# why does a no bake cheesecake not set



## jazz1234

I'm trying to create a cheesecake to add to the dessert menu at work. It's a chocolate no bake cheesecake, im trying lots of diffrent techniques, at the moment I've been making a gannash, letting that cool and adding it to room temperature mascarpone that has sugar. I've also tried using icing sugar to thicken it but i think it makes it a weird sweet flavour and is very overpowering for the consistency I need. Has anyone got any ideas, it half sets so that after about 5 mins it looses.it's shape.


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## ed buchanan

Try adding gelatin, pectin or a form of modified food starch. icing or 10x sugar hs a distinct flavor that in my opinion is terrible and it wont thicken because the starch added to it is not cooked.


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## flipflopgirl

Search key words(cheesecake no bake chocolate) here on CT.

Almost certain there was a recent thread.

If that is a bust go to Pinterest and try these search words (cheesecake no bake chocolate).

Definitely saw a pix there yesterday.

mimi


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## kuan

Why don't you do what all the no technique fake pastry chefs do?  "Deconstruct" it and put it in a cup?


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## kuan

So seriously, that mascarpone is likely breaking when you mix it in with the ganache.  You might not realize it because the ganache is keeping everything together.  Room temperature ganache is pretty tight so I'm assuming you're using the beater?  Try adding stabilizer twice.  Once when you are mixing the mascarpone with the sugar, next when you're mixing the mascarpone with the ganache.


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## soesje

when you need to "set" things, don't use icing sugar……you need gelatin or the like if you want to be able to make neat slices.

there are plenty recipes out there which are no bake cheesecake (in this area of europe its called quark something like drained fermented fresh cheese, dunno if it exists in USA)

it's the chocolate making it difficult so I'd surely play around with the recipe.


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## ljokjel

Do you mind writing the recipie with amounts? What does it contain? Cream, sugar, mascarpone and chocolate (%?). Anything else? Does it have enough fat, or should you have less liquid? Add gelatin?
I'm suspecting the emulsion. Why cool the ganach? Why not heating cream and suger, adding it to the cheese and in the end adding chocolate (melted)? In theory it should set when it cools off. At least the fat of the chocolate.
In the end, I think the key to this is in the temperatures and mixing cheese and chocolate. If the suggested way doesn't work, you will simply have to tweak the recipy by having more of the right kind if fat compared to liquid, or adding gelatin or other gelling agent.


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## laurenlulu

Whip cream cheese and extra fine sugar til fluffy (Mascarpone breaks when overmixed plus it's more costly), add melted chocolate and a little espresso powder if desired (enhances the chocolate flavor), whip longer then fold in Bettercreme/On Top or a stabilized whipped cream. Voila


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## jadepearl

I too had some trouble with NB cheesecake and have posted here before. I finally managed to make it set quite firmly with agar-agar since gelatin was a no-no in my workplace.  Hope this helps


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