Cheesecake Is Good — No-Bake, Scoopable Cheesecake Is Better
theSkimm
Cheesecake is, objectively, the best dessert in existence. It’s also, objectively, one of the most annoying to make. But thanks to the latest in cheesecake technology, it doesn’t have to be. Case in point: Scoopable Cheesecake from Jenna Barnard, author of the upcoming cookbook Simple Sugar. Perfect for days when you wouldn’t dare turn on an oven, this fridge-baked recipe requires zero water baths, zero fussy crust, and zero actual baking. Instead, layers of dense, creamy cheesecake, fresh strawberry sauce, and buttery graham cracker crumbs coalesce into one cool, crowd-pleasing, dangerously easy masterpiece that, as the name implies, is best served by the (ice cream) scoop. No wonder one fan said, “I made it last week and I’m making it again tonight.”
The Time Commitment: About 40 minutes to prepare, plus eight hours (or more) to chill in the fridge.
Key Tips: To shave off roughly 20 minutes of prep, Barnard says you can use canned strawberry pie filling instead. And for the smoothest, silkiest cheesecake base, make sure your cream cheese comes to room temperature before mixing.
Other Takes: For other no-bake treats that won’t leave you planted in front of the AC, try…
Key Lime Freeze Bars. Essentially, the classic pie’s less needy but equally irresistible cousin, these tangy squares taste “like sunshine in a bar.”
Banana Pudding Fluff. Never had the all-American delicacy known as dessert fluff? Imagine the love child of pudding and whipped mousse — loaded with Nilla Wafers and sliced bananas — that requires just five minutes of work.
No-Bake S’mores Icebox Cake. This seven-ingredient showstopper “looks way fancier than it actually is, and it tastes like childhood,” according to one commenter. Sold.
The Seekers of Deer Creek by Thao Thai
theSkimm
Forget a picture being worth a thousand words. What if a painting could unlock decades of family secrets? In Thao Thai’s The Seekers of Deer Creek, straitlaced art conservator Vivi Nguyễn and her sister, Calla, a free-spirited artist, haven’t spoken since their father’s funeral. That all changes a few months later, when Calla shows up at Vivi’s workplace with two items she found among his belongings: a sketch of Blue Mirror, a piece by a renowned Vietnamese painter, and a mysterious letter written by the artist himself. What follows is a whirlwind journey that takes the sisters across the globe — from eerie Wisconsin woods to a French countryside estate to their ancestral home in Vietnam — in search of the truth about the painting and what it means for their family. We asked Thai a few questions. Here’s what she had to say…
Q: What’s your favorite unapologetic indulgence?
Thai: I love a catnap. Give me a breezy afternoon, windows open, not a soul who needs me. That’s my nirvana.
Q: What’s a corner of the internet you recently discovered?
Thai: Nostalgic home videos from the 1990s. Shaky camera angles, saturated color, boxy television sets, printed sofas — the way those scenes make me feel safe and held. I’m teary just thinking about it.
Q: What’s one thing that’s made you 10% happier?
Thai: Saturday Sourdough. I make myself a loaf each week and I look forward to it every morning. (Technically, my family is allowed to partake, but let’s face it: The bread consumption is unilateral.)
PS: The cult-favorite ’90s novel Thai called “very thought-provoking”? Find out here.
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We asked you to vote on an etiquette question you’d like answered. The winner was:
Every summer, my friends and I rent a house together — and every year, I become the default cook and housekeeper. How do I set that straight at the start of the trip without killing the vibe?
“Even if your friends are used to the status quo, they’ll likely be glad you spoke up in advance — which gives everyone time to make a new plan. If you’re nervous about raising it, try the ‘sandwich rule’: [lead with something positive], address the issue, [and close on a high note]. You might say something like: ‘I’m so excited for our trip. I’ve been happy to clean and cook in the past, but I’d love more downtime this year, so let’s figure out how to divide things up before we get there. I already know we’re going to have so much fun.’ By addressing the issue in advance, you won’t have to worry about killing the vibe. And friends who really care about you will be happy to share the load.”
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Cheesecake Is Good — No-Bake, Scoopable Cheesecake Is Better
theSkimm
Cheesecake is, objectively, the best dessert in existence. It’s also, objectively, one of the most annoying to make. But thanks to the latest in cheesecake technology, it doesn’t have to be. Case in point: Scoopable Cheesecake from Jenna Barnard, author of the upcoming cookbook Simple Sugar. Perfect for days when you wouldn’t dare turn on an oven, this fridge-baked recipe requires zero water baths, zero fussy crust, and zero actual baking. Instead, layers of dense, creamy cheesecake, fresh strawberry sauce, and buttery graham cracker crumbs coalesce into one cool, crowd-pleasing, dangerously easy masterpiece that, as the name implies, is best served by the (ice cream) scoop. No wonder one fan said, “I made it last week and I’m making it again tonight.”
The Time Commitment: About 40 minutes to prepare, plus eight hours (or more) to chill in the fridge.
Key Tips: To shave off roughly 20 minutes of prep, Barnard says you can use canned strawberry pie filling instead. And for the smoothest, silkiest cheesecake base, make sure your cream cheese comes to room temperature before mixing.
Other Takes: For other no-bake treats that won’t leave you planted in front of the AC, try…
Key Lime Freeze Bars. Essentially, the classic pie’s less needy but equally irresistible cousin, these tangy squares taste “like sunshine in a bar.”
Banana Pudding Fluff. Never had the all-American delicacy known as dessert fluff? Imagine the love child of pudding and whipped mousse — loaded with Nilla Wafers and sliced bananas — that requires just five minutes of work.
No-Bake S’mores Icebox Cake. This seven-ingredient showstopper “looks way fancier than it actually is, and it tastes like childhood,” according to one commenter. Sold.
The Seekers of Deer Creek by Thao Thai
theSkimm
Forget a picture being worth a thousand words. What if a painting could unlock decades of family secrets? In Thao Thai’s The Seekers of Deer Creek, straitlaced art conservator Vivi Nguyễn and her sister, Calla, a free-spirited artist, haven’t spoken since their father’s funeral. That all changes a few months later, when Calla shows up at Vivi’s workplace with two items she found among his belongings: a sketch of Blue Mirror, a piece by a renowned Vietnamese painter, and a mysterious letter written by the artist himself. What follows is a whirlwind journey that takes the sisters across the globe — from eerie Wisconsin woods to a French countryside estate to their ancestral home in Vietnam — in search of the truth about the painting and what it means for their family. We asked Thai a few questions. Here’s what she had to say…
Q: What’s your favorite unapologetic indulgence?
Thai: I love a catnap. Give me a breezy afternoon, windows open, not a soul who needs me. That’s my nirvana.
Q: What’s a corner of the internet you recently discovered?
Thai: Nostalgic home videos from the 1990s. Shaky camera angles, saturated color, boxy television sets, printed sofas — the way those scenes make me feel safe and held. I’m teary just thinking about it.
Q: What’s one thing that’s made you 10% happier?
Thai: Saturday Sourdough. I make myself a loaf each week and I look forward to it every morning. (Technically, my family is allowed to partake, but let’s face it: The bread consumption is unilateral.)
PS: The cult-favorite ’90s novel Thai called “very thought-provoking”? Find out here.
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