View Full Version : No Bake Cheesecake questions
Want to make a "special" dessert.
How do you make cheesecake without a mixer? I'm finding it hard to believe that stirring for 3 mins is the same as an electric mixer.
Do you stir with a spoon? Put it in a jar and shake? Nido works ok? How long to let it sit and fully rehydrate? The thought of clumps of dry cheesecake mix is making me gag, just a little.
Any suggestions? Thanks!
Nothing has ever worked for me after several experiments with the Jello pudding and cheesecake products. I end up with a sugary soupy mess. I know many hikers like this product but I have no idea how to prepare it, despite following some instructions I have read online! I now exclusively eat candy bars for dessert. Simple and easy! :)
Rolls Kanardly
06-05-2014, 12:34
Silly person. Mine would be eaten long before the three minutes were up.
On the serious side has anyone ever put your mix in a creek for a while to set up. The water is normally quite a bit colder than the surrounding forest. I am curious if this would help.
Rolls
peakbagger
06-05-2014, 12:59
I used to premix all the powdered ingredients in ziplock bag including powdered milk and dairy creamer, then shake the bag. I tend to put in less liquid than called for. I also have put the bag in a stream and it does sort of set up if its cool out. It really needs a fridge to set up well. It tastes just as good un set. I do find adding coffee creamer creamer in with the powdered milk really helps. It has been awhile but I think I went 2/3rd mile and 1/3 creamer. If you read the instrcutions on instant pudding they comment not to use skim milk and coffee creamer is basically encapsulated palm oil so it supplied the fat.
My standard dessert was a Ziploc bag with 1/2 a box of jello instant pudding, powdered milk and coffee creamer. Just add water, shake well, then bit off the corner of the bag and squeeze it out like a pastry bag into my mouth. If I had a hot campfire, I would burn the bag afterwards otherwise it would go in the trash bag. Big grocery stores stock a lot of flavors.
Nothing has ever worked for me... I end up with a sugary soupy mess. That is my fear. The recipes and photos on the Backpacker Magazine website look too good to be true.
My family does not have much of an appetite on overnight trips. I have this picture of me having to eat the whole mess because I won't be able to figure out how to put it in the bear can and won't be able to force them to eat it. Candy or cookies are sounding good. Easy enough to throw a half eaten candy bar into the bear can.
We'll be sort-of dry camping. I'm guessing the creek/forest might be more mosquito-y. I can imagine sitting a half mile down the trail, in the forest, next to the creek in a head-net, babysitting the cheesecake ziplock. And then them not being hungry. :)
Rocket Jones
06-05-2014, 14:28
I use NIDO full-fat instant milk instead of that nasty Carnation stuff, it works better for instant puddings. Spoon it into cups when it sets a little bit (starting with cool/cold water helps a lot), then crumble in Nilla Wafers or graham crackers, stir a little and top with some jam.
Sometimes for a change I'll bring a rice crispy treat. A tad bulky, but almost weightless.
memphistiger02
06-05-2014, 15:23
I know that the Packit Gourmet ones are good, so there is a way to do it. I dont know how but theirs is good.
Ricky&Jack
06-05-2014, 15:24
can you make instant jello-o on the trail? Or do you still need a creek etc to chill it? (actual jello, not pudding etc)
FarmerChef
06-05-2014, 15:36
Oh boy. I can answer this one!!!!
This dessert is one of our favorites and I've successfully made it every time we've had it on several nights on the trail. Nido is the key here in my opinion. I've made this in summer, fall, spring and winter. If you have access to a nearby spring for water it will be well cold enough to help set the mixture. Here's how I do it:
We use gladware bowls for our camp bowls. I take graham cracker crumbs (from the kit) and sprinkle these in the bottom of 5 bowls. Then I take the cheesecake mix and nido milk and dump it in my pot, adding enough water to equal the milk called for in the recipe. I stir it until it seems well incorporated, using a mini whisk (really tiny) to help break up clumps. Then I pour the still slurry-like mixture into the bowls and let it set up. After 3 or 4 minutes it's thick (no you're not slicing this unless it's winter and cold out) enough to put the cherries, or berries from the kit on top. Mmm good.
I've done this with summer-time warm water and it has still set up. It just goes faster with cold water. Hope that helps.
FarmerChef
06-05-2014, 15:37
can you make instant jello-o on the trail? Or do you still need a creek etc to chill it? (actual jello, not pudding etc)
No. This requires refrigeration for an extended period of time. As in, make it on a cold fall day and let it set up in your ziploc bag overnight. By morning you would have jello. But, it makes a great hot drink if you get tired of tang or cocoa.
I think the solution you are looking for is buying a cheese danish instead.
FarmerChef
06-05-2014, 15:47
I think the solution you are looking for is buying a cheese danish instead.
Also delicious but that cheesecake sure is tasty.
I should also mention that the method I mentioned works for any instant pudding as well, except that it doesn't require assembly. So after it sets up you can eat it straight out of the pot, bowl, cup, whatever.
