07/13/2024
๐ Fruit Salad Cheesecake ๐
๐ฝ๏ธ Dive into the delightful fusion of creamy cheesecake and vibrant fruit with our Fruit Salad Cheesecake! A vanilla wafer crust provides the perfect base for a luscious filling bursting with crushed pineapple, grapes, mandarin oranges, maraschino cherries, and pecans, all bound together in a heavenly cream cheese mixture. Topped with whipped topping for an extra layer of indulgence, this cheesecake is a true celebration of summer flavors.
Ingredients:
For the Crust:
1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs ๐ช
2 tablespoons butter, melted ๐ง
For the Filling:
1 (20 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained ๐
3/4 cup granulated sugar ๐
1/2 cup cold water ๐ง
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin ๐ฎ
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, cubed ๐ง
1 1/2 cups halved seedless grapes ๐
1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained and cut in half ๐
1 (10 oz.) jar maraschino cherries, drained and roughly chopped ๐
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans ๐ฐ
2 cups whipped topping (such as Cool Whip) ๐ฅง
Instructions:
Prepare the Crust:
1๏ธโฃ In a small bowl, mix vanilla wafer crumbs with melted butter until well combined.
2๏ธโฃ Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Make the Filling:
3๏ธโฃ In a small saucepan, cook the crushed pineapple with sugar over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until heated through.
4๏ธโฃ In a separate small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water; let stand for 1 minute to soften. Stir the gelatin mixture into the warm pineapple mixture until dissolved.
5๏ธโฃ Reduce heat to low and add the cubed cream cheese. Stir continuously until the cream cheese is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.
6๏ธโฃ Remove from heat and let the mixture cool completely.
7๏ธโฃ Once cooled, stir in the grapes, mandarin oranges, cherries, and pecans. Gently fold in the whipped topping until everything is well combined.
Assemble the Cheesecake:
8๏ธโฃ Pour the fruit and cream cheese mixture into the prepared crust.
9๏ธโฃ Smooth the top with a spatula to ensure an even layer.
Chill:
๐ Cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, or at least for 6 hours, to allow it to set.
Serve:
1๏ธโฃ1๏ธโฃ Once set, remove the cheesecake from the springform pan.
1๏ธโฃ2๏ธโฃ Slice and serve chilled, garnished with additional fresh fruit or a sprinkle of crushed vanilla wafers if desired.