Icebox Oreo Cheesecake
By America's Test KitchenPublished on July 30, 2013
Time
40 minutes, plus 8 hours setting
Yield
Serves 12
Ingredients
Oreo Cookie Crust
30 Oreo cookies, broken into rough pieces7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softenedCheesecake Filling
1 cup whole milk 4 large egg yolks ¼ cup (1¼ ounces/35 grams) all-purpose flour 8 ounces (227 grams) white chocolate, chopped (see note)2 pounds (907 grams) cream cheese, cut into 1-inch chunks and softened⅓ cup (1⅓ ounces/38 grams) confectioners' sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ⅛ teaspoon salt 12 Oreo cookies, broken into rough piecesBefore You Begin
You can substitute 1 1/3 cups of white chips for the 8 ounces of chopped white chocolate.
Instructions
- For the Oreo cookie crust: Process cookies and butter in food processor until finely ground. Following photos below, press cookie mixture evenly into bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
- For the cheesecake filling: Heat 3/4 cup milk in medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Meanwhile, whisk yolks, flour, and remaining milk in large bowl until smooth. Slowly whisk hot milk into yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until very thick and glossy, 1 to 2 minutes. Off heat, whisk in white chocolate until melted. Transfer pudding to bowl, press plastic wrap directly on surface, and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
- With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and mix in chilled pudding until just combined, about 30 seconds. Pour one-quarter of cream cheese mixture evenly into prepared pan and sprinkle one-third of cookies over surface. Repeat process twice, then top with remaining filling. Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours. Remove sides of pan. Serve. (Cheesecake can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
Time
40 minutes, plus 8 hours settingYield
Serves 12Ingredients
Oreo Cookie Crust
Cheesecake Filling
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Oreo Cookie Crust
Cheesecake Filling
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Oreo Cookie Crust
Cheesecake Filling
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Gelatin-based cheesecakes recipes are easy to prepare (there’s no hot oven and no messy water bath), but their texture is never quite as creamy as that of an egg-thickened baked cheesecake. We set out to make an icebox Oreo cheesecake recipe that would rival the best baked cheesecake for flavor and texture. The Oreo cookie crust couldn’t be easier: We ground cookies in the food processor with butter to make an easy press-in, no-bake crust. For a uniformly thick crust, we used our hands to press half the cookie crumbs into an even layer on the bottom and sides of a springform pan. After countless tests, we determined that cakes made with gelatin were never going to have the dense, velvety texture that comes from the eggs in baked versions, so we came up with a cooked eggy pudding mixture of yolks, milk, flour, sweetened cream cheese, and, surprisingly, white chocolate. White chocolate dramatically tightened the texture of our Icebox Oreo Cheesecake while adding sweetness.
Before You Begin
You can substitute 1 1/3 cups of white chips for the 8 ounces of chopped white chocolate.
Instructions
- For the Oreo cookie crust: Process cookies and butter in food processor until finely ground. Following photos below, press cookie mixture evenly into bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate until set, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
- For the cheesecake filling: Heat 3/4 cup milk in medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Meanwhile, whisk yolks, flour, and remaining milk in large bowl until smooth. Slowly whisk hot milk into yolk mixture. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until very thick and glossy, 1 to 2 minutes. Off heat, whisk in white chocolate until melted. Transfer pudding to bowl, press plastic wrap directly on surface, and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
- With electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low and mix in chilled pudding until just combined, about 30 seconds. Pour one-quarter of cream cheese mixture evenly into prepared pan and sprinkle one-third of cookies over surface. Repeat process twice, then top with remaining filling. Refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours. Remove sides of pan. Serve. (Cheesecake can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
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