No Bake Individual Mango Cheesecake

My baby just turned three and this year we, or rather I, decided to have a small party on this occasion. She was super excited about the event and I was all geared up to make her day special. The food was catered in but I kept the desert and cake for myself as I really wanted to do something of my own for her special day. As a kid, I remember Mom making everything on her own for all my birthdays and though it wasn't too convenient for me to make all the food for 30 odd people, I thought making the desert should not be a big task as such. My baby loves mangoes and the choice of desert was but obvious!! A delicious smooth and creamy No Bake Mango Cheesecake. This happened to be the star of the party and not only did everyone enjoy it, they even carried the extras home to relish later. What better way to de-stress yourself than seeing your guests enjoy your creation!! An effort well paid off indeed!! 

 

Ingredients (Makes 16-17)

250 gms cream cracker biscuits (preferably the low salt ones)

100 gms butter melted (I like a little salted biscuit base but you can go for unsalted butter as well)

340 gms cream cheese (room temperature)

250 ml whipping cream (chilled)

1 1/2 cup mango pulp (I used sweetened canned Alphonso Mango pulp)

10 gms (or 1 tbsp) gelatin (unflavored)

1/2 cup hot water

2 tbsp icing sugar

1/3 cup fine grain sugar (or castor sugar)

Fresh mango chopped into cubes for garnishing (optional)

For the glaze

1 cup sweetened mango pulp

10 gms (1 tbsp) unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup hot water

Direction

Start by preparing the base. Keep your individual pudding bowls clean and ready.  Take the crackers in a food processor and make a fine crumb. Melt the butter, either on stove top or in the microwave, and let it come to room temperature. Now in a bowl, mix the finely crumbled biscuits and the butter till the mixture just comes together. Take a prepared pudding bowl and put two spoonfull of the mixture and gently press it down with the back of the spoon into a uniform layer. 

Repeat for the rest of the mixture and pudding bowls and then keep in the refrigerator for chilling while you prepare the next layer. 

In a bowl, take the whipped cream and 2 tbsp icing sugar and whip till soft peaks form. Using an electric beater is quite helpful here. 

Now dissolve the gelatin in the hot water and mix well till the water becomes transparent. 

Let the gelatin mixture cool down a bit while stirring frequently to prevent it from setting and then add it to the mango pulp. Mix well. 

Now using the same paddle attachment which you used for whipping the cream, if using an electric beater, whip the cream cheese and sugar till smooth and creamy. Add the mango pulp and whip further. We are not looking for any soft or stiff peaks but a light and creamy mixture. Once the mixture is smooth and silky, add it to the whipped cream and mix gently till well incorporated. Take care not to overmix. The mixture will then loose its lightness. Taste for sweetness and add some castor or icing sugar (do not add fine grain at this point) if required. Remember that the sweetness will increase a bit more when chilled and there is a third layer of mango glaze coming up on top. So add accordingly. This is how your mixture should look. 

Now take the chilled pudding bowls out from the fridge. The biscuit layer must have set by now. Take 3 large spoonfuls of the cream mixture and gently pour it on top of the biscuit layer. Wipe off any drops or cream that may have got smeared on the sides of the bowls. 

Now cover the bowls either with a lid or a clingwrap and keep it in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours or until set. This is the most important step as without a set cream layer we cannot add the mango glaze. 

When you see the cream layer has well set, start preparing the glaze. 

Dissolve the gelatin in hot water and mix thoroughly till you get a clear transparent liquid like before. Keep stirring to bring it to room temperature or just warm. Add it to the mango pulp and stir. Check for sweetness. I did not add any sugar at this point but you can add if you want. Take care to add only castor or icing sugar, if adding at all. Now take the set pudding bowls out one by one and pour 1 big spoonful of the glaze on top or until just covered. Cover again and let it set in the fridge for another 2-3 hours. 

As a final step, chop some fresh mangoes and add a few pieces on top of each pudding and keep covered and chilled in the refrigerator. 

Take the bowls out of the refrigerator just half hour before serving so that the biscuit softens a bit. 

Now sit back and enjoy this delicious desert and be prepared to be showered with words of high appreciation!!