We had neighbors observing Ramadan and they were so kind as to bring us some treats. One of the treats was an individual sized “eggless” cheesecake which tasted like something I used to make. I call it Faux Cheesecake. I looked up the recipe and I found several, all with different toppings. I don’t like the toppings and was just interested in making the “cheesecake”. In this case, when I say I “looked up the recipe” I actually mean in my recipe book. All of the recipes were from a specific magazine (I don’t even know which one because these were the pages ripped out). But there was also a handwritten (by me) recipe. It doubled one of the ingredients. So when I made this in the past I decided that I need TWO bricks of cream cheese not just one as the recipes stated.
Also the recipe includes the making of the crust. When I made this (these) recently I didn’t make the crust, I used those little individual graham cracker pie crust that are premade. I also . . . . as usual, didn’t plan on posting this so I didn’t take pictures. but I realized I wanted to post it so I would use the correct recipe.
What makes this a “FAUX” cheesecake is there are no eggs and no baking which I think are two things normally done with a REAL cheesecake, but it is delicious!
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Faux Cheesecake
CRUST Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter
1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 7 graham crackers)
1/4 cup sugar
FILLING Ingredients:
2 8 ounce packages of cream cheese (softened)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon vanilla
CRUST directions:
Melt the butter in a pan over low heat. Stir in the cracker crumbs and sugar, mix well. Once the mixture has cooled a bit press it into an 8 or 9 inch square pan. Then chill.
FILLING directions:
In a large bowl us a electric handmixer to beat the cream cheese, then add the lemon juice and vanilla. Keep mixing the cream cheese, scrapping the beaters as necessary. Add in the condensed milk. Mix until smooth and creamy and everything is incorporated. Then pour into the graham cracker crust. Chill for about four hours before serving.
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I spooned the mixture into the individual graham cracker crusts. There were six in a package. I had a lot of filling left over so I put it in my mini-muffin pan. So now we have little tiny “faux” cheesecake bites. We have to eat them out of the muffin pan because they don’t pop out. They might if they are frozen.
I kind of like the little bites because they are a good way to portion control.
This is a really quick and easy way to get the cheesecake texture and flavor you may be craving without making and baking a cheesecake.
Do you like topping on your cheesecake? Like what?
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