No Bake Creamsicle Cheesecake with Almond Cookie Crust

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Despite the fact that it was a meal for one, I made a traditional Easter dinner. I think it did me a bit of good spending time making a potato casserole, a vegetable casserole, baking a ham, and making a wonderful springtime dessert; it took me the better part of the day. It was chilly so I had a fire going, binge-watched one of my favorite “comfort” shows, and really enjoyed myself. I think it helped to pull me out of the funk that I seem to be drifting in and out of with shocking regularity.

I wanted a light, springtime desert, and found it in this one. You have to plan ahead, because it needs to be in the refrigerator 6-8 hours or, preferably, overnight. But it’s well worth the wait. It is so refreshing, seasonal, and satisfying; it’s like eating a cloud. If, like me, you fondly remember the Creamsicles we had back in school, you will love this cheesecake. It is not at all the heavy, dense texture of a traditional cheesecake, but lighter, like chiffon, with the perfect combination of vanilla and orange to satisfy those fond memories.

NO BAKE

Creamsicle Cheesecake 

with Almond Cookie Crust

CRUST:
1 9-oz. pkg. Stella D’oro Almond Delight Cookies
¾ c. granulated sugar
4 T. butter, melted

VANILLA LAYER
2 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature

¾ c. granulated sugar

½ t. clear vanilla flavoring

ORANGE LAYER

1 3.3 oz box orange gelatin
1 c. boiling water*

CREAM MIXTURE
¼ t. vanilla extract
½ c. powdered sugar

1 pt. heavy cream

Put almond cookies in food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add sugar and butter, and pulse to incorporate.

Spray bottom and sides of a 10” springform pan with PAM. Press crust mixture into bottom and slightly up sides. Place in freezer for 1 hour.

Beat cream cheese, sugar, and clear vanilla flavoring until smooth; set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine gelatin and boiling water, whisking to dissolve; set aside to cool. I mean it! Cool! Warm will NOT do.

When gelatin mixture has cooled, beat together heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Add 1/2 of the whipped cream mixture to cooled gelatin, whisking to incorporate; set aside. Fold remainder of whipped cream mixture into cream cheese mixture.

Spread 1/2 cream cheese mixture over crust. Top with 2 cups of orange whipped cream mixture. Repeat once more, so it should be cream cheese mixture, orange mixture, cream cheese mixture, and finally, orange mixture. Got it? Great!

Refrigerate 8 to 10 hours, or overnight before enjoying.

This was so good that I had to hide it from myself. I am NOT kidding! Pathetic, isn’t it?

*When I make this again, I’m going to use ½ c. boiling water, and ½ c. Grand Marnier. Imagine!