Melon Cheesecake: The Recipe

Preparation: 45 min

Rest: 7-8 Hours

Serves: 6-8 people

ingredients

For the base

Digestive Biscuits

150 gr

Melted butter

75 gr

For the cheese mousse

Spreadable cheese

300 gr

Fresh liquid cream

125 ml

Sugar

100 gr

Edible gelatin sheets

8 gr

Vanilla extract

1 Teaspoon

For the topping

Melon (net of waste)

200 gr

Edible gelatin sheets

5 gr

Sugar

40 gr

You also need

Fresh melon

qb

Fresh mint

qb

Melon cheesecake is  a fresh and delicious dessert , perfect for a summer snack or to serve as an after-dinner treat for a dinner with friends. Being a reinterpretation of the cold cheesecake , it is a recipe that does not require any baking: the crunchy base of biscuits and melted butter is filled with a cream cheese, cream, sugar and vanilla, and then decorated with a melon jelly , cubes of fresh pulp and mint.

The preparation is simple and within everyone’s reach: once the biscuit and butter mixture has been compacted on the bottom of a springform pan, the filling is made by working the ingredients together and gradually incorporating the whipped cream, so as to obtain a fluffy, soft and airy mixture.

After a cooling time of about 4 hours, garnish everything with a layer of melon jelly and put the cake back in the fridge until it is well firmed. At this point all that remains is to complete it with a few cubes of melon and some fresh mint leaves: the result is an elegant and scenic dessert, which will conquer even your most demanding guest.

Depending on your tastes, you can customize it as you like: let yourself be inspired by our suggestions. If you like, you can also assemble it in a muffin mold or in individual paper cups, and thus obtain elegant single portions to offer also for Sunday brunch or for a party buffet.

Discover how to prepare melon cheesecake by following the step-by-step procedure and tips. If you liked this recipe, also try the mojito cheesecake and the tropical variant .

How to make melon cheesecake

Step 1

Start by melting the butter over low heat, then let it cool. In the meantime, break the biscuits into pieces and collect them in the bowl of a kitchen mixer1.

Step 2

Blend them until you obtain a fine flour.2.

Step 3

Transfer the crumbled biscuits into a bowl and pour in the melted butter.3.

Step 4

Mix well with a spatula until you obtain a smooth mixture.4.

Step 5

Place a disc of baking paper cut to the same size on the bottom of an 18 cm diameter springform pan, then place a strip of acetate along the sides5.

Step 6

Pour the crumbly mixture onto the bottom of the mold and compact it with the back of the spoon6, then place the base in the refrigerator and let it firm up for 30 minutes.

Step 7

Make the filling: soak the gelatine in cold water7for 10 minutes.

Step 8

Heat 20 ml of cream in the microwave or in a saucepan, then add the gelatine, softened and well squeezed, and stir to dissolve it completely.8.

Step 9

Collect the fresh cheese in a bowl, add the granulated sugar9and vanilla extract.

Step 10

Mix the ingredients vigorously with a spoon10.

Step 11

Pour the remaining 80 ml of cream into a bowl and whip it with an electric whisk.11.

Step 12

First incorporate the cream mixed with the gelatine, then add the whipped cream a little at a time12.

Step 13

Mix gently with movements from the bottom up so as not to deflate the mixture.13.

Step 14

Transfer the filling onto the biscuit base, level it with a spoon14and place back in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or until the filling is well set.

Step 15

After the cake has rested in the fridge for at least 3 hours, dedicate yourself to the covering: clean the melon and remove 200 grams of pulp, cut into cubes15.

Step 16

Blend it with an immersion blender, together with 50 grams of sugar16, until the mixture becomes smooth.

Step 17

Soak the gelatine in cold water for 10 minutes, then remove half of the melon mixture.17and heat it in a saucepan until just below boiling.

Step 18

Turn off the heat and add the rehydrated and well squeezed gelatine, then mix with a spoon to dissolve it.18.

Step 19

Add the remaining half of the blended pulp, mix19and let it cool to room temperature.

Step 20

Take the cheesecake out of the fridge and pour the melon mixture over the filling20.

Step 21

Level it gently with the back of a spoon21, then put the cake back in the refrigerator for another 3 hours.

Step 22

Once the resting time has elapsed, remove the cheesecake from the mould and delicately remove the acetate sheet.22.

Step 23

Transfer the cake onto a serving plate and complete the decoration with melon slices and a sprig of fresh mint.23.

Step 24

Slice the melon cheesecake and enjoy it in all its fullness.24.

Advice

If you like, you can replace the spreadable cheese with ricotta, robiola or mascarpone, for a smooth and full-bodied filling; instead of digestive biscuits, you can use butter or cocoa biscuits , for an even more delicious final result. The surface, instead, can be decorated with white chocolate flakes and tufts of whipped cream.

We used edible gelatin sheets, better known as gelatine , of animal origin; for a version also suitable for vegetarian guests, you can replace it with a vegetable thickener, such as agar agar , extracted from red marine algae.

The melon cheesecake can be stored in the refrigerator, covered with a sheet of cling film, for a maximum of 3 days .