No-Bake Mithai Cheesecake (Eggless, No Gelatin)
Creamy Indian fusion no-bake cheesecake with cardamom, rose, and saffron, a crisp biscuit crust, and layers of shop-bought mithai. No eggs, no gelatin.
Ingredients
Crust
- 250 grams crisp sweet biscuits Marie or digestive style; crushed to fine crumbs
- 1/2 teaspoon ground green cardamom
- 100 grams unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
Saffron bloom
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- generous pinch saffron strands, lightly crushed
Cheesecake filling
- 680 grams full-fat cream cheese about 3 standard US 8-ounce blocks; softened
- 150 grams icing sugar confectioners' sugar; sifted if lumpy
- 1 1/2 teaspoons rose water or to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground green cardamom
- 2 to 3 drops kewra water optional
- 240 milliliters heavy cream about 36% fat; chilled
Mithai layers and garnish (adjust to taste)
- 4 to 6 small gulab jamuns halved, for inside layer
- 1 small motichoor ladoo crumbled, optional inside
- 1 to 2 small jalebi pieces torn, optional inside
- assorted mithai pieces, crushed pistachios, dried rose petals, edible silver leaf (optional) for top decoration
Instructions
Crust
- Stir cardamom into biscuit crumbs. Pour in melted butter and mix until evenly damp like wet sand.
- Press firmly into the base of a 9-inch springform pan, using the flat base of a measuring cup or glass for an even layer. Chill at least 20 minutes while you prepare the filling.
Saffron and cheese base
- Gently warm milk in a small pan or microwave-safe cup. Off heat, add saffron and let steep until deeply golden, 10 to 15 minutes.
- In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese on medium speed until completely smooth, scraping the bowl twice.
- Add icing sugar and beat until fluffy and free of lumps.
- Beat in rose water, cardamom, saffron milk, and kewra if using until evenly tinted and fragrant.
Whip and fold
- In a separate chilled bowl, whip heavy cream to soft peaks; peaks should curl when you lift the beaters.
- Fold whipped cream into the cheese mixture in three additions, using a spatula with slow cutting motions to keep the air. Stop when no streaks remain.
Layer and set
- Pour half the filling over the chilled crust and smooth.
- Arrange halved gulab jamuns cut-side down, then scatter crumbled ladoo and torn jalebi if using.
- Spread remaining filling on top and smooth the surface.
- Decorate the top with reserved mithai, pistachios, rose petals, and silver leaf if desired.
- Cover with a loose tent of foil or a cake dome lid that does not touch the decoration. Refrigerate at least 12 hours, ideally overnight, before releasing the springform and slicing.
Notes
Plan at least 12 hours of unattended chill before slicing; overnight is best for a clean cut.
Softened cream cheese is the difference between silky filling and a lumpy one. Plan ahead.
Do not substitute granulated sugar for icing sugar here; texture and sweetness behave differently.
If transporting, keep the ring on until you arrive, then remove sides just before serving.
Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Best eaten cold; the filling softens as it warms.
For freezing, freeze without delicate top mithai; thaw overnight in the fridge and garnish fresh.
Vegan swap is not one-for-one; plant cream cheese plus chilled solid coconut cream needs its own ratio test.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!