Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake

This no-bake cheesecake uses cottage cheese instead of cream cheese, blended until completely smooth with lemon zest, half-and-half, and egg yolks. The result is lighter and tangier than a traditional cheesecake, with an airy, mousse-like texture from folded stiff egg whites.

Gelatin dissolved in water holds everything together without an oven. The filling sets in the fridge on a buttery graham cracker crust, then gets topped with a full quart of fresh strawberries right before serving.

Blend the cottage cheese mixture thoroughly. Any lumps left behind will show up in the finished cheesecake, and the whole point of blending is to get that silky-smooth consistency that makes people guess cream cheese, not cottage.

Chef Tips

• Dissolve the gelatin completely in hot water before adding to the blender. Undissolved granules create rubbery specks in the filling.
• Fold the egg whites in gently with a rubber spatula. The air trapped in those whites is what gives this cheesecake its lift.
• Chill the crust until firm before pouring in the filling. A soft crust absorbs moisture and turns soggy.
• Let the cheesecake set for at least 3 hours, or overnight for the cleanest slices.

Variations

• Swap cottage cheese for ricotta for an Italian-style filling with more body.
• Top with a quick strawberry glaze: heat a few berries with sugar until syrupy, then spoon over the arranged fruit.
• Use vanilla wafer crumbs instead of graham crackers for a sweeter, more cookie-like crust.