No-Bake Jamun Cheesecake

Tangy flavor, velvety texture, and stunning aesthetics, you get all this without even glancing at an oven with the no-bake Jamun cheesecake.

There are a couple of reasons why I decided to make the no-bake Jamun cheesecake. One, I got a million requests for an eggless version of the mango ricotta cheesecake. Two, I’ve never made a no-bake cake with conventional cream cheese. 

Three, I love Jamun (Java plums), but the family doesn’t, and there is only so much I can eat. Of the rest, I made compote which had to be used.

And fourth, in the heat and humidity, I’m living in, you couldn’t pay me enough to fire up the oven. 

For a dessert that requires such little effort, the no-bake Jamun cheesecake is still visually impressive enough to be a centerpiece. But more than that, the cake has an almost cloud-like consistency, a crusty base all underpinned by the gorgeous tang of cream cheese. 

How to Make No-Bake Jamun Cheesecake?

There are three steps to making the cheesecake – the base, the filling, and the compote. 

For the base, crush Marie or digestive biscuits and mix them with melted butter till you have a wet sand consistency. If you’re reading the blog from the US, graham crackers are a safe bet.

Pat this mixture on the bottom of a loose bottom pan evenly. Since we’re not baking the crust, really get in there and compress it well to the bottom. It’ll help bind the crumbs and prevent a crumbling base. 

Slide the base in the fridge for an hour, at the least, if your corner of the world is as hot and humid as mind. While the base chills, get to making the cheesecake filling.

Preparing the filling

The filling is refreshing, a tad tart, and perfectly sweetened. To make it, beat in a bowl cream, icing sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla extract. 

Most no-bake cheesecakes incorporate gelatin to give it body, but the mothership doesn’t like its taste. So, I used agar-agar or China Grass. 

Feel free to stick to gelatin, if that's what is easily available.

Whipping up the compote

Deseed the fruits, chop them up and then cook in water and sugar till they are mushy. Give it a taste and adjust for sweetness accordingly. Then blitz it in your food processor or blender.

The aim is to create a cheesecake that magnifies, not disguises, the sweet-tart flavor and slightly astringent aftertaste of jamuns. 

I love the pulpy texture of compotes, so I didn’t want the jamuns to have an ultra-silky feel. But if you prefer a smooth finish, pass the compote through a sieve.  

Once you have a compote of desired taste and feel, let it cool, and then pour it in a squeeze bottle. Or a ziplock baggie with a corner snipped off.

Assembling the no-bake jamun cheesecake

Spread the filling on the chilled crust in an even layer. Dot the top with compote and use a chopstick to make swirls.

Slide the assembled no-bake jamun cheesecake into the refrigerator until the filling becomes firm and dense. The trick to avoiding a runny filling is to give it plenty of time to chill – that’s generally overnight. 

In case you’re suffering in humidity filled heat too, I personally recommend freezing the cake. I moved mine to the freezer to get a firmer texture. Though the refrigerator did a good job of allowing the cake to set well enough to be taken out of the pan. I was able to cut fairly neat slices even though the consistency was somewhat soft.

Variations of the no-bake cheesecake

No-bake cheesecake is a refreshing dessert and sheer perfection with any seasonal fresh fruit that packs a punch. So, if you don’t have access to jamuns, feel free to try it with any berries. 

Plums provide a wonderful counterpoint to the rich tanginess of the cheesecake. Or you can make the most of mangoes as they bid us adieu for the year. 

Frankly, the brighter the hue of the fruit, the better they accompany the cake. 

For a vegan no-bake Jamun cheesecake, use a plant-based butter or coconut oil for the base. Switch the cream with coconut cream and cream cheese with cashew cheese as I did for my cherry lemon cheesecake.

Serving the No-bake Jamun Cheesecake

When you assemble the cheesecake, it has an airy texture that transforms into a velvety density by the time you are ready to serve it. It’s creamy and tangy with the taste of jamun coming through beautifully.

But by no means is it terribly heavy or uber-rich, that’s why for us, the no-bake jamun cheesecake was the perfect conclusion to a hearty meal. 

I served my slice with some extra compote, but the lusciously thick cake, ideal for beating the summer heat, really needs no accompaniment. This reminds me, if you don't feel like swirling the compote in, you can skip it. Instead, just top the set cheesecake with the Jamun compote or sauce. It will be just as delicious, I promise!

And if you have some Jamun compote leftover, you can always use it for Jamun popsicles or smoothies. Or use it for topping your icecreams!

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