No Bake Saffron Pistachio Cheesecake

Saffron and pistachios are a great flavour combination. It incorporates so well with almost any dessert, specially ones that are creamy. This no-bake Saffron Pistachio cheesecake is no exception. A very creamy cheesecake filling infused with Saffron that is both decadent and refreshing. A nutritious and crumbly base with pistachios in it and some slices of beautiful green pistachios to decorate and add some crunch to the cheesecake! The best part about this cheesecake recipe is that, it is made all from scratch, without any store bought cream cheese or biscuits.

Let’s see what you will need to make this delicious treat!

The Base

This cheesecake base is gluten-free and is made with Oats, Almonds, Pistachios, Dates and some Ghee. You can use this base for making any other cheesecake or tarts too.

Toasting the oats and nuts is important here because this is a no-bake recipe and the base will not a get a chance to cook otherwise. Toasting everything also brings in a beautiful nutty flavour.

Dates not only sweeten the base but also provide binding as they are naturally slightly sticky when processed. This also reduces the amount of fat needed to hold the base together significantly.

Ghee adds an amazing flavour and richness to the base.

A little bit of salt brings out all the flavours and helps balance the sweetness.

The Filling

The main ingredient in making this cheesecake is a very soft paneer or drained whole milk ricotta cheese. I make paneer at home for making this cheesecake. For this recipe, you will need paneer from approximately half a liter of milk. You can also use store bought malai paneer or any paneer that you prefer the texture of. If you are not sure if your paneer is soft enough or not, just add a tablespoon of warm milk when you process this filling mixture.

Cashews are another important ingredient here. They bring in the creaminess and a richness to the cheesecake filling. And of course their delicious decadent flavour.

Honey is the main sweetener here. Use a mild flavoured honey for better results as it will not interfere with the delicate flavours of Saffron. If you do not want to use honey, there are a few things you can substitute it with. First is using the same quantity of Maple syrup or Agave. The second will be to use some sugar/raw sugar and add some milk to the filling mixture when you process it. You won’t need to make a syrup first. Processing it will be enough. I have included the quantities in the notes below the recipe.

Cocoa Butter is the main ingredient that helps in setting this cheesecake. It does have a slightly chocolatey smell but it is mild enough. You can also use same quantity of white chocolate here or coconut oil. These all will help in setting of this cheesecake without having to use any gelatine.

Saffron of course is the key flavour here. Crushing it in a mortar and pestle helps bring out the maximum colour and flavour. Use just a few pinches of saffron strands. I have come to realise that Saffron that has gone old (from a pack bought let’s say a year ago) will give you less colour. Newer saffron releases more colour and flavour.

A little bit of salt of course balances the flavours.

This velvety cheesecake will go amazingly well with a drizzle of the Golden Sweet Saffron Sauce recipe that I had shared a few weeks ago.

Here are the measurements and the detailed written recipe.

No Bake Saffron Pistachio Cheesecake

Serves: 8 Prep Time: 50 mins

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

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Ingredients

For the base -

1. 75g - Oats
2. 80g - Almonds
3. 15g - Pistachios
4. 75g - Pitted Dates
5. 20g / 2 tbsp - Melted Ghee
6. 1/4 tsp - Salt

For the filling -

1. 210g - Soft Paneer / Drained whole milk ricotta
2. 100g - Cashews
3. 1/2 cup - Water
4. 1/3 cup - Honey or 50g Raw Sugar/Sugar + 1/4 cup Milk
5. 50g - Cocoa Butter or White chocolate or Coconut oil
6. Few pinches Saffron
7. 1/4 tsp - Salt
8. Zest of 2 lemons
9. 10g - Pistachios to garnish

Instructions

For the base -

1. Toast the oats until they turn golden brown and start to smell nutty.
2. Toast the almonds and pistachios lightly. Pistachios can be added raw too.
3. Process all the ingredients in a food processor or mixer jar to form a coarse powder.
4. Take this out in a 7 inch loose bottom or spring form pan.
5. Pressing firmly with your hands or the bottom of a straight walled glass, form an even layer at the base and sides on the pan.
6. Let it refrigerate for a couple of hours.

For the filling -

1. Soak the cashews in warm water for an hour and drain the excess water before using.
2. In a double boiler, melt the cocoa butter/white chocolate/coconut oil and set aside to cool slightly.
3. Take all the ingredients except the melted cocoa butter/white chocolate/coconut oil, in a blender jar and process it nicely for a few minutes until everything turns into a smooth paste.
4. Add the melted cocoa butter/white chocolate/coconut oil and mix it thoroughly so it is evenly combined with our cheesecake filling.
5. Pour it into our chilled cheesecake base and keep it in the refrigerator to set for 8-10 hours (overnight).
6. Take the cheesecake out and garnish with some chopped pistachios and dried rose petals on top.

Notes

1. Oats, almonds and pistachios all take different time to cook so toast them separately, one by one.
2. You can replace ghee with same quantity of melted butter for the base.
3. Instead of honey, you can use same quantity of Maple syrup or Agave.
4. You can also use sugar/raw sugar with some milk in the filling mixture when you process it. The quantities are mentioned above.
5. If you use white chocolate instead of cocoa butter, do not add any other sweetener at first. Taste the batter after it is processed and if needed, add a table spoon of sweetener of your choice and process it one more time.
6. Process everything nicely. It may take some time. Do not add more liquid then whats mentioned in the recipe or it will affect the setting of this cheesecake.
7. Give the processor a break if it starts to heat, process after a few minutes.
8. With a spatula, mix everything once or twice during processing to make sure everything is being processed evenly.
9. Let the cheesecake set overnight. It will get firmer with time.

Did You Make This Recipe?

Have you made this recipe? Tag me on Instagram at @VanillaTrails and use the hashtag #MadeWithVanillaTrails.