Gluten-free no-bake instant raspberry cheesecakes

These gluten-free no-bake no-chill mini raspberry cheesecakes are the perfect dessert for a dinner party. They don’t take long to make and really look and taste like you’ve spent hours on them when they’re actually very easy to put together.

Mr & Mrs Romance - gf raspberry cheesecakes
I don’t usually ‘do’ dessert. I’m much more a cheese or coffee kinda guy.

Mrs Romance, on the other hand, is mad for sweets. She’ll even skip straight to the back of the menu before she’s even thought about entrées or mains.

So I was feeling under pressure when it was my turn to make the sweet part of dinner. I had no idea what to do.

It was a moment of inspiration that I came up with a plan for instant, individual berry cheesecakes. These babies were an instant hit that have featured at the end of many meals since.

Gluten-free no-bake no-chill mini raspberry cheesecakes

Serves 4 – takes 15mins

Here’s what you need:

  • 3-4 plain gluten-free digestive biscuits
  • 1 small pot of spreadable cream cheese
  • 100ml Chambord raspberry liqueur
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons caster sugar
  • 5 – 6 fresh raspberries per person.
  • Pestle and mortar
  • 4 small ramekins
  • Small frying pan

Here’s what you do:

  1. Smash up the biscuits with the pestle and mortar. Divide them up into the bottom of each ramekin.
  2. Mix a teaspoon or two of the Chambord with the cream cheese, then carefully smooth it over the crushed biscuit with the back of a teaspoon. Leave a couple of mm at the top free.
  3. Put the Chambord and the water into the frying pan then sprinkle the sugar in too.
  4. Heat the mix in the pan until it begins to boil.
  5. Continue to boil the mix until it’s reduced and thick. This should take about 5 minutes or so.
  6. Leave the mix to cool a little while you put the raspberries on the surface of the cheese.
  7. Spoon the mix over the berries until it covers the cream cheese and comes up to the rim on the ramekin.
  8. Serve with a long spoon and a smile!

If you want to keep this alcohol free, you can use cranberry juice instead. And if you don’t need to worry about being gluten free, you can use regular McVittie’s Digestives.

You can also use frozen raspberries or blackberries if fresh ones are out of season. Add them to the syrup mix while it’s still reducing so they defrost properly.

What’s your super-dessert that wins every time? Tell us about it in the comments.

Images by Mr Romance.

17 Comments

  • Reply February 4, 2014

    Georgia

    omg they look so yummy! i want these so badly!

    this is defs going on my list of things to make this weekend 🙂

    • Reply February 4, 2014

      Mr Romance

      They’re really good, Georgia! Give them a go and let us know how you get on! Jx

  • Reply February 4, 2014

    Sonia from Sonia Styling

    Oh. My. YUM! Combining dessert and alcohol is ALWAYS a winner in my books!

    • Reply February 4, 2014

      Mr Romance

      That’s right, Sonia! It’s one of those combinations that should be taught at primary schools… I didn’t really think that through, did I? You know what I mean though. Jx

  • Reply February 4, 2014

    Sara-May

    OMG these look amazing! I am DEFINITELY going to give them a try! Can you have a chat to Pat and see if you can give him some of your culinary mastery?

    • Reply February 4, 2014

      Mr Romance

      Well, we might have to drink a lot of beer first, Sarah-May. It’s just part of the course. But perhaps we could sort something out. At the very least, you need to try these. They’re very tasty! Jx

  • Reply February 4, 2014

    Dad Down Under

    Sounds like a Valentines Day special to me Mr Romance, I’m having it, don’t tell her it’s stolen

  • Reply February 4, 2014

    Nina from Whats for eats

    I am with Mrs Romance – the dessert menu must ALWAYS be perused first! I am going to pin this now so I can try it later

    • Reply February 4, 2014

      Mr Romance

      It makes sense, Nina. I mean, if there’s nothing to entice you at the end of the meal, you might as well eat more for your main or entree… or start planning an exit strategy for gelato somewhere! It’s very logical really. I’d still prefer to eat entree-main-entree to be honest… but then I’m a massive pig! Jx

  • Reply February 4, 2014

    Denise

    These look sensational! I’m not much of a dessert person either, but I think I just changed my mind!

    • Reply February 4, 2014

      Mr Romance

      I know exactly what you mean, Denise – but I could eat a tonne of these! The good thing is they’re not too big and they take hardly no time at all. J

  • Reply February 4, 2014

    Lucy @ Bake Play Smile

    OMG yum! I want this now!!!! How delicious! 🙂

    • Reply February 4, 2014

      Mr Romance

      I know, Lucy! I just checked the Instagram pic I put up of this earlier and was like “hoo! I could do with one of these now actually!” Shame I was in the office. 🙁 Jx

  • Reply February 5, 2014

    Glenda @ Healthy Stories

    Gotta love a quick dessert. I’m a big fan of fruit in dessert, so this gets a tick from me. My really fast way of making dessert is an instant fruit crumble. Put some tinned fruit in a bowl, zap it briefly in the microwave to warm it up, and then top with toasted muesli. Instant dessert and healthy too.

    • Reply February 6, 2014

      Mr Romance

      That’s a great tip, Glenda! Thank you! Mrs Romance just looked at me and told me I’ve got to make more gluten-free granola to put on some of that. I think she might be right!
      J

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