Berry cheesecake with almond crumble

This berry cheesecake with almond crumble is an easy fridge dessert designed to be served in individual dishes. You can use any kind of berry to make this dessert. It’s perfect to make in advance and perfect to feed a crowd.

As much as I love a baked cheesecake, especially a Basque burnt cheesecake, it’s more tricky and expensive to make. No-bake fridge cheesecakes like my strawberry cheesecake with nut crumble and lemon curd cheesecake can effortlessly be whipped up and set in the fridge. 

I have added almonds to the crumble base which roast in the oven to give it a delicious crunch. Nuts give the base of any tart a wonderful texture. 

I used locally grown ZZ2 Al Monde Cape almonds,  the healthiest edible nut and amongst the healthiest foods. It’s no surprise why they are so popular. Sourcing a high-grade local product is better for the environment than the lower-grade mass-imported products we often see. 

What to decorate your berry cheesecake with:

These cheesecakes have a fluffy mousse-like texture and are infinitely adaptable. Top with any berries or fruit of your choice.

Add a dollop of whipped cream to top them off before adding the fruit.

Reserve some of the berry coulis and use a teaspoon of this to drizzle over the cheesecake and cream.

Elderflower syrup or cordial would be lovely as a finishing touch too.

Step-by-step pics & instructions of how to make no-bake berry cheesecake:

You can use frozen or fresh berries for this cheesecake. I used raspberries in the mix and freshly sliced strawberries and fresh raspberries to garnish. 

This recipe makes around 12 desserts. You may have a little crumble left over. This can be stored in a sealed jar and used to top yoghurt for breakfast or other desserts.

Use a food processor to grind up the almonds to a rough texture and then add the other crumble ingredients. The mixture will feel clumpy but that’s ok. 

Stir the crumble every 10 minutes while it’s baking to ensure all of it gets browned evenly. It tends to brown more around the edges.

Spread the crumble mixture onto a tray lined with baking paper or a silicone mat.

Once you have added the gelatine and cream mixture, you can whisk this in with the same whisk you used to mix the cheesecake, just be careful not to over-mix.

The cheesecake sets fairly quickly and has a mousse-like texture. You could serve it after a short time in the fridge.

If you want the berry cheesecake mix to be very precisely measured out, use a piping bag. 

A few other desserts you may like:

Strawberry cheesecake with nut crumble

Honey, rosewater & cinnamon panna cotta

Mocha mousse parfait

Berry Eaton mess with pistachios

Classic South African unbaked milk tarts

Basque burnt cheesecake

Berry cheesecake with almond crumble

An easy no-bake fridge berry cheesecake with a buttery almond crumble recipe

Print Recipe

Prep Time:20 minutes mins

Cook Time:40 minutes mins

Ingredients

Nut crumble:

•  160gm whole raw ZZ2 almonds
• 190 gm flour
• 160 gm butter
• 90 gm Demerara sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Berry coulis:

• 1 cup fresh or frozen berries strawberry or raspberry or a combination
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ cup water

 Cheesecake: 

• 230 gms cream cheese
• 100 g icing sugar
• 150 ml berry coulis cooled
• 400 ml cream whipped
• 3  leaves Gelatine
• Fresh strawberries & raspberries for garnish
• Any leftover berry coulis to garnish optional
• Whipped cream to garnish optional

Instructions

• To make the crumble topping, preheat the oven to 160°C/Gas mark 3. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until the mixture is the texture of breadcrumbs.
• Spread out the crumble on a baking tray and bake for 30-40 minutes, being sure to stir the crumble mixture every 10 minutes. Remove when the mixture is golden brown and set aside to cool.
• To make the berry coulis (in advance), place all the ingredients in a small pot and bring it to a simmer. Cook for around 15 minutes until it’s thickened and a mixture starts to gel around the edges. All ow to cool.
• For the cheesecake, soak the gelatine in a bowl of cold water for about 5 minutes. Squeeze the bloomed gelatine and place it in a small bowl and cover with about 50 mils of cream. Microwave for 30 seconds until the gelatine dissolves. Set aside to cool slightly (should it set, simply microwave for 15 seconds until it dissolves again)
• Mix the cream cheese, sugar, and berry coulis in a bowl and whip until well combined and smooth. Use an electric mixer for this.
• Whip the cream in a separate bowl until stiff. Fold the gelatine into the cream mix
• Add this to the cream cheese. Mixture and whip until just combined. You can do this by hand or add it to the bowl of the electric mixer briefly.
• To assemble the cheesecake, spoon a layer of crumble into the bottom of your serving glass and top with a few spoonfuls of the strawberry cheesecake mix. refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Decorate with fresh cream (optional) a drizzle of berry coulis and a slice of fresh strawberries & fresh raspberries.

Notes

 

Use a food processor to first grind up the almonds to a rough texture and then add the other crumble ingredients. The mixture will feel clumpy but that’s ok. 

Stir the crumble every 10 minutes while it’s baking to ensure all of it gets browned evenly. It tends to brown more around the edges.

Spread the crumble mixture onto a tray lined with baking paper or a silicone mat.

Once you have added the gelatine and cream mixture, you can whisk this in with the same whisk you used to mix the cheesecake, just be careful not to over-mix.

The cheesecake sets fairly quickly and has a mousse-like texture. You could serve it after a short time in the fridge.

If you are wanting the berry cheesecake mix to be very precisely measured out, use a piping bag. 

Servings: 12

Author: Sam Linsell

*This post is proudly sponsored by ZZ2 Al Monde Cape almonds