Little Red Stove

It’s Mother’s Day.
You have your mother, your grandmother, your sister, and your aunt all coming over for a festive brunch.
The table is set with flowers, a bright tablecloth, and the bloody mary bar.

It’s breakfast time so let’s think of quiches, omelettes, and soufflé, yes?
NO!
Aunt Pattie is allergic to eggs, and we CAN NOT kill Aunt Pattie on Mother’s Day.

What do I do when my mother’s favorite dessert is cheesecake, and my grandmother’s favorite dessert is a lemon bar? Two very delicious desserts, but both very much filled with eggs?
You make a no-bake, egg-free lemon bar cheesecake and collect the compliments.

This no bake lemon bar dream dessert rivaled any cheesecake I have ever had.
That includes my classic cheesecake recipe that I’m sure I’ll share here one day that Aunt Pattie isn’t coming for dinner.

The filling is no-bake, but the crust we do need to crank the oven on for.
However, if you decided to make the entire thing no bake because it’s 200 degrees outside and the thought of turning on the oven is just not in the cards; replace the shortbread crust with a mix of graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and a little sugar.
Did you hear that out loud though? Replace the shortbread crust? Think it through, friends…

It begins with the most incredible, buttery, shortbread crust.

You will need:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup of butter, cubed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Turn the oven to 350 degrees.
Place all of the shortbread ingredients into a bowl and mix together with your hands, gently rubbing the butter and flour between your fingers until you’re left with a mixture that’s the texture of damp sand.

It should stick together when you gently press it in your hands.

Do not over mix! When it reaches this point and there are little bits of butter still visible, you’re done!

Grab a 9 inch springform pan, butter generously, and pour the crumbs into the base. Press them down until they are firmly packed. I chose to not build up the sides of the pan in order to show off the layers. You’re welcome to do as you please, I’m nothing if not reasonable.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until very lightly browned. Let cool completely before assembling.

Meanwhile let’s start the filling.

You will need:
3 8-ounce blocks of cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup creme fraiche, divided
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
zest of 2 lemons
juice of 1 lemon
2-3 drops of yellow food coloring
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

In a large bowl whip the cream cheese with the sugar and salt.
Whip this until it becomes very light and fluffy. Mix in 1/4 cup of the creme fraiche, and vanilla.
Transfer 2/3 of this mixture into a clean bowl.
To the other 1/3 of the cheesecake base, whip in the other 1/4 cup of creme fraiche, the zest, juice, and coloring. Coloring is optional, but it won’t look very different when slicing without it.

Whip the cup of heavy cream until stiff peaks are formed.
Fold all of the whipped cream into the vanilla cheesecake base.
The lemon cheesecake base will keep it’s thick, creamy texture: think the most amazing lemon bar you’ve had.

I used an acetate cake collar to line my springform pan, because I wanted clean layers. You can simply use a touch of butter along the outside rim of the pan, and before you un-mold warm the sides before releasing.

Layer the cheesecake fillings! I put the vanilla on the bottom, and topped with the lemon bar. Because these are not being baked, treat the fillings delicately. What you see is what you get. Literally.

Let this chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.

The result is the most deliciously tart, creamy, buttery confection you’ve never added a single egg to.

This is a pretty perfect accompaniment to my lemon chicken with farro salad…

Print Recipe

No Bake Lemon Bar Cheesecake

The most deliciously tart, creamy, buttery confection you’ve never added a single egg to.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: Cheesecake, Lemon Bar Cheesecake, No Bake Cheesecake

Author: Megan

Ingredients

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup of butter cubed
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 8- ounce blocks of cream cheese softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup creme fraiche divided
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• zest of 2 lemons
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2-3 drops of yellow food coloring
• 1 cup heavy cream whipped

Instructions

• Turn the oven to 350 degrees.
• Place all of the shortbread ingredients into a bowl and mix together with your hands, gently rubbing the butter and flour between your fingers until you’re left with a mixture that’s the texture of damp sand.
• It should stick together when you gently press it in your hands.
• Do not over mix! When it reaches this point and there are little bits of butter still visible, you’re done!
• Grab a 9 inch springform pan, butter generously, and pour the crumbs into the base. Press them down until they are firmly packed. I chose to not build up the sides of the pan in order to show off the layers. You’re welcome to do as you please, I’m nothing if not reasonable.
• Bake for 15 minutes, or until very lightly browned. Let cool completely before assembling.
• Meanwhile let’s start the filling.
• In a large bowl whip the cream cheese with the sugar and salt.
• Whip this until it becomes very light and fluffy. Mix in 1/4 cup of the creme fraiche, and vanilla.
• Transfer 2/3 of this mixture into a clean bowl.
• To the other 1/3 of the cheesecake base, whip in the other 1/4 cup of creme fraiche, the zest, juice, and coloring. Coloring is optional, but it won’t look very different when slicing without it.
• Whip the cup of heavy cream until stiff peaks are formed.
• Fold all of the whipped cream into the vanilla cheesecake base.
• The lemon cheesecake base will keep it’s thick, creamy texture: think the most amazing lemon bar you’ve had.
• I used an acetate cake collar to line my springform pan, because I wanted clean layers. You can simply use a touch of butter along the outside rim of the pan, and before you un-mold warm the sides before releasing.
• Layer the cheesecake fillings! I put the vanilla on the bottom, and topped with the lemon bar. Because these are not being baked, treat the fillings delicately. What you see is what you get. Literally.
• Let this chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours, ideally overnight.

Notes

This is a pretty perfect accompaniment to my lemon chicken with farro salad…