A No-Bake Cheesecake Recipe That Will Impress Your Guests

When the days are hot or you're strapped for time, nothing seems like more of a hassle than firing up the oven. Luckily, no-bake desserts often require just a few ingredients and are easy to make — just let the refrigerator work its magic!

When your sweet tooth is particularly demanding, this lemon cheesecake recipe, inspired by Mayo Clinic's recipe, is a perfect no-bake option. If you're looking to make your cheesecake extra creamy, consider using condensed milk instead of skim.

Read more: 10 Desserts That Won't Derail Your Diet

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/3 cup condensed milk or 1/2 cup heated skim milk
• Egg substitute: either 2 egg whites or 1/4 cup applesauce or one ripe mashed banana (pick only one egg substitute, not all three!)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup sugar (if you use skim milk)
• 2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
• Lemon zest or juice

How to Make It

1. Soften gelatin: In a blender, combine water, gelatin and lemon juice. Process on low speed for one to two minutes to soften the gelatin.
2. Add ingredients: Add the condensed milk and process in the blender until the gelatin is dissolved. Add your egg substitute, sugar, vanilla and cottage cheese to the blender, too. Blend on high speed until smooth.
3. Refrigerate your cake: Pour your cheesecake into a pie plate or a round flat dish. Refrigerate the cake for two to three hours. Then, top with grated lemon zest or juice before you serve.

While no-bake desserts are simple and effortless sweet-tooth quenchers, they can be unsafe for consumption if prepared improperly. The risk lies in the raw eggs, as they are known for carrying salmonella, according to the Egg Safety Center.

Although the potential of being exposed to salmonella from eggs is low, there is still a small risk. For recipes that require uncooked eggs, the Egg Safety Center recommends using liquid or dried egg whites, since egg white products are pasteurized and therefore harmful microorganisms that live in the egg are killed. If you're still not too keen on using eggs, go for applesauce or mashed banana instead.

Read more: What Can You Use to Substitute for Eggs in a Brownie Recipe?