaks, it should look like this.

 

Place whipped cream into a separate bowl until ready to use

Make the filling: Beat cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Cream Cheese in bowl ready to process

Cream cheese after three minutes

Reduce speed to low, and slowly add sugar and salt. Raise speed to medium-high, and beat until very fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in lemon juice.

Sugar and salt incorporated into cream cheese

Lemon Juice added

Whisk 1/4 of the whipped cream into cream cheese mixture.

Add 1/4 of whipped cream and mix in

Then fold in remaining whipped cream.



Place cream on the cream cheese. 

Fold in cream. 

Pour filling into crust, and spread evenly. Gently tap bottom of pan on counter to release air bubbles.

Filling in pan and smoothed.

Transfer reserved ganache to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round tip or a squeeze bottle.

Ganache in squeeze bottle

Starting in the center of the cheesecake, pipe a spiral, spacing lines about 1/2 inch apart.

Its ok if it is not perfect, you are going to make the webbing and it will be less noticeable.

Pull the tip of a paring knife in a gently curved line from the center of the spiral to outer edge. Wipe knife clean, and repeat every inch or so to form a web.

Making the webbing

Webbing done.

Ready for the freezer.

Cover, and freeze for at least 1 hour or overnight. Unmold cheesecake, garnish with candy spiders if desired, and serve immediately.

Decorated with fake spiders