Orange zest makes this cake shine.

If you’ve tried to make cheesecake, you know that the luscious texture of the dessert is nothing short of heavenly. The trouble? Putting one together is a lot of work. That’s why we’re mixing up this no-bake cheesecake from entertaining expert, blogger, and author Eden Passante. We grabbed this recipe from her book Entertaining with Charm, and we’re excited to serve it to a crowd.

“Technically, it’s not ‘no bake’ if you make the graham cracker crust (highly recommended),” she writes, “but you can use a premade crust if you like.” Passante’s graham cracker crust recipe is extra buttery, but if you’re short on time, don’t feel guilty about popping over to the grocery store for the goods.

As Passante comments, “The filling is deliciously creamy and liberally flecked with orange zest” — a full two tablespoons of the stuff is sure to guarantee brightness. Vanilla also adds some warmth, while the mascarpone contributes a fresh, buttery flavor profile. In other words, one bite is a symphony of flavors.

No-Bake Mascarpone Cheesecake Recipe

Serves 10-12

Ingredients

FOR THE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

14 whole sheets (4 crackers each) graham crackers
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt

FOR THE FILLING

½ cup granulated sugar
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons grated orange zest
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups cold heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 tub (8 oz) mascarpone cheese
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions

To make the crust, preheat the oven to 350°F. Break up the graham cracker sheets and drop them into a food processor. Pulse until finely ground (the texture of coarse sand). Measure 2 cups crumbs and transfer them to a bowl. (Any leftover crumbs can be saved for sprinkling over ice cream or pudding.)
Add the melted butter, egg yolk, granulated sugar, and salt to the crumbs and stir with a fork until well mixed and the crumbs are evenly moistened. Pour the crust mixture into a 9- or 10-inch springform pan. Using a flat-bottomed measuring cup, gently press the crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of the pan. The crust will be relatively thick.
Bake the crust until it is set and has taken on a little color, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack while you make the filling.
To make the filling, in a bowl, using a handheld mixer, beat together the granulated sugar and cream cheese on high speed until smooth and light in texture, about 3 minutes. Add the orange zest and salt and beat until incorporated. Set aside.
In a stand mixer, combine the heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar and beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. On low speed, add the mascarpone and vanilla and beat until well mixed. Remove the bowl from the mixer stand and, using a rubber spatula, gently fold the cream cheese mixture into the mascarpone mixture just until thoroughly mixed. The texture will be light and fluffy.
Scoop the filling into the cooled crust, spreading it evenly and smoothing the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to overnight. If the filling has not fully set, place the cheesecake in the freezer for 30 minutes. When ready to serve, unclasp and lift off the pan sides. Garnish the cheesecake and serve.

Eden’s tip: I like to leave the cheesecake on the bottom of the pan and serve it from there. That way, you won’t have to move it around too much.