No-Bake Madeira Cream Cheesecake
This is a homemade, simplified version of a cheesecake by Luis Pestana, head chef of the Madeiran hotel Reid’s Palace. A classic cheesecake calls for whipping egg yolks and baking in a water bath, but here everything rests on gelatin: a delicate mixture of mascarpone, cream, and lemon zest sets in the refrigerator without any heating at all. The result is a very light, almost weightless dessert that the chef created to “extend a carefree summer” with the flavor of resort latitudes.
A sweet-tart berry sauce of cherry or black currant offsets the creamy base and makes the flavor brighter.
Handy Tips
Dissolve the gelatin completely in warm (not boiling) cream: boiling water destroys its setting power. The mixture sets most easily in a silicone mold; if you use a cup, dip it in hot water for a few seconds and the dessert will release easily from the sides. Fresh berries for the sauce need sugar, while ready-made puree is often already sweet, so taste as you go. You can swap the mascarpone for a cream cheese like Philadelphia for a slightly firmer texture.
Serve right after unmolding, while the mixture is cool and firm. Add the sauce and berries just before serving.
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Ingredients
Instructions
If you're using granulated sugar, grind it into powder in a coffee grinder. Mix the soft cheese with the powdered sugar and lemon zest.
Dissolve the gelatin in 50 g of warmed liquid cream. Add the gelatin along with the cream to the cheese, then fold in the whipped cream. Spoon the mixture into a pastry ring, silicone mold, or cup. Place in the refrigerator until fully set.
For the sauce, bring the fruit puree, or the fruit with sugar and water, to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Take the cheesecake out of the refrigerator and unmold it. Serve right away, drizzled with the sauce and decorated with fresh berries.
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