Mixed Review: Jell-O No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake
Is it possible, I mean really possible, to make a cheesecake in just 15 minutes of active prep time? How about one with a graham cracker crust and a strawberry glaze? That's what the Jell-O No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Mix promises, right there on the front of the box. I took it on, like a Top Chef Quick Fire Challenge, for this week's Mixed Review.
7:20pm: I open the box. There are three pouches inside, one filled with graham cracker crumbs, one filled with a mysterious cheesecake powder, and one filled with the strawberry topping. A quick glance at the instructions reveals that the first step is to mix the graham cracker crumbs with 2 tablespoons of sugar and 5 tablespoons of melted butter, and press it into a pie plate. Shoot. I didn't pre-melt my butter. Should I take a time-out or just keep going? I decide that most home cooks don't assemble their ingredients mis en place-style, so I hurl the butter into a saucepan on the stove and let the clock run.
7:25pm: The crust is done. It looks pretty good, though it's a little thin around the edges. I would have liked a few extra tablespoons of crumbs. I lick the spoon I used to press the mixture into the pie plate. Yum. Is there anything better than the flavor of melted butter, graham crackers, and sugar? It tastes like childhood.
7:27pm: On to the cheesecake filling. I dump the contents of the second packet into a large mixing bowl and add 1 1/2 cups of milk. I take out the base of my handheld electric mixer, set it on the counter, and start rummaging though a drawer for the beaters. I find one quickly, but the other seems to have disappeared. Where is it? I only have 8 minutes left! Wait...wait...there it is, under the package of wooden grilling skewers I bought for last week's shrimp kebobs.
7:29pm: I beat the cheesecake mix and the milk on low for 30 seconds, then increase the speed to high, as the Jell-O package instructs. Three minutes later the mixture has thickened to the consistency of mayonnaise—it's gooey, creamy, and wobbles a bit when I shake the bowl.
7:33pm: I pour the filling into the graham cracker crust and smooth it to the edges. Somehow, it looks less like a cheesecake than a blanco version of the chocolate pudding pie my mom used to make on special occasions. But no matter, I finished with two minutes left, which will be just enough time to top the cheesecake with the strawberry glaze once it chills for an hour.
8:33pm: The cheesecake has set up nicely. The filling has firmed a bit, and it looks like I'll be able to cut clean slices. I tear open the last pouch and squeeze its Technicolor contents over the top of my dessert, spreading it with a butter knife. I can’t help but notice—before I've even tasted it—that the strawberry topping doesn't really have that many pieces of actual strawberry in it. It's more like a viscous, clear pink goo. Hmm.
8:35pm: Done! My cheesecake is finished in exactly 15 minutes of active prep time. Now for the taste test: I cut myself a wedge, noting with satisfaction that the crust, filling, and topping all hold together, making for a nice presentation. (Nobody likes a cheesecake that's more like a pudding with a pile of crust from the bottom of the pan heaped next to it.)
The crust, in fact, proved to be the best part of the Jell-O No Bake Cheesecake. Crispy and light, it had just the right amount of sweetness and not so much butter that it turned greasy. The cheesecake filling, too, was mostly a success: airy and creamy, and lightly flavored with vanilla. I would have liked more cream cheese flavor and perhaps a bit more density (I’m a fan of the New York style cheesecake), but on the whole I found it pleasantly palatable. Unfortunately, the strawberry topping was less of a triumph. It tasted artificial and cloying, and it completely overwhelmed the other flavors.
Ultimately, I would recommend the Jell-O No Bake Cheesecake, but not the strawberry variety. Stick to the original, and if you want to add fruit, spoon some of your favorite jam on top.
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16 Comments:
how long would it take without the electric mixer?
attgig at 11:05AM on 06/26/09
Thanks for the review- I always wondering about these no-bake cheesecakes, but never actually bought one to try.
I enjoyed the timestamps- made for a more suspenseful reading, haha :-)
Cupcake819 at 11:16AM on 06/26/09
i've had that before & i agree that the strawberry topping should be left off. the rest of it isn't half bad in a superpinch. then again, i also have the childhood memories stirred up with the graham craker crust-maybe that's apart of it?
gastronomeg at 11:23AM on 06/26/09
I would have microwaved the butter. About 30 seconds'll do ya.
papagena665 at 12:17PM on 06/26/09
Sadly this is what I thought cheesecake was suppose to be for the longest time and I loved it. When i first had a piece of NY Style cheesecake I was so confused why it appeared to have been baked. Thankfully later in my life (around 15 or 16) I discovered real cheesecake and how to make it and love it. Though I can not lie sometimes on a hot summer day a Jell-o no bake cheesecake really hits the spot. Which is sort of sad. Good review though.
mttkauffman at 1:13PM on 06/26/09
Yummy! I can't wait to try this. Thanks for the review! Now how about reviewing some of those other jello pie recipes..? Pretty please!
aprilring at 2:56PM on 06/26/09
I'm not going to lie, the Oreo No Bake Cheesecake is pretty darn tasty. I make them as cupcakes and they're a nice little treat. But not terribly cheesecake-y.
And that strawberry goop? Heinous.
starsinjenseyes at 4:21PM on 06/26/09
I'm afraid I'm in a bad mood with processed food at the moment, so please excuse me, but I'm a bit confused why you wouldnt just whizz up some graham crackers, mix with melted butter, then top with cream cheese that has been mixed with heavy cream, vanilla and some sugar?
jennywenny at 5:54PM on 06/26/09
I second @jennywenny 's motion. Processed food? Blech.
downhillguru at 7:17PM on 06/26/09
@jennywenny - she wouldn't just whizz up a homemade version because the purpose of this feature is to review boxed mixes. of course, there are always wonderful and easy homemade versions. but lets just have fun and let these reviews just be what they are.
_greenbean at 7:22PM on 06/26/09
Seriously, @_greenbean, thank you. Why does this happen every time on this column? Is "this is a review of a mix" a particularly complicated concept? Every single time!
justjoan at 8:15PM on 06/26/09
@greenbean and @justjoan - I agree with you both. Comments about the value of homemade food or the "lazyness" of using boxed mixes (which have appeared in the past) are not relevant to these posts. Of course homemade versions can be easy and delicious! But the feature isn't about homemade food, or even homemade vs. boxed mixes. She's just reviewing boxed mixes. Let the reviews just be what they are.
On another note: I love reading these reviews every week. They're one of my favorite SE features. I probably will never purchase or use any of these mixes, but I find them enjoyable to read about. Keep up the good work!
cickert at 8:43PM on 06/26/09
After reading all the comments about Sandra Lee from the Food Nazies in the 'Dear Food Network' spot, the last thing I would expect to see on this site, is a review of no bake cheesecake. Just so happens, my wife made me a homemade one last night, and it's so damn tasty. Yum.
Still, I've had these no bake versions, and they aren't that bad at all. Good review.
Raiders757 at 4:10PM on 06/27/09
I must say, this is one of the few "dish in a box" things that I love. So sweet, so tasty, so Midwestern. This and Hamburger Helper beef stroganoff might make the most perfect boxed meal.
hellojodi at 8:34PM on 06/27/09
The cheesecake itself is decent, but I've never been a fan of that topping. I do like their peanut butter and chocolate no bake dessert.
jboylan at 8:45PM on 06/27/09
I love this feature. I hardly ever use mixes, but I always wonder about them and this totally satisfies my curiosity.
I'd love to see some reviews of falafel mix or those various boxed potato dishes. The former I'd actually buy if it was good; the latter just fascinate me.
piccola at 8:53PM on 06/28/09