A meal doesn’t feel complete without finishing with a satisfyingly sweet dessert, but if you’re making it from scratch it can be a lot of effort. That’s where cheesecake comes in, as it’s quick and easy to make - and it doesn’t require baking in the oven. If you opt for a no-bake cheesecake - which doesn’t require eggs and so doesn’t need to go in the oven to set - then you can whip up the dessert in around half an hour and just pop it in the fridge to set. As an added bonus, the cheesecake filling only requires three ingredients, so even those who aren’t well versed in baking will be able to tackle it.

The minimal fuss filling is made with cream cheese, double cream and icing sugar, and it’s the cream that helps create that wonderfully light texture.

The double cream needs to be whipped until it forms stiff peaks and then gently folded into the cream cheese mixture. The air pockets created as the cream is mixed is what makes the cheesecake light and fluffy, so it’s important to gently fold it in otherwise these air bubbles can be deflated.

The cream should also be cold from the fridge otherwise it won’t whip effectively to form stiff peaks, which is essential for the structure of a no-bake cheesecake.

Sally’s Baking explains: “The most important step is to beat cold double cream into peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling gently so you don’t deflate the air. The air creates a delicious mousse-like consistency and solidifies the filling in the refrigerator.”

Food website Rich and Delish recommends using 240g of crushed digestive biscuits and 115g of melted butter to make the base. You can use a blender to crush the biscuits into crumbs, or simply smash them up by hand with a rolling pin.

Add the crumbs to your melted butter and once combined transfer to a nine-inch cake tin, pressing down firmly with the back of a spoon. Then put this in the fridge to chill.

For the filling you’ll need 375g of double cream, 448g of cream cheese and 63g of icing sugar. First whisk the cream cheese and icing sugar together in a mixing bowl until combined, then add in the cold double cream and whip for around three to five minutes until the mixture thickens and forms stiff peaks.

Pour the mixture over your cheesecake base and leave to set in the fridge. You can add your own choice of toppings to decorate, or simply serve it plain.

Rich and Delish says: “No-bake cheesecake filling is a simple, delicious mix of cream cheese, powdered sugar, and double cream. The cream cheese offers a rich, tangy base.

“Powdered sugar adds sweetness without graininess. Double cream is whipped in for a light texture, ideal for an easy dessert without oven time.”

It adds: “Make sure that you are using room-temperature cream cheese in this recipe, this step makes it easier to mix the cream cheese with no unnecessary lumps, we don’t want that.

“Use COLD heavy [double] cream for this. Cold heavy cream whips faster and holds its shape beautifully. Do not overmix the cream! If you overmix this cream, it will curdle and will ruin the creaminess of this cheesecake.”