No Bake Rhubarb Cheesecake

For the ultimate taste of summer, you can't get better than a rhubarb cheesecake. Fresh, sweet, tangy, indulgent and with hardly any prep time, this no bake rhubarb cheesecake will quickly become your favourite summer dessert.

So, if you want to serve up a slice of summer, look no further. This easy no-bake cheesecake recipe is all you need.

No bake rhubarb cheesecake

If you want to make a simple yet incredible tasting dessert, a no bake rhubarb cheesecake is the way to go. Rhubarb is very underrated and it goes particularly well when paired with cream cheese and a buttery biscuit base.

Although you won't need to bake the cheesecake, you'll need to bake the rhubarb itself. This is because, when you bake rhubarb, it becomes sweet and delicious.

With minimal prep time, a simple list of ingredients and zero baking involved, this no-bake cheesecake recipe is an absolute winner. So, don your apron, prepare your tastebuds and read on!

Rhubarb – fruit or veg?

Many people make the mistake of thinking rhubarb is a fruit. In fact, it's technically a vegetable. It's an amazing ingredient in pies, crumbles, jams and jellies, hence the belief that it's a fruit.

Only the stalks of the rhubarb plant are edible – the leaves are poisonous and are removed at the harvesting stage.

A perennial plant, rhubarb grows best in wet, cooler climates – which makes the UK an ideal home!

What does rhubarb taste like?

Raw rhubarb has a crunchy texture with a tart sour taste, a little bit like a granny smith apple.

When you bake rhubarb, however, rhubarb takes on a much sweeter, richer taste. Cooked with a little bit of sugar and something with a little zest, like orange, and it becomes absolutes divine!

Is rhubarb healthy?

Rhubarb is packed full of essential vitamins and minerals. These include vitamin C and K, calcium, potassium and lutein.

It's beneficial to health in a variety of ways, including helping to build a healthy immune system, improving bone strength, helping weight loss and supporting stable blood sugar levels.

Rhubarb was also long been used as a traditional Chinese medicine to help promote stomach and intestinal health.

What is forced rhubarb?

Forcing rhubarb is a process that involves covering the rhubarb to prevent them receiving light. This encourages the plants to grow early, producing rhubarb that is sweeter and more delicately flavoured, with a vibrant pink colouring.

The process of forcing rhubarb has its roots firmly in Yorkshire. In 1877, the world's first forcing sheds were constructed. Heat was produced by burning excess coal from local mines, helping to produce an early yield of rhubarb during a time of year when other fruit was scarce.

So, forcing rhubarb is a process born out of necessity, now used to perfect the taste of this already wonderful ingredient.

Rhubarb that isn't forced is known as maincrop rhubarb. This type normally has thicker stalks that have a deep red colour, although they can sometimes be green.

If you can, get hold of forced rhubarb. It'll take the taste of your cheesecake to another level.

More ravishing rhubarb recipes

Why not buy a whole load of rhubarb and try your hand at these recipes?

• Chicken with rhubarb sauce – a very popular dish in Scandinavian countries like Denmark and Sweden, this hearty meal is incredibly satisfying
• Apple and rhubarb crumble – an absolute classic, this dessert is practically a British institution that you can make and enjoy all year round
• Rhubarb dump cake – brilliantly simple and absolutely scrumptious, this dessert will make an ideal mid afternoon treat on those lazy summer days

What's your favourite rhubarb recipe? Let me know in the comments below!

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