On these summer days I craved a fresh, creamy dessert with a fruity flavor. We always have winter melons at home (also called white melons), so I decided to use them to make this delicious winter melon cheesecake.
Unfortunately I can only show you one slice: the cake disappeared so quickly I didn’t even have time to photograph the whole cake!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Rest time: 4 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 10
- Cooking methods: No-bake
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Summer
- Energy 363.24 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 25.05 (g) of which sugars 10.24 (g)
- Proteins 5.40 (g)
- Fat 26.83 (g) of which saturated 5.38 (g)of which unsaturated 3.37 (g)
- Fibers 1.40 (g)
- Sodium 171.04 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 120 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
- 3 1/3 cups winter melon (peeled and seeded)
- 2 1/2 cups Digestive biscuits (crushed)
- 6 sheets gelatin (6 sheets)
- 1 2/3 cups heavy cream (35% fat)
- 4 oz cream cheese (Philadelphia or mascarpone)
- 5 tbsp butter
Tools
- Springform pan 7-inch springform pan (18 cm)
- Chopper
Preparation
To prepare the winter melon cheesecake start with the Digestive biscuits. Break them up by hand and place them in the chopper, then pulse until they are reduced to fine crumbs. Transfer the biscuit crumbs to a bowl.
Melt the butter and pour it over the crushed biscuits. Mix well until you obtain a homogeneous, moldable mixture. If it seems too dry, you can add about 2 teaspoons more of melted butter or a couple of tablespoons of milk.
Take a springform pan and line the bottom with a sheet of parchment paper (not mandatory, but it will help you unmold and cut the slices without scratching the pan). Pour the biscuit and butter mixture into the pan and press it down evenly with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes so the base can set.Meanwhile soak 3 sheets of gelatin in cold water for about 10 minutes. Squeeze them out and transfer to a small saucepan with about 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon (50 ml) of cream, then dissolve over low heat. Turn off the heat and let cool.
Whip the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cream until stiff. When it is well whipped, add the cream cheese and the cream with the gelatin (now lukewarm). Beat with the mixer for a few seconds until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous cream.
Take about 2 cups of cleaned melon and cut it into small cubes, then gently fold it into the cream and cheese mixture.
Take the pan out of the fridge and pour the mixture over the now-firm biscuit base. Level the surface with a spatula and return to the refrigerator for about an hour.Prepare the topping in the meantime. Puree the remaining melon (about 1 1/3 cups) until smooth. Soak the remaining 3 sheets of gelatin in cold water for 10 minutes, then squeeze them out and dissolve them in a saucepan with half of the melon puree. Remove from heat and stir in the rest of the cold puree so the mixture cools more quickly.
Let the mixture cool until the cream starts to thicken slightly, then pour it over the cheesecake. Return to the refrigerator and let set for at least 3 hours before serving.
Tips and storage
I used sweetened non-dairy whipping cream because we prefer it at home. If you use fresh cream or unsweetened cream, add about 2 tablespoons (approximately 20 g) of powdered sugar while whipping.
You can also skip the melon gelée and simply decorate the cheesecake with thin melon slices or cubes.
The cheesecake will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 days.
