Gretchen's table: Patriotic no-bake cheesecake with pretzel crust
Published in Entertaining
Everyone expects to see red, white and blue at a Fourth of July celebration. This creamy dessert takes that patriotic color scheme to heart by combining a no-fuss cheesecake with the fruits of the season — strawberries and blueberries.
I'm a reluctant baker, especially in summer because my kitchen is not air-conditioned. So I love this mix-and-refrigerate recipe. And talk about simple: The filling has only cream cheese, ricotta and sugar.
Being a Pittsburgher, I know some guests might be disappointed if a summer party doesn't include our iconic strawberry pretzel salad for dessert. So I'm throwing them a salty-sweet bone with a crust made with Rold Gold thin pretzels instead of graham crackers.
I lined the springform pan with parchment to give me a little extra help getting the cheesecake out of the pan intact. If you don't have a stand mixer, use a hand mixer to beat the filling. Be sure to refrigerate it before serving for at least six hours or you could end up serving it in a bowl, with a spoon. (Trust me!)
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PATRIOTIC NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE WITH PRETZEL CRUST
PG tested
For crust
1 1/2 cups pretzel finely ground pretzel crumbs
1/4 cup white sugar
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