No Bake Strawberry Brain Cheesecake (Print version)

Spooky creamy strawberry no-bake dessert shaped like a brain with cookie crust and white chocolate swirls.

# Ingredient List:

→ Crust

01 - 7 oz graham crackers or digestive biscuits
02 - 2.6 oz unsalted butter, melted

→ Strawberry Layer

03 - 14 oz fresh strawberries, hulled
04 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
05 - 2 tbsp water
06 - 2 tsp gelatin powder or vegetarian gelatin substitute

→ Cheesecake Filling

07 - 14 oz cream cheese, room temperature
08 - 3.5 oz powdered sugar
09 - 0.85 cup heavy cream
10 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Brain Decoration

11 - 7 oz white chocolate, melted
12 - Pink gel food coloring
13 - Extra strawberry coulis or red berry sauce

# How To Make It:

01 - Line a brain-shaped silicone mold or medium oval bowl with plastic wrap to prepare for assembly.
02 - Crush the graham crackers finely and combine with melted butter. Press mixture into the base of the mold for an even layer. Refrigerate.
03 - Blend strawberries with granulated sugar until smooth. Heat 2 tbsp water, sprinkle gelatin over, let bloom 5 minutes, then warm until dissolved. Stir gelatin into strawberry puree and set aside to cool to room temperature.
04 - Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Whip heavy cream separately to soft peaks, then fold into cream cheese with vanilla. Pour in the cooled strawberry gelatin mixture and fold together until uniform.
05 - Pour the strawberry cheesecake filling into the mold over the crust. Smooth the top. Chill for at least 5 hours, or until fully set.
06 - Melt white chocolate and color with pink food gel if desired. Pour into a piping bag and pipe brain squiggles on a baking sheet lined with parchment; chill to set. Carefully unmold the cheesecake and decorate with the chocolate squiggles to resemble brain folds. Drizzle with strawberry coulis or red berry sauce for a gory effect.
07 - Slice and serve chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The strawberry cream cheese filling tastes infinitely better than any regular cheesecake, with that fresh berry brightness cutting through all the richness
  • You get to be the person who brings the most memorable dish to any party, even if people are hesitant to take the first bite
02 -
  • If your strawberry mixture is too warm when you fold it into the cream cheese, the gelatin will start setting immediately and create lumpy bits
  • The brain chocolate decoration needs to be completely firm before you touch it, or it will smear and your brain will look like it had a rough day
03 -
  • Freeze dried strawberry powder is worth seeking out if you want an even more concentrated strawberry flavor throughout the filling
  • A little lemon juice added to the strawberry puree brightens everything and helps preserve that gorgeous red color

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