No-Bake Lime Cheesecake Cups
Creamy, tangy lime cups set on a buttery digestive biscuit base, no oven needed. A bright, cool dessert that comes together with just a whisk and a fridge.
- Total
- 267 min
- Prep 25 · Cook 2 · Rest 240
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Zesting · Whisking
- Sweet
- No rush
- No cook
Instructions
-
Crush the digestive biscuits to fine crumbs in a food processor, or seal them in a zip-top bag and roll with a rolling pin until no large pieces remain.
~5 min
Crushing to fine crumbs ensures a uniform base that presses together evenly and holds its shape when cut.
-
Melt the butter gently in a bowl set over a larger bowl of hot tap water, stirring until fully liquid. Mix the melted butter and a pinch of salt into the biscuit crumbs until the texture looks like wet sand.
~5 min
Melted butter coats the crumbs so they bind when chilled, while salt balances the sweetness of the dessert.
-
Divide the crumb mixture between 8 glasses, about 2 tbsp each. Press firmly with the back of a spoon into an even layer.
~5 min
-
Zest 2 limes into a mixing bowl, then squeeze all 3 limes to get about 90 ml juice. Add the condensed milk and whisk until smooth.
~5 min
Zesting before juicing prevents losing zest and captures aromatic oils; whisking condensed milk with lime juice thickens it slightly through acid coagulation.
Zest only the green outer layer of the lime, stopping before the white pith, which turns bitter.
Zesting Use a fine grater and apply light pressure, rotating the lime as you go. Stop as soon as you reach the white pith, which is bitter and will ruin the flavor.
-
Pour 300 ml cream into the bowl and whisk steadily for 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture thickens to a soft ribbon that holds its shape on the whisk.
~4 min
Whisking incorporates air into the cream, and the acid from the lime helps stabilize the whipped mixture so it sets without gelatin.
If the cream looks loose after whisking, chill the bowl and whisk for another minute; cold cream whips faster.
Whisking Whisk steadily in a circular motion, lifting the whisk to incorporate air. Watch for soft ribbons that hold their shape; stop before the mixture becomes grainy or overwhipped.
-
Spoon the lime cream over the biscuit bases, dividing it evenly. Tap each glass once on the counter to settle the surface.
~3 min
-
Chill the cups uncovered for 4 hours, until the cream is fully set and cold.
~240 min
Chilling allows the fat in the cream to solidify and the structure to set, giving a sliceable, creamy texture.