MINI ORANGE NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE WITH GOOEY

ALMOND CRUST
 

Spring has arrived and here in Atlanta, it feels like summer is upon us.  With that in mind, I wanted to
create a recipe that was cool and refreshing and wouldn’t use the oven for too long.  If you are a
cheesecake lover like I am, I want you to know that a no-bake cheesecake has a very different
texture than a regular cheesecake.  The combination of unflavored gelatin and lack of eggs creates
a very velvety yet light texture.  One taste tester said it was almost like a mousse or firm custard.  I
decided to use a pan by USA Pan Company that makes 6 mini cheesecakes, but I think you could
easily use a traditional spring form pan.  I would recommend an 8″ pan to ensure the crust and
cheesecake filling are thick enough.  I also decided to go non-traditional with my crust.  Normally I
would do some type of graham cracker crust but for this recipe I decided to try out a gooey almond
meringue crust and I have to tell you, it has become an absolute favorite!!

In fact, let’s talk about the crust first.  I used the nut grater attachment for the Ankarsrum to make the
most perfect fresh almond flour.  We have used almond flour in several other posts and you can see
those by clicking on the category “Nut Grater”.  Fresh almond flour has such a beautiful flavor and
you will love it!

Freshly almond flour on the left and almond flour meringue on the right.

Once I made my almond flour, I was ready to make a simple meringue.  A trick to making a glossy
meringue is to add your powdered sweetener, one spoonful at a time, once the egg whites have
become frothy.  Then crank the speed up and watch them form stiff peaks.  NOTE: Don’t walk away!
The Ankarsrum Assistant whips egg whites very quickly and if you turn your back for too long, they
will overbeat and break down.

Once the egg whites have whipped, turn the speed back down to low and gently add the almond
flour mixture.  Mix until combined then evenly distribute between your cheesecake pans.  I find that
an ice cream scoop works perfect here.

The 6 Well Cheesecake Pan from USA Pan Company has a removable bottom for easy removal of the finished
product.

Be sure not to overbake and allow to cool completely before adding the cheesecake filling.
Don’t let your crust overbake. Slightly browned around the edges is perfect!.

Let’s move onto the filling.

I know this may not seem like a big deal but one thing I love about the Ankarsrum Citrus Press
Attachment is the ability to remove the citrus zest and then juice the citrus.   So many citrus juicers
out on the market have sharp teeth and you are not able to adjust the speed when they rotate.  This
makes it nearly impossible to zest the citrus before juicing because you aren’t able to firmly grip the
slippery, zestless citrus.  This is not the case with the Ankarsrum Citrus Press Attachment.  There
are no sharp teeth to contend with (making it kid friendly) and the adjustable speed allows you to
maintain a firm grip on the citrus even after the zest has been removed.

For my cheesecake filling you will start by combining the orange zest, orange juice and sweetener in
a medium sauce pan.  While this mixture is coming up to a boil, you will dissolve your unflavored
gelatin in a small amount of cold water. You can do this directly in the Double Beater Bowl.  You will
want to use the multi-wire balloon whisks.  Once your juice has come to a boil, you will slowly pour it
over the softened gelatin while mixing on a low speed.  Mix until fully combined and then allow to
cool.  I decided to pour my orange mixture into a 2 cup measuring cup for easy addition to my cream
cheese mixture later on.

 
Be sure to use room temperature cream cheese and make sure the cream cheese and whipping
cream mixture is completely smooth before you pour in the orange mixture.  The spout on the
Double Beater Bowl is perfect for evenly distributing the cheesecake filling onto the cooled crust. 
Now just cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours and up to 2 days.

I did a couple different toppings for this recipe.  First is the fresh whipped cream, candied oranges
(recipe to follow) and an orange simple syrup.  The orange simple syrup is just the orange juice
mixture that we added to the cream cheese mixture.  I just made another batch and let it simmer for
about 5 minutes just to thicken.  For my candied oranges (you could certainly candy lemons or limes
as well), I used a special Cara Cara Navel Orange I found at my local grocery store.  Not as dark as
a blood orange but with a ruby red flesh, this orange was perfect for this recipe.  I would recommend
candying only blood oranges or these cara-cara oranges as a regular navel orange has too much
white pith.  If oranges are out of season, I would just top with whipped cream and the orange simple
syrup.
I believe you could easily swap out the orange in this recipe for lemon, lime or even grapefruit.  I
hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I enjoyed creating and testing it. Multiple times I might add,
just to make sure I got it right 😉 Happy Spring everyone!

SWEETENER NOTE: This recipe calls for powdered sugar as well as regular granulated sugar. 
You may also use Honey Granules (aka Sucanat w/ Honey) or coconut sugar 1 for 1 in this recipe.
To make powdered sugar from either of these sweetener alternatives, simply place the sweetener of
choice in a blender and powder.

