On Halloween, frighten your buddies while serving scrumptious brains with this No-Bake Strawberry Brain Cheesecake!
This doesn’t require baking but still looks uncannily authentic. You can make it scarier by adding fruit syrup “blood” on top.
For the graham cracker crust: Pulse the graham crackers, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor until crumbs form. Drizzle in the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand. Move to a bowl, then clean the food processor.
Whisk the gelatin into 1/3 cup warm water and let sit until softened, about 5 minutes.
In the food processor, pulse the cream cheese until it is completely smooth, scraping the sides as necessary. Then include the softened gelatin, granulated sugar, salt, vanilla, and lemon juice. Pulse until completely smooth. With the food processor running, add the heavy cream and enough food coloring to make the batter light pink. Blend until well combined.
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the strawberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer and simmer until the berries are very soft but still maintain their shape. Strain the syrup, transfer the berries to a small bowl, and chill. Return the syrup to the saucepan and continue cooking until thickened, about 10 minutes. Chill the syrup until ready to use.
Coat a plastic 9.75-by-8.5-by-4-inch (7-cup) brain-shaped gelatin mold generously with nonstick cooking spray. Pour half of the cheesecake batter into the mold and swirl it around to coat the entire surface. Freeze for 5 minutes to let the batter thicken. Spread the batter up the sides of the mold to create a 1/2-inch-thick covering using the back of a spoon. To set the batter, freeze it for ten minutes.
Add the strawberries to the center of the mold. Over the strawberries, drizzle 1 tablespoon of the strawberry syrup. Evenly spread the remaining batter over the berries, pressing it into the mold to fill any voids. Top with the graham cracker crumbs, pressing to create a firm crust. Place the cheesecake in the freezer for about two hours, or until the sides are very stiff and nearly frozen. Before serving, transfer to the refrigerator and chill for two hours.
To remove the cheesecake from the mold, carefully place the mold briefly into a bowl of hot water, then run a small offset spatula around the edge of the mold to help release the cheesecake from the sides. Invert onto a plate and poke small holes in the mold with a paring knife to help release the cheesecake from the mold. Pull the mold carefully. Add the remaining strawberry syrup on top of the brain.
Ingredients
Directions
For the graham cracker crust: Pulse the graham crackers, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor until crumbs form. Drizzle in the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand. Move to a bowl, then clean the food processor.
Whisk the gelatin into 1/3 cup warm water and let sit until softened, about 5 minutes.
In the food processor, pulse the cream cheese until it is completely smooth, scraping the sides as necessary. Then include the softened gelatin, granulated sugar, salt, vanilla, and lemon juice. Pulse until completely smooth. With the food processor running, add the heavy cream and enough food coloring to make the batter light pink. Blend until well combined.
In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the strawberries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer and simmer until the berries are very soft but still maintain their shape. Strain the syrup, transfer the berries to a small bowl, and chill. Return the syrup to the saucepan and continue cooking until thickened, about 10 minutes. Chill the syrup until ready to use.
Coat a plastic 9.75-by-8.5-by-4-inch (7-cup) brain-shaped gelatin mold generously with nonstick cooking spray. Pour half of the cheesecake batter into the mold and swirl it around to coat the entire surface. Freeze for 5 minutes to let the batter thicken. Spread the batter up the sides of the mold to create a 1/2-inch-thick covering using the back of a spoon. To set the batter, freeze it for ten minutes.
Add the strawberries to the center of the mold. Over the strawberries, drizzle 1 tablespoon of the strawberry syrup. Evenly spread the remaining batter over the berries, pressing it into the mold to fill any voids. Top with the graham cracker crumbs, pressing to create a firm crust. Place the cheesecake in the freezer for about two hours, or until the sides are very stiff and nearly frozen. Before serving, transfer to the refrigerator and chill for two hours.
To remove the cheesecake from the mold, carefully place the mold briefly into a bowl of hot water, then run a small offset spatula around the edge of the mold to help release the cheesecake from the sides. Invert onto a plate and poke small holes in the mold with a paring knife to help release the cheesecake from the mold. Pull the mold carefully. Add the remaining strawberry syrup on top of the brain.
Notes
Looking for more Halloween recipes? Check this out: The Best Halloween Dessert Recipes
