Extra special no-bake coconut cheesecake

A crushed biscuit base, a yogurt coconut filling and a pineapple topping makes this one seriously special no bake coconut cheesecake, and a perfectly tropical affair to bring some sunshine into the darker months.

At the heart of this recipe is desiccated coconut, white chocolate and a lovely, fresh natural yogurt to give a gorgeous, thick and creamy dessert, with pieces of real coconut in it, giving it an extra special texture.

The yogurt is an important ingredient in this no-bake coconut cheesecake as it helps give the cheesecake a dreamy tang, while the white chocolate adds sweetness and helps the filling to firm up beautifully.

When you delve your fork into this amazing cheesecake, it will slide through the filling giving a neat, defined cut and then snap gently through the sweet biscuit crust.

And the taste? Divine! This cheesecake is sweet, coconutty, and truly a taste of sunshine.

Here's how to make a wonderfully tropical cheesecake even when it's raining outside.

Instructions

Crush the biscuits / graham crackers to a fine crumb. This is most easily done in a food processor, or in a bag so that you can bash them with a rolling pin. Put the crumbs into a bowl.

Melt the butter and add to the biscuit. Combine well.

Tip the crumb mix into the base of a well-greased 20cm loose-bottomed nonstick sandwich tin.

Press down with the back of a spoon or bottom or a sturdy tumbler until level. Place in the freezer while you make your filling.

Put the cream cheese and yogurt in a large bowl and whisk together.

Add the desiccated coconut and mix through.

Melt the white chocolate in the microwave and allow to cool, then pour it into the creamy mixture and combine.

Spoon onto the chilled base and gently level off.

Because this cheesecake has coconut and chocolate in it, it will set quite quickly. You can place it in the freezer for no more than an hour and that should do the trick, or leave it overnight in the fridge.

To serve the cheesecake, stand it on the top of a can or jar and gently ease the sides down. Transfer to a board or cake stand.

Top with small chunks of pineapple and a sprinkling of blueberries in any pattern you like. A wedge pattern like this is quite effective.

And a scattering of blueberries makes for a really pretty dessert.

Will you be giving this coconut cheesecake a try? Let me know if you do!

Some helpful hints for making the perfect no-bake cheesecake.

Is this no-bake coconut cheesecake vegetarian?

Yes, there is no need for gelatin in this no-bake coconut cheesecake, so it is suitable for vegetarians.

Is this no-bake coconut cheesecake vegan?

As this no-bake coconut cheesecake contains dairy products (butter in the base, cream cheese and yogurt in the filling), it is not suitable for vegans.

I have not tested making a vegan version, but as a starting point, I would recommend looking for non-dairy versions of those ingredients. Let me know how you get on.

Is this no-bake coconut cheesecake gluten-free?

There is gluten in the biscuits / graham crackers used in the base of this no-bake coconut cheesecake, so it is not gluten-free.

However, if you choose a gluten-free biscuit / cracker alternative, it will then be a gluten-free recipe. Be sure to check the labels on all ingredients.

Why did my no-bake cheesecake not set?

If your ingredient quantities are correct, you follow the instructions to the letter and your fridge is suitably chilled, this no-bake coconut cheesecake should set really well.

If it doesn't set, the most common reason is that it hasn't been chilled for long enough'. Leave it overnight in the refrigerator, and it should set quite firm.

If you've left it overnight and it still hasn't set there's a chance you over-mixed the cream cheese. Over mixing will interfere with the delicate structure of the cream cheese, so mix by hand rather than a stand mixer and don't be too rough.

Finally, make sure your white chocolate is fully cooled before adding to the mix. Otherwise, you could partially cook the filling ingredients, which will change the final structure.

Why is my no-bake cheesecake lumpy?

The coconut flakes in this no-bake coconut cheesecake are, of course, supposed to be in the mix and will, therefore, add texture, but if you are finding lumps of cream cheese, this usually happens is the cream cheese isn't properly beaten to loosen it properly.

If your cream cheese doesn't seem to want to beat smooth, you can give it a few minutes to rest and come up to nearer room temperature. This should help get the lumps out.

Will no-bake cheesecake set faster in the freezer?

Yes, you can help your no-bake coconut cheesecake set faster in the freezer and it is fine to do so for up to 1 hour.

However, you must keep an eye on it as if you leave it for too long, you'll run this risk of freezing the cheesecake, which will create ice crystals that may negatively affect the texture.

My base fell apart, how can I make it stick together more?

If your no-bake coconut cheesecake base fell apart, the most common cause is the biscuit was not packed down firmly enough, or a too big a tin was used, making the base too thin.

Another tip is to make sure your quantities of biscuit and butter are correct and that your biscuit crumbs are the right consistency.

If they're too big there will be too much space between the crumbs, which will make it crumbly!

Conversely, if you really process your crumbs down to dust, the grains may be too small, making the base too dense, which in turn will make it difficult to cut once chilled without applying a lot of pressure and running the risk of cracking.

Will no-bake cheesecake set without gelatin?

Yes, this no-bake coconut cheesecake will absolutely definitely set without gelatin. And for the best possible texture, I would recommend not using any.

The white chocolate and coconut help give this cheesecake and beautiful, sliceable texture.

Why did my no-bake cheesecake stick to the pan?

If you’re having trouble releasing your no-bake coconut cheesecake from the tin, running a little hot water around the outside of the tin will work wonders when it comes to releasing it neatly from the base.

If you're worried about getting water on your cheesecake a real possibility if you're not careful!) then you can also run hot water over a clean tea towel and wrap it around the outside of the cake for a minute to allow the heat to conduct.

If you're having trouble getting off the base of the tin, a warm, dry palette knife slid underneath will help. And remember to slide the cheesecake gently onto the plate (a large spatula can help here).

If you used a fixed bottom rather than loose-bottomed tin you will have trouble getting it out of the tin. Your best bet is to cut it into slices inside the tin and try to carefully lift it out with a cake slice or spatula, one slice at a time.

Can no-bake cheesecake be made in advance?

Yes, making this no-bake coconut cheesecake the day before won't negatively impact the flavour or texture, and will give it plenty of time to set overnight, so it's a great make-ahead recipe

Can no-bake cheesecake be left out of the fridge? Will cheesecake melt?

No-bake cheesecake should not melt when left out of the fridge but it will become softer.

However, as this no-bake coconut cheesecake is made with dairy products, it should be refrigerated as soon as it's been made and eaten as soon as it's out of the fridge.

If you're taking to a party, aim not to leave it out of the fridge for more than two hours. Leaving it out of the fridge for longer may also affect the texture negatively.

Can you freeze no-bake cheesecake?

Yes, you can freeze this no-bake coconut cheesecake, although you'll lose a little of that rich, creamy texture.

For best results, slice the cheesecake first and carefully place the sections a centimetre or so apart before freezing. This will let you only take out and defrost what you need, and it will also take a lot less time to defrost.

Make sure to defrost in the fridge overnight and eat the next day. Don't try to defrost in the microwave!

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