Mini Orange Cheesecake with Gooey Almond Crust

 

Crust:
3/4 cup almond flour (1/2 cup whole raw almonds)

3/4 cup powdered sugar (split into two measurements: 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup)

2 egg whites, room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 320° F.  If using a traditional spring form cheesecake pan, I recommend spraying
with a bit of cooking spray unless the pan is non-stick.

Begin by fitting the nut grater attachment onto the Ankarsrum mixer base.  On low speed, add the
1/2 cup of whole raw almonds.  Once all of the nuts have run through, remove the attachment and
add 1/2 cup powdered sugar to the flour mixture and set aside.

Affix the Double Beater Bowl onto the Ankarsrum mixer base with the multi-wire whisks attached to
the beater head.  Place egg whites into the mixing bowl and begin whipping on a low to medium
speed (about 3 o’clock on the speed knob).  Once egg whites become frothy, add remaining 1/4 cup
powdered sugar a little at a time along with vanilla extract, until fully combined.  Slowly increase
speed to high and whip until stiff peaks are formed and egg whites are smooth and glossy.  Remove
the beaters and add almond flour mixture.  With a spatula, slowly fold in the almond flour until fully
combined.  Evenly distribute almond meringue into prepared pan.

Bake 15-18 minutes or until the crust is slightly golden brown around the edges.  When done,
remove from oven and allow to cool completely before adding the filling.

Cheesecake filling:

1 pkg. powdered gelatin, unflavored

1/4 cup cold water

zest of 1 orange

3/4 cup fresh orange juice, about 1 large orange

1/2 cup sugar

12 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or extract , orange extract may be used in place of the vanilla if you desire

Affix the Double Beater Bowl with the multi-wire whisks onto the Ankarsrum mixer base.  Add the 1/4
cup cold water and sprinkle the unflavored gelatin over the water and allow to soften.

In a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat, whisk together orange juice, sugar and orange zest,
bringing to a rolling boil.  Remove from heat and with the mixer running on low, slowly pour over the
softened gelatin.  Continue mixing until gelatin is completely dissolved and combined with orange
juice mixture.  Pour orange mixture into a large measuring cup and set aside to cool.

Once orange mixture has cooled, add softened cream cheese to the Double Beater Bowl with the
multi-wire whisks attached.  On low-medium speed (knob set to about 2 o’clock), whip cream cheese
until smooth and creamy.  Slowly add the heavy whipping cream and vanilla.  Once combined,
slowly add the orange mixture.  Once added, increase speed to medium-high (knob set to about 5
o’clock) and whip for 1-2 minutes.

Pour filling onto cool crust, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours and up
to 2 days.  When ready to serve, gently remove cheesecake from the pan.  Using a plastic knife,
gently slide and lift cheesecake off the pan insert.
 

Top with fresh whipped cream, orange simple syrup and candied oranges.

Whipped Topping:

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold (put in freezer for 10 minutes before whipping)

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla bean paste or extract

 

Position the Double Whisk Bowl onto the Ankarsrum base with the multi-wire balloon whisks. Place
softened cream cheese into the bowl and begin mixing on the lowest speed until smooth and
creamy. Slowly pour cold cream into the bowl and begin whipping on the lowest speed. Turn up to a
medium speed (about 5 o’clock) and begin adding the powdered sugar a spoonful at a time until all
has been added. Add the vanilla bean paste and increase speed to high. Continue whipping until a
stiff yet smooth and silky consistency is reached. This should take no more than 4-5 minutes total.

This whipped cream can be added to a piping bag and used to decorate the tops of your
cheesecake, or you may just scoop it out and add to each cheesecake as desired. Any unused
cream must be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. May be stored for up to 3-4 days.

Optional Candied Oranges:

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup water

1 large orange, cut into 1/8 inch slices (about 8 slices)

In a large fry pan/skillet, combine water and sugar.  Over medium-high heat dissolve sugar and add
sliced oranges.  Bring sugar water to a soft boil, reduce heat and simmer oranges for 15-20 minutes,
flipping every few minutes.  Place coated orange slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment
paper or a silicone mat.  Refrigerate for 2-4 hours.  Once hardened, cut slices into quarters for
garnish or enjoy as is.
 

Topped with fresh whipped topping and orange simple syrup

 
Cheesecake topped with fresh whipped topping and a piece of candied orange

 
 

Ankarsrum Featured Color: Pearl Blue AKM 6230 PB

Featured Pan by: USA Pan Company – Mini Cheesecake Pan – 6 Well

Featured Dishes by: The Pioneer Woman and purchased at Walmart