Paneer and Date No-Bake “Cheesecakes”
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 6 cheesecakes
Description
These mini cheesecake-like treats are eggless, sugar-free, cream-cheese free and don’t require turning on the oven at all.
Ingredients
- Fresh home-made Paneer (Indian cottage cheese) from 1 lt whole milk
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) fresh cream
- 1 1/2 cups pitted dates, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk
- 8 butter cookies (or any kind you have at home)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 packet (approx 1/4 oz) (7 g) gelatin
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) boiling water
Instructions
- Mix the gelatin and water and keep aside till the gelatin has completely dissolved.
- Crush the cookies and combine with melted butter. Press at the bottom of a cheesecake pan or muffin tray, and bake at 400 F for 5-7 minutes, till the biscuits begin to brown. Cool in a refrigerator and keep aside.
- Blend the paneer, cream, maple syrup, dates and milk together till it turns into a thick and smooth mixture (some chunks of dates may remain and that’s perfectly alright!). Stir in the gelatin and mix well. Pour the mixture on top of the cookie crust prepared earlier, and refrigerate for 2-3 hours till set. Serve chilled.
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cheesecake
- Calories: 310
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Frequently Asked Questions
What provides the sweetness if there is no sugar in the filling?
The filling is sweetened entirely by 1½ cups of pitted dates blended directly into the paneer, fresh cream, and milk mixture, along with 1 tsp of maple syrup. The dates give a natural, caramel-like sweetness without any refined sugar.
Why does the cookie crust get baked even though the recipe is described as no-bake?
The filling is no-bake — but I bake the crushed cookie and melted butter crust at 400°F for 5–7 minutes until the biscuits begin to brown and set, giving it the structural firmness to hold the chilled paneer filling.
How do I make the paneer for this recipe?
Use fresh home-made paneer from 1 litre of whole milk. To make it, heat the milk, curdle it with an acid such as lemon juice or vinegar, drain the curds through cheesecloth, and press until firm — a standard Indian cottage cheese method.
