No-Bake Dessert Recipes
Grace Tang ‘21
Foreign Correspondent
With spring semester in full swing, nobody has time to make eighteen-step French pastries or lavish cakes.[1] We law students are short on time. BUT, that doesn’t mean you can’t whip up easy no-bake desserts. Don’t be afraid to take up your whisks—these desserts are pretty much foolproof, and they’re fairly quick to make. Most importantly, the delicious end result is worth it.
Some of these desserts will require whipped cream. Pro tip: if you don’t have a KitchenAid or hand mixer, use a blender to whip up the heavy cream instead.
Cheesecake and Chill—No Bake Mini Cheesecakes
These mini cheesecakes are decadent and simple to whip up. I like to make two different variations, either using an Oreo cookie base or a classic graham cracker base. This recipe is also easy to customize, you can add jam, honey or other toppings to change things up.
Cheescake Photo Curtesy of Grace Tang '21
The secret to this version of the cheesecake is a dash of fresh lemon juice, which gives the cheesecakes a brighter flavor. You can use the recipe to make one big cake rather than mini cheesecakes using a six-inch Springform pan. The finished product can be frozen and stored for up to two weeks.
Ingredients for ten mini cheesecakes:
150g (5.25 oz, or 1 ½ cup) of crushed Oreos or graham crackers (I recommend getting the box pre-crushed rather than crushing cookies yourself).
1/4 cup of melted butter
12 ounces of cream cheese (softened to room temperature)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (adjust sweetness as desired)
1/3 cup of heavy cream, whipped into stiff peaks
1/4 cup of sour cream
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
A muffin tin and cupcake paper for assembly. If you do not have the cupcake and muffin tin, feel free to use a shallow Tupperware instead (scoop out the cheesecake).
Cheesecake instructions:
Combine melted butter with crushed cookies and distribute into cupcake tins. Use the back of a spoon or your fingers to press down on the base.
Combine cream cheese, and sugar until incorporated, and then add in lemon juice. Next, combine with sour cream and whipped heavy cream.
Pour the cheesecake batter into the lined cupcake paper, on top of the cookie crust base.
Refrigerate at least two hours before consuming. I like to use a spoon to eat the cheesecake.
The BEST Tiramisu—Grace’s Secret Recipe
This tiramisu is absolutely incredible, and it’s a very authentic Italian recipe. It’s also probably my favorite recipe of all time. The key to success and most important step is allowing the tiramisu to rest in the fridge for at least 48 hours. Once made, the tiramisu can be frozen and will last a long time, although I suspect it won’t be around for long before it’s devoured.
Tiramisu Photo Curtesy of Grace Tang '21
Tiramisu looks fancy but it’s actually super simple to make and requires no baking. So, if you follow the recipe precisely, your dessert should turn out well. Feel free to half the portions for a smaller size of tiramisu.[2]
Ingredients for a large tray of tiramisu:
1000g (4 ¼ cups) mascarpone cheese (I highly recommend Italian-made, softened to room temperature)
10 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1 ½ cups heavy cream, whipped into stiff peaks
2 cups of very strong coffee (+ 3 shots of rum and 3 shots of cream liqueur like Baileys)
2-3 packages of ladyfinger cookies (depending on size)
A sprinkling of cocoa powder (or hot chocolate powder)
A large casserole dish or tray for assembly
Tiramisu instructions:
Whisk raw egg yolks with sugar until it turns lighter in color, then add mascarpone cheese and blend thoroughly.
Add in whipped heavy cream to the mascarpone mixture.
In a separate bowl, combine rum and cream liqueur with cooled strong coffee.
Assemble tiramisu: briefly (1-2 seconds) dip ladyfinger cookies into coffee mixture and layer between mascarpone cream.
Keep in the fridge for a MINIMUM of 48 hours before dusting with cocoa powder and serving. Tiramisu can be frozen (for up to one month) and thawed before serving. Freezing Tiramisu will not affect its taste at all.
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gt5ay@virginia.edu