In summer, cheesecakes and chilled cakes are very popular desserts because they allow us to serve delicious sweets without turning on the oven, utilizing the many types of inviting and flavorful fruit that the season offers, just like in the recipe for chilled melon and Greek yogurt cake. Although it looks similar to a cheesecake, the chilled melon cake actually has a much lighter cream, both nutritionally and in texture, because it is made with 2% Greek yogurt instead of cream cheese. Rich in protein and low in sugar compared to classic whole yogurt, Greek yogurt allows you to serve a satisfying dessert without going overboard with fats and calories, especially since you can add very little sugar to the cream; its compact consistency lets you reduce the amount of gelatin needed to hold the dessert together, compared to what you would use with regular yogurt, resulting in a much creamier texture. To prepare the melon topping for the chilled cake, simply blend the melon pulp with a bit of sugar—if the melon is sweet and ripe, just a tablespoon will suffice—and add some gelatin dissolved in a little water. The chilled melon and Greek yogurt cake is a simple and spectacular summer dessert that will win you over at first taste!
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 8 Hours
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 8People
- Cooking methods: No-Bake
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Summer
- Energy 249.41 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 35.21 (g) of which sugars 20.73 (g)
- Proteins 10.06 (g)
- Fat 8.59 (g) of which saturated 4.23 (g)of which unsaturated 2.32 (g)
- Fibers 1.26 (g)
- Sodium 148.75 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 186 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for a 20 cm (7.9 inches) diameter melon cheesecake
If you are celiac, besides using gluten-free dry biscuits for the base, remember to check that the gelatin label also states “gluten-free”.
- 4.2 oz dry biscuits (for me gluten-free)
- 2.1 oz butter
- 1 pinch salt
- 24.7 oz 2% fat Greek yogurt
- 0.4 cup milk
- 0.35 oz gelatin
- 1.41 oz sugar
- A few drops vanilla essence
- 10.6 oz cantaloupe melon (flesh only + as needed for decoration)
- 0.2 cup water
- 0.7 oz sugar
- 0.21 oz gelatin
- A few leaves mint
Tools
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Blender
- 1 Small Bowl
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Springform Pan 20 cm (7.9 inches) diameter
- Parchment Paper
- 1 Melon Baller for decoration
How to Prepare Melon and Yogurt Cheesecake
To prepare the chilled melon and Greek yogurt cake, start by preparing the classic cheesecake base: place the dry biscuits and a pinch of salt in a blender (1). Blend thoroughly until you achieve a very fine mixture (2). Add the butter, after melting it in the microwave or over low heat in a saucepan (3).
Mix well with a spoon to achieve a consistency similar to wet sand (4). Line with parchment paper a 20 cm (7.9 inches) springform pan (5). If you don’t have a 20 cm (7.9 inches) pan, consult this guide to recalculate the proportions according to the size of your pan. Pour the biscuit mix into the pan and form an even layer, pressing it down well with the back of a spoon (6). Place the pan in the coldest part of the refrigerator while you prepare the cream.
While the base is firming up in the fridge, prepare the yogurt cream. Soak 0.35 oz of gelatin in cold water for 10 minutes. In a saucepan, heat 0.4 cup of milk over low heat without boiling it. Remove from the heat and add the gelatin one sheet at a time (7), after squeezing it well. Stir thoroughly to dissolve it completely (8) and let it cool. Place the Greek yogurt, sugar, and vanilla essence in a bowl (9).
Stir carefully with a spoon until you achieve a homogeneous and fairly firm cream (10). If using Greek yogurt, to maintain its creaminess, it’s better to mix the cream with a spoon rather than using electric beaters. When the milk with dissolved gelatin is warm, add it to the cream (11) and stir immediately with a spoon.
Blend the milk with the yogurt perfectly, ensuring the gelatin is evenly distributed throughout the cream (12). Pour the cream onto the base of the chilled cake, leveling it carefully (13). Place the cake in the refrigerator to set the cream for at least 2 hours.
When the cheesecake’s melon cream has set, you can prepare the topping (if you pour it while the cream is still fluid, the two mixtures could blend together). Soak 0.21 oz of gelatin in cold water for 10 minutes. Heat 0.2 cup of water in a saucepan without boiling it (14). Turn off the heat and add the gelatin sheets one at a time after squeezing them, and stir thoroughly to dissolve the gelatin (15). Let it cool. Cut a melon in half and remove the seeds. If you have a melon baller, you can use it to scoop out balls for decoration (16). Set them aside.
Peel and weigh 10.6 oz of melon flesh. Cut it into cubes and place it in a blender with 0.7 oz of sugar (17). The amount of sugar can be increased or decreased as desired, depending on the sweetness of the melon. Blend until you obtain a liquid mixture (18). Pour in the water in which you dissolved the gelatin (19).
Mix carefully to blend everything well (20), then pour the melon jelly over the cheesecake (21). Place the cake in the fridge for at least 6 hours, until the melon jelly has solidified. Only at this point, decorate the cake with melon balls (otherwise they would sink) and with mint leaves (22).
If you don’t have a melon baller, you can decorate the cheesecake with thinly sliced melon arranged in a radial pattern or any design you prefer. Serve the chilled melon and yogurt cake as a dessert after a meal or for a snack that’s a bit out of the ordinary.
Storage
You can store the chilled melon cake in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
Tips and Variations
If you don’t like melon jelly, you can simply decorate the cake with melon slices cut a few minutes before serving. If you have particular dietary needs, you can also use fat-free Greek yogurt with 0% fat for the cream and eliminate sugar entirely.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use regular yogurt instead of Greek yogurt?
Yes, if you want to use regular yogurt instead of Greek yogurt, increase the amount of gelatin for the cream to 0.42 oz.
