Every time I make dessert, I have the annoying habit of declaring that it’s The most amazing dessert I have EVER made. But I’m here to tell you that these no-bake lime slices of cardamom now hold the title. I think it might still be early for no baking dessert — here, in Chicago, a few weeks ago, I still found myself carrying a sweater with me at some point. But temperatures have hit 80 degrees (a sure sign of summer’s arrival) and myself now cooled by the Midwest, anticipating a really hot day when my oven will officially close. to do business.
And while I self-identify as a lover of delicious cakes and cookie, there’s something inherently magical about desserts that don’t require active baking time. When simple ingredients are mixed together and turned into something completely different, its effects are nothing short of magical. All it takes is using a few key ingredients to bring this incredibly bright and flavorful dessert to life. It’s time to say hello to summer sweets!
Follow these tips to perfect this no-bake cardamom lemon slice recipe
How to Make Cheese Cake No Bake
I have experimented with a variety of non-baked fillings for years and have finally found a winning recipe. The problem I have with most no-bake desserts like this is that the ingredient list almost always includes some kind of condensed milk or pudding. Absolutely fine, but I never have condensed milk or pudding on hand. But instead of those ingredients, I do there’s always white chocolate in the pantry. (I’m okay if it makes me weird.)
In this no-bake lemon zest recipe, the white chocolate keeps everything together, giving the filling a bit of a body. Instead of a soft mousse-like filling, it gives your bars a sliceable texture. Plus, the white chocolate acts as a sweetener, with the flavor adding to the other prominent stars of the recipe.
To make sure your filling stays light and fluffy, fold gently in the whipped cream (as you do in the cheesecake recipe), keeping these slices from getting too thick.
Why Cardamom is the Ultimate Upgrade Spice
I’ve made it my personal mission to make sure everyone knows the beauty of a really good cardamom. While I’ll be giving you all of my emotional love letters to cardamom (for now at least), I’ll tell you why it really needed these slices on top.
Essentially, lemon provides brightness and acidity which is basically great for summer. But it needs a tastebuds to round things up. In the context of awards season (because that’s always top of mind), ideally this is an element that can play best supporting actor while being nominated for their stand-alone work — minus the confirmation from the main character.
I lost you? Do not worry. Basically, cardamom itself is good. But cardamom with a friend = greatness.
Warm, floral and maybe even a little minty if you know what you’re looking for. It’s a small boost, I think — you might not enjoy it right away in a pie or a bottle. But if cardamom is missing, you’ll definitely notice. In this recipe, cardamom adds a warm floral note that perfectly complements the zingy lemon. Plus, it’s the perfect contrast to the buttermilk.
And yes, feel free to grind your own cardamom from fresh, whole cloves. Sure, you can buy pre-ground cardamom from the spice aisle, but buying whole sprigs of green cardamom and crushing them yourself is really the best way to experience its sweet-spicy delights. . I always hoard my favorite cardamombut you can also find cloves at your local Indian grocery store.
Three ingredients give you a star shell
When it comes to cookie shells, my philosophy has always been: the thicker the better. Have I tried the 1:1 ratio of the filling to the crust? Sure. But I know it’s not everyone’s first choice.
Originally, I wanted to mix lemon biscuits in my food processor to double the lemon flavor. Sadly, groceries are out (supply chain, sigh). So, I opted for the humble graham cracker instead. Honestly, it’s not a bad consolation prize. To make a no-bake pie crust, all you need is a preheated cracker, some melted butter or coconut oil, and salt. However, I would be wrong on the cautious side when it comes to going too sweet. Finally, the graham crackers are a perfect base for the lemon filling. Oh, and adding salt is a must, as it helps balance out the entire bite.
To make cookie crumbs, take the cookie of your choice (i.e. one or two tubes of graham cracker) and bake in a food processor until crumbly. You can also add cookies to a Ziploc and smash them with a rolling pin. However, I prefer the more consistent texture you get from a food blender.
To bind, add butter or oil to the crumbs a tablespoon or two at a time until combined. You’ll know you’ve added enough fat when you squeeze a handful of bread crumbs and most of it looks like wet sand. You don’t want the texture to get wet and mushy, but you do need enough oil to solidify and place in the fridge.
A few secrets to maximizing flavor
With a short ingredient list, enhancing your recipe with some simple steps can make all the difference. Here are some tips and tricks for a no-bake cardamom slice recipe that doesn’t come out of this world.
- To get the most out of your lemon zest, rub the zest into the sugar before mixing with the other ingredients. This will help release the natural oils from the zest and enhance the lemon flavor.
- Salt everything properly. I add a little salt to the sugar and crust mixture, a little salt to the crust and to the cream cheese mixture. The balance of sweetness from the sugar and white chocolate enhances the final flavor perfectly.
- If you want to take cardamom to the next level, add some to the whipping cream and let it steep overnight before whipping. Of course, this is optional and only if you really love cardamom.
- For a firmer texture, freeze the slices for a few hours before slicing. The texture will remain soft enough to slice without freezing (similar to frozen pie slices from the freezer aisle). They will soften when defrosted in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
