Recipes
No-Bake Quince and Mascarpone Cheesecake
The aromatic, sweet-tart fruit takes center stage in this knockout dinner party dessert.
- Makes
One 9-inch cake
- Time
7 hours
This no-bake cheesecake recipe from Canadian food writer and cooking teacher Camilla Wynne’s cookbook Nature’s Candy brings together a snappy, buttery whole-wheat base with an airy, tangy mascarpone filling and a fragrant, sweet-tart quince topping. The quince is cut so thin that the candied chips are almost transparent, yielding a dessert that’s as mesmerizing to look at as it is satisfying to eat. This recipe also takes well to substitutions: you can use graham or arrowroot crumbs instead of digestives; crabapple or another tart red- or orange-hued jelly in place of quince; labneh instead of mascarpone—the cake will be tarter and a little less rich; and candied apple chips or fresh currants encased in currant jelly in place of quince chips. And if you’re in the mood to simplify, you can skip the quince topping altogether and finish the cake with your favorite compote, jam, or fresh fruit.
Adapted from Nature’s Candy: Timeless and Inventive Recipes for Creating and Baking with Candied Fruit by Camilla Wynne. Copyright © 2024. Available from Appetite by Random House.
Ingredients
For the candied quince chips:
- 1 cup (200 g) sugar
- ½ tsp. citric acid or 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 quince
For the crust:
- 8 Tbsp. (115 g) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing
- 2 cups (230 g) digestive biscuit crumbs
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
For the cheesecake:
- Two 8-oz. packages (500 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (250 g) mascarpone
- One 14-oz. (398-ml) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 sheet (2 g) gelatin, soaked
- ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt
For the topping:
- 1 cup (310 g) quince jelly
- 1 sheet (2 g) gelatin, soaked
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Instructions
Step 1
Make the candied quince chips: To a medium pot over medium-high heat, add the sugar, citric acid, and 1 cup of water and bring to a boil.
Step 2
Meanwhile, using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, vertically slice the quince into 1/16-inch-thick pieces.
Step 3
When the syrup comes to a boil, turn the heat to medium-low and add the quince slices one at a time to avoid sticking, submerging each one. Simmer until pink and slightly softened, 15–25 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside at room temperature for at least 1 hour, or up to 24. The candied quince chips can be used immediately or stored in the syrup in an airtight container for at least 2 weeks in the fridge.
Step 4
Make the crust: Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter. In a medium bowl, stir together the butter, biscuit crumbs, and salt. Press firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Refrigerate until firm, 1–2 hours.
Step 5
Make the cheesecake: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and mascarpone until smooth. Gradually beat in the sweetened condensed milk.
Step 6
To a small microwave-safe bowl, add the lemon juice and microwave until just warm, about 20 seconds. (Alternatively, heat the lemon juice in a small pot over medium.) Dissolve the gelatin in the lemon juice, then beat into the cream cheese mixture. Beat in the vanilla and salt, then pour into the prepared crust, smoothing the top with a small offset spatula. Refrigerate until firm, 2–3 hours.
Step 7
To a microwave-safe bowl, add the quince jelly and microwave in 30-second increments until melted, 60–90 seconds. (Alternatively, melt the quince jelly in a small pot over medium-low heat). Stir in the gelatin. Set aside, stirring once, until no longer hot but still pourable, 4–5 minutes.
Step 8
Meanwhile, arrange the candied quince chips in a decorative pattern on top of the cheesecake. (Reserve extra chips for another use.) Pour the melted jelly, through a strainer if desired, over the top of the cheesecake, then use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread evenly. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
Step 9
Unmold the cake and serve cold. For the cleanest slices, use a hot, dry knife (run the knife under hot water and wipe dry between each cut). The cake will keep, covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Make the candied quince chips: To a medium pot over medium-high heat, add the sugar, citric acid, and 1 cup of water and bring to a boil.
- Meanwhile, using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, vertically slice the quince into 1/16-inch-thick pieces.
- When the syrup comes to a boil, turn the heat to medium-low and add the quince slices one at a time to avoid sticking, submerging each one. Simmer until pink and slightly softened, 15–25 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside at room temperature for at least 1 hour, or up to 24. The candied quince chips can be used immediately or stored in the syrup in an airtight container for at least 2 weeks in the fridge.
- Make the crust: Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter. In a medium bowl, stir together the butter, biscuit crumbs, and salt. Press firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Refrigerate until firm, 1–2 hours.
- Make the cheesecake: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and mascarpone until smooth. Gradually beat in the sweetened condensed milk.
- To a small microwave-safe bowl, add the lemon juice and microwave until just warm, about 20 seconds. (Alternatively, heat the lemon juice in a small pot over medium.) Dissolve the gelatin in the lemon juice, then beat into the cream cheese mixture. Beat in the vanilla and salt, then pour into the prepared crust, smoothing the top with a small offset spatula. Refrigerate until firm, 2–3 hours.
- To a microwave-safe bowl, add the quince jelly and microwave in 30-second increments until melted, 60–90 seconds. (Alternatively, melt the quince jelly in a small pot over medium-low heat). Stir in the gelatin. Set aside, stirring once, until no longer hot but still pourable, 4–5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, arrange the candied quince chips in a decorative pattern on top of the cheesecake. (Reserve extra chips for another use.) Pour the melted jelly, through a strainer if desired, over the top of the cheesecake, then use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread evenly. Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
- Unmold the cake and serve cold. For the cleanest slices, use a hot, dry knife (run the knife under hot water and wipe dry between each cut). The cake will keep, covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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