No-bake mango cheesecake

No oven? No problem. No-bake mango cheesecake.

Comparing a no-bake cheesecake with a baked one is like comparing apples and pears. They are both totally delicious and are always welcome whenever a sweet and creamy dessert or afternoon tea is required. When the warmer weather hits though, the no-bake version has the greater appeal, especially if you want to showcase succulent in-season mangoes.

With a light, mousse-like texture, our mango cheesecake with gelatin is fresh, tangy and requires only 20 minutes’ prep. A spell in the fridge is all that’s needed to let the filling set. This mango and lime cheesecake is also the perfect dessert at Christmas time when you either don’t want to turn the oven on, or it’s working overtime with ham, turkey and roasted vegetables.

What are the best mangoes for this easy mango cheesecake recipe?

There are three main types of mangoes available in Australia. Kensington Pride is the most commonly available and arguably the most popular, with its yellow skin and soft juicy fruit. Calypso mangoes have a deeper orange skin and are milder in flavour but have a less fibrous flesh. Treasured for its long shelf life, the R2E2 variety has a bright red blush and a sweet, mild flavour. The right mango to use in this unbaked mango cheesecake is the ripest one! Use your nose to pick the best. It should be deeply fragrant, especially near the stem. If you wanted to make this mango no bake cheesecake recipe out of season, frozen mango chunks are your best option.

How to make mango cheesecake a dinner party star

The best way to blitz your biscuits for the base is to get out the food processor. You want them to be finely crushed but not powdery. If you don’t have one, place the broken biscuits in a large sealable bag and use a rolling pin to crush fine pieces. The crumbs won’t be quite as even, but it was the traditional method before the invention of this kitchen accessory. You could swap the Butternut Snap biscuits for gingernut biscuits if you prefer – ginger and mango is a great flavour combo. Pour the crumb mixture into the pan and use a glass with a flat bottom to press it firmly and evenly into the prepared pan. The base then needs half an hour in the fridge to firm. If you skip this step, bits of the biscuit crumb may float into the filling. Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature and chopped. If you try to use it straight from the fridge, it takes ages to beat and won’t become light and fluffy. On the other hand, make sure your thickened cream is chilled. Room temperature cream won’t whip and you want to get the cream nice and aerated to create the silky texture in your homemade mango cheesecake. 

How to decorate mango cheesecake

We’ve toppped our cheesecake with mango, but you don’t need to stop there. Try scattering with fresh mint leaves and a drizzle of passionfruit pulp. Blueberries and mango always look pretty together, or you could always spread with a layer of mango or lime jelly before topping with the mango slices. For neat and even slices of mango lime cheesecake, run a long sharp knife under hot water and then dry with a clean tea towel before cutting. A nice glass of chilled prosecco is the perfect companion for our cheesecake with mango topping. If you keep the mango no-bake cheesecake in its pan it will transport well to a picnic or barbecue.