This has to be the easiest - bordering on miraculous- cheesecake out there. For some reason – known only to scientists – the combination of condensed milk and lemon juice work to firm up the cheesecake filling, creating a fudgy texture as well as having that glorious sweet and citrusy flavour. You have to try it to believe it. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
How to make our egg-free lemon cheesecake: key tips
When making a cheesecake, whether it’s baked or not, always make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature. Fresh from the fridge, it is really difficult to beat until smooth. Use the full ⅓ cup lemon juice as it’s the acid in the lemon that allows the cheesecake to set. If a lemon is ripe it should contain ¼ cup juice, so you’ll need to buy 2 lemons – 3 if they’re looking a bit small and underripe.
Key ingredients in our no bake vanilla cheesecake recipe
When it comes to the biscuits nase, I always use Nice biscuits, as that’s what I grew up on, but you could also use Marie, Granitas or mix things up by using choc ripples. Make sure you not only use full fat cream cheese but also avoid using skim condensed milk as the lemony cheesecake filling won’t set properly.
Condensed milk is so versatile. We use it to make slices, fudge - even ice cream. Check out our article on recipes that use condensed milk.
Additional recipe notes by Alison Adams - Food Writer and Recipe Tester
Ingredients
- 250 g sweet plain biscuits
- 125g butter, melted
- 375 g cream cheese softened
- 1 lemon zested
- 2 tsp vanilla essence
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 400 g Woolworths Sweetened Condensed Milk
Method
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Step 1Process biscuits until finely crushed. Add butter and mix well.
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Step 2Press half of the biscuit mixture into the base of a greased and lined 20 cm springform tin.
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Step 3Use a glass or spoon to push the remainder of the mixture around the sides of the tin.
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Step 4Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
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Step 5Beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
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Step 6Add lemon zest and vanilla and beat well.
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Step 7Gradually add the condensed milk and lemon juice, and continue to beat until smooth.
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Step 8Pour into the prepared tin and refrigerate overnight.
Equipment
- 1 20cm springform pan
- 1 wooden spoon
Recipe Notes
What can you top this cheesecake with?
This cheesecake pairs beautifully with fruit – just make sure you don’t plonk anything too heavy on top of it (we don’t want to crack your cheesecake!). Be it a handful of berries, a grating of lemon zest, some thinly sliced mango, or another fruit of your choosing, the light lemony flavour of the cake means the options are many. Another nicely matched topping is a grating of white chocolate. Or, drizzle over a little lemon curd.
Remember, if you live in a warm climate…
If you live somewhere warm, or you’re serving this one in summer, be sure to keep it refrigerated and cool before serving. You don’t want a sloppy, semi-melted puddle of cheesecake come dessert time!
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