We use gladware bowls for our camp bowls. We use Cool Whip bowls. I inherited 152 of them from my Grandmother. She lived to be 97. My husband will say things like, "You know what I miss? I miss eating off of plates. With a fork." during longer camping trips.
I believe that I will make up a test batch of Nido milk Cheesecake and see how it goes. Wish me luck. I can bring a whisk, as weight is not an issue this trip.
Thanks all!
illabelle
06-05-2014, 18:38
On our last section hike I had intentions of buying a frozen cheesecake at our resupply point, carrying it a few miles, and eating it for supper. Turned out that the grocery store in that little town didn't have much selection, not even produce, so I couldn't get the cheesecake ... until we got home ... and it was good! But now, I'll have to go find me some Nido!!! Can't say I've seen that in stores around here...
Oh boy. I can answer this one!!!!
This dessert is one of our favorites and I've successfully made it every time we've had it on several nights on the trail. Nido is the key here in my opinion. I've made this in summer, fall, spring and winter. If you have access to a nearby spring for water it will be well cold enough to help set the mixture. Here's how I do it:
We use gladware bowls for our camp bowls. I take graham cracker crumbs (from the kit) and sprinkle these in the bottom of 5 bowls. Then I take the cheesecake mix and nido milk and dump it in my pot, adding enough water to equal the milk called for in the recipe. I stir it until it seems well incorporated, using a mini whisk (really tiny) to help break up clumps. Then I pour the still slurry-like mixture into the bowls and let it set up. After 3 or 4 minutes it's thick (no you're not slicing this unless it's winter and cold out) enough to put the cherries, or berries from the kit on top. Mmm good.
I've done this with summer-time warm water and it has still set up. It just goes faster with cold water. Hope that helps.
Wise Old Owl
06-05-2014, 20:05
Coleman - Dicks Sporting goods - Sport Athority
http://www.coleman.com/product/lemon-blueberry-cheesecake/ENERCCAKE?contextCategory=64666#.U5EFQ_ldUYk
27270
fiddlehead
06-05-2014, 20:53
You just take two sticks and rub them between your palms to create your home-ade blender.
I've even made these at 16,000 feet at Lobuche on the Everest trek in Nepal and used only Yak butter and water as my add-ins.
Everyone! and I mean everyone there, thought it was awesome, including the old, local Yak herder.
(or course, sticks are hard to come by in Lobuche, so I used wooden chopsticks that time)
WingedMonkey
06-05-2014, 22:21
I use a quart/liter size wide mouth Nalgene bottle and shake all instant puddings (be sure to pour it out before it sets up).
Yes, I know Nalgene is considered a dinosaur by many, but some things a Gatorade bottle just don't do.
Dutch1976
06-07-2014, 20:20
After seeing this thread I went to youtube to see the many videos of hikers making this cheesecake...
Nada..
Must not be too easy to make on the fly.
can you make instant jello-o on the trail? Or do you still need a creek etc to chill it? (actual jello, not pudding etc)
No. This requires refrigeration for an extended period of time. As in, make it on a cold fall day and let it set up in your ziploc bag overnight. By morning you would have jello. But, it makes a great hot drink if you get tired of tang or cocoa.
Has anyone ever tried doing Jello with the "Jiggler" recipe? It's (if I remember correctly) 2 1/2 cups liquid with >>4<< packs of Jello mix.
If you make it normally at home and chill it to set, you can then take it out and leave it out and it won't "melt" like regular Jello would.
But, the question is, would it set up without the chilling? Or maybe with just minimal chilling, like the stream idea mentioned above? Maybe something to try sometime - you could try a small batch by using something like 5/8 cup water with 1 packet (that's 2 1/2 divided by 4, if I did it correctly).
Rocket Jones
06-08-2014, 18:58
The only time I take jello mix is late fall when a hot jello drink really goes down nice before bed, especially with a nip of something added.
WingedMonkey
06-09-2014, 10:03
The only time I take jello mix is late fall when a hot jello drink really goes down nice before bed, especially with a nip of something added.
Only time I set Jello was by accident.
After a nice day at NOC, on the climb out it got damn cold with ice on the trees. Sassafras Gap Shelter was getting full (misery likes company, I don't and didn't want to be around shivering hikers). I water up and continued on to tent.
To ward of the cold (maybe hypothermia) I fixed a hot bowl of Jello, fell asleep drinking it.
The next morning my mug was full of set Jello, even though in my tent.
:sun
rocketsocks
06-09-2014, 15:25
Only time I set Jello was by accident.
After a nice day at NOC, on the climb out it got damn cold with ice on the trees. Sassafras Gap Shelter was getting full (misery likes company, I don't and didn't want to be around shivering hikers). I water up and continued on to tent.
To ward of the cold (maybe hypothermia) I fixed a hot bowl of Jello, fell asleep drinking it.
The next morning my mug was full of set Jello, even though in my tent.
:sunwhen you say mug;
...ya mean it set up in your mouth? that sucks!