Cheat's Mango Cheesecake

I'm all about simplicity. If I see a recipe that has a whole lot of ingredients and a whole lot of steps I just move on to another one. I really don't have the time or the patience to spend hours in the kitchen when instead I could be playing with my boys or maybe simply just doing nothing! :)

Simple recipes don't always yield tasty results though. I've learned that the heard way unfortunately!
When you find a recipe that is easy to follow, has only a few ingredients you're bound to have in your pantry and looks and tastes amazing , for goodness sake, make sure you write it down somewhere and then tell me about it!!!

But seriously, this recipe is a definite keeper. It isn't really baby food or toddler food but a dessert recipe that can be for the whole family or for amazing your guests with your culinary talent!

The original recipe is from Marias Menu. Maria makes the cheesecake filling from scratch, but me being me and an absolute lazy ass, I cheated and used cheesecake filling that you get to buy from the supermarket. It tastes just as good as the real deal and takes only half the time to make!

Here are some pics for you to drool over before we go to the recipe :)

No Bake, Cheat's Mango Cheesecake

Recipe Source : Marias Menu

Ingredients:

Base

• Marie biscuits – 250 gms
•  Unsalted Butter – 100 gms, at room temperature

Filling

• Tararua Cheesecake Filling - 500g
• Mango pulp – 1½ cup
• Gelatine – 1.5 tbsp
• Hot water – ½ cup

Glaze Topping

• Mango pulp – 1 cup
• Gelatine – 1 tbsp/10 gms
• Hot water – ½ cup

Method:

Base:

Process biscuits in a food processor until finely crushed. Add butter and pulse to combine. Press over the base of the pan. Chill for 15 minutes or until firm.

Filling:

Whisk the gelatin and hot water in a large mixing bowl until the gelatin dissolves. (Note: If you find it's difficult to dissolve the gelatin completely, place the bowl of gelatin mixture in a large bowl of hot water. It helps the gelatin to dissolve easily and quickly.).

Add mango puree and mix well. I used canned mango puree but if you have fresh mangoes pureeing them shouldn't be to hard. Make sure the mango puree is well combined with the gelatin mixture. 

Place cheesecake filling in a bowl. If cold, cover with a plate and microwave 1-2 minutes until soft. Whisk by hand to make it all smooth. 

Stir 1/4 cup of the cheesecake filling into the gelatin mixture, then add to the remaining mixture and mix well.

Pour the cream cheese mixture over the biscuit base. Refrigerate overnight or until firm. Make sure this layer is refrigerated for at least of 2 hours before you add the glazed topping.

Glaze Topping:

Again dissolve some gelatin in hot water. Whilst it’s still warm add it to mango puree and mix well. Pour this over your chilled cheesecake.

Refrigerate until set or overnight.. Remove the cheesecake from the fridge 15 minutes before serving. 

Notes:

• You can replace mangoes with strawberries or blueberries.
• Can be made upto 3 days ahead

• For those who don't have the cheesecake filling in areas they live, here's your alternative:
• • Philadelphia Cream Cheese – 250gms
  • Nestle Cream - 170 gm
  • Caster sugar – ½ cup
  • Use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and sugar in a bowl until smooth and creamy. Fold in the cream. Stir ¼ cup of the cream cheese mixture into the gelatine mixture, then add to the remaining mixture and mix well. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the biscuit base. Refrigerate overnight or until firm.