A Fluffy Christmas Cheesecake Slab with a Spiced Crust

A Fluffy Christmas Cheesecake Slab with a Spiced Crust feeds a crowd of 18 to 24 people with no baking required. A small amount of powdered gelatin gives the heavy cream and block cream cheese enough structure to slice cleanly after a 12-hour chill in the refrigerator.

The Cookie Crust

A heavy layer of butter on the 9 x 13" (23 x 33 cm) pan creates a glue that makes removing the chilled cheesecake difficult. A light coating and a parchment paper sling with long overhangs will let you lift the dessert out intact later.

You can rest a stuck pan on a hot, wet towel for a minute to soften the butter if you have trouble pulling the paper later. The Cookie Crust needs plain sweet cookies like Biscoff, graham crackers, or digestive biscuits. Avoid chocolate-coated or cream-filled cookies because they stop the crust from setting.

Break the cookies into smaller chunks and run them through a blender or chopper until they become a fine dust. Mix in the melted butter, brown sugar, pinch of salt, and cinnamon powder.

You can add extra melted butter if a drier substitute cookie refuses to clump together when you pinch it. Press the damp crumbs firmly into the bottom of the lined pan and place it in the refrigerator.

The Gelatin Mixture

The Gelatin Mixture sets the raw filling. You need to bloom the powder first by sprinkling it evenly over cold tap water in a small bowl. Do not drop the powder in a single spot. Let the bowl sit for three minutes until the liquid turns tough and bouncy.

Microwave the bowl on high for 15 seconds to melt the gelatin into a usable liquid. Do not let the mixture boil. A rolling boil destroys the setting capabilities. Let the bowl cool on the counter for five minutes. Hot liquid will melt the cream cheese if you add it too soon.

A solid skin might form on the liquid as it sits. Warm the bowl gently for five seconds to melt it. An unmelted skin creates rubbery lumps in the finished dessert.

The Cheesecake Filling

Whip the heavy cream first. The cream must be full-fat and straight from the refrigerator. Beat it on high for up to three minutes until it forms firm peaks.

Block cream cheese provides a firmer set than spreadable tub cream cheese. You can use tub cream cheese if you increase the gelatin to four teaspoons. Soften the blocks at room temperature for at least an hour to get a smooth texture. Beat the soft cream cheese with the caster sugar. Caster sugar dissolves easily in cold mixtures. You can substitute regular granulated sugar if you beat the bowl longer until no grit remains.

Pour the cooled liquid gelatin, salt, lemon juice, and vanilla extract into the sweetened cream cheese. Using real vanilla extract provides a much better taste than artificial essence for an uncooked dessert like this one. You can completely leave out the lemon juice if you prefer, and the filling will still hold its shape perfectly. Run the mixer on high speed for exactly 10 seconds to blend the liquids. Stop the machine right away. Overworking the cream cheese once the gelatin goes in will whip up massive, unsightly pockets of air.

Fold one quarter of the whipped cream into the heavy base with a spatula. This first step lightens the cream cheese so the remaining cream stays fluffy.

Fold the rest of the cream in gently until no streaks remain. Rough strokes knock out the trapped air and leave you with a dense cake. Pour the Cheesecake Filling over the chilled crust and level the top.

Place the pan into the refrigerator so the dessert can chill. The gelatin needs twelve hours or more to fully set the center. Once the slab is entirely firm, grab the excess parchment paper and pull the whole cheesecake free from the dish.

Decoration & Serving

Whip the remaining heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla to gentle peaks for the Whipped Cream Topping. Spread the soft cream over the chilled dessert in large swoops.

Arrange the Fruit & Herb Garnishes across the top.

Tuck fresh orange half-moons and rosemary sprigs between the strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and cherries.

Dust the top with confectionary sugar.

Cut the slab into rectangular slices. Serve the cheesecake cool or cold directly from the refrigerator.

You can store the assembled dessert in the refrigerator for up to seven days. The Cookie Crust stays at its crunchiest from the 12-hour mark up to 36 hours. Keep in mind that a standard Whipped Cream Topping loses its shape and turns watery after approximately three hours in the fridge. Avoid putting this slab in the freezer. Thawing ruins the texture and leaves the filling entirely sloppy.