This whipped coffee cheesecake is no-bake, making it a perfect summer dessert. A layer of mildly-flavored coffee cheesecake is topped with a more intense whipped coffee layer, and the whole rests on a chocolate cookie crust. An easy cheesecake recipe that's not too sweet and the perfect grown-up cheesecake treat!
NOTE: Do not add salt to the whipped coffee layer--it will make your coffee foam break down
Instructions
For the Crust
Line a 9" square baking pan with 2 criss-crossing strips of parchment or non-stick foil cut to just fit in the bottom of the pan. Make sure the ends extend up and over the sides of the pan. This will help you remove the bars from the pan for easy cutting and serving.
In your food processor, pulse cookies to a fine crumb. Alternatively, you can place the cookies in a heavy-duty zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin into a fine crumb.
Pulse in the butter--no need to melt it-- the instant coffee, and the salt until evenly combined.
Press into a uniform, tightly compacted layer in the bottom of your prepared pan.
Bake at 350F for 12 minutes. Set aside to cool.
NOTE: You don't necessarily have to bake your crumb crust. You can also set the pan in the freezer to set up while you make the filling. I prefer the texture of a baked crust, so I just went with it.
For the Cream Cheese Layer
In the bowl of your stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, Greek yogurt or sour cream, vanilla, and salt until completely smooth and creamy.
Dissolve the instant coffee in 1 Tablespoon of heavy cream. Heat for a few seconds in the microwave and stir, making sure the coffee has dissolved completely before adding to the cream cheese mixture.
Scrape the bowl well, and continue beating until very smooth and uniform in color.
Scrape this mixture into another large bowl.
Whip the remaining 1 cup of cream and the 2 Tablespoons of granulated sugar together until you reach medium-stiff peaks. (Peaks will just bend over a bit when you raise up the beater and turn it sideways.) No need to wash the mixing bowl before doing this.
Scrape the sweetened whipped cream into the bowl with the coffee mixture.
Gently but thoroughly fold the two together until the mixture is uniform in color.
Scrape the filling on top of your crumb crust in your prepared pan. Spread out into all four corners, making sure the layer is as even as you can make it.
Cover with foil or plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
For the Whipped Coffee Layer
Use a coffee frother or a hand mixer to whip the instant coffee, sugar, and hot water together until very thick and light, and at least quadrupled in volume. Set aside.
Whip the cream and sugar together until you reach medium peaks. NOTE: Do NOT add salt to the whipped coffee layer. Salt will break down the rich coffee foam.
Scrape the whipped coffee into the cream and whisk until you reach stiff peaks.
Use an offset spatula to spread the whipped coffee layer onto the cream cheese layer.