No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake

Cheesecake is one of those universally irresistible desserts. Its rich flavor and velvety smoothness go perfectly with the bright citrus flavor of Florida strawberries.

It’s really no surprise that people have been enjoying cheesecake for centuries, even if they didn’t yet have delicious Florida berries to serve with it. Check out this bit of cheesecake history from the one and only Cheesecake.com.

The first “cheese cake” may have been created on the Greek island of Samos. Physical anthropologists excavated cheese molds there which were dated circa 2,000 B.C. Cheese and cheese products had most likely been around for thousands of years before this, but earlier than this goes into prehistory (that period in human history before the invention of writing) so we will never really know.

In Greece, cheesecake was considered to be a good source of energy, and there is evidence that it was served to athletes during the first Olympic games in 776 B.C. Greek brides and grooms were also known to use cheesecake as a wedding cake. The simple ingredients of flour, wheat, honey and cheese were formed into a cake and baked. –History of Cheesecake

Unfortunately most cheesecakes are a pain to make. Getting the humidity of the oven just right so the cake doesn’t crack and timing it just right so it doesn’t dry out is no easy feat. Luckily this no-bake cheesecake avoids both of those major downfalls to the perfect cheesecake.

With this recipe you’ll go from raw ingredients to delicious chocolate cheesecake in under two hours! That’s about twenty-two hours faster than most cheesecakes which requires overnight chilling.

No-Bake Triple Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust

• 2 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 3/4 cup melted butter
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder

Cheesecake

• 8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate baking bar
• 2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate sauce

• 12 fl. oz evaporated milk
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Garnish

• 1/2 pint sliced fresh Florida strawberries
• Fresh mint

Mix together crust ingredients until well combined. Press into a nine-inch springform pan and place in freezer while you prepare cheesecake.

For cheesecake, heat chocolate bar in a double-boiler or microwave just until melted. With an electric mixer on high, beat together cream cheese, brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk and vanilla extract until smooth. Add melted chocolate and beat on medium speed for two minutes.

Spoon cheesecake mixture into chocolate crust. Spread cheesecake evenly and place in the refrigerator to set for 1 1/2 hours.

For chocolate sauce, combine evaporated milk and chocolate in a medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until chips are melted. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.

Spoon chocolate sauce onto cheesecake slices and garnish with strawberries and fresh mint.