No-Bake Pomegranate Cheesecake Recipe

This is another recipe from the good folks at POM Wonderful. This is a no-bake cheesecake other than the graham cracker crust, but you could substitute the crust for a layer of ready-made pound cake or some coconut macaroons pressed into the bottom of your pan and you wouldn't have to turn on your oven at all. I would like that even better in hot summer months, wouldn't you?

Click on the links for:

• Chocolate Covered Pomegranate Arils Recipe

• Pomegranate health benefits

• Photo of pomegranate blooms in various stages.

POM Cheesecake
Ingredients:
Crust:
* 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
* 1/4 cup melted butter

Cheesecake Mixture:
* 1 cup arils from 1 large Pomegranate
* 1 1/4-oz. package gelatin
* 1/2 cup water
* 3, 8-ounce packages cream cheese
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 1 cup whipping cream

Directions:
* Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

* Mix graham cracker crumbs thoroughly with melted butter.

* Gently press crumbs into the bottom and up 1" of the sides of a 9" spring-form pan.

* Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Cool completely.

* Sprinkle the gelatin over the water in a small saucepan. Let set for 5 minutes, then heat until gelatin has dissolved. Set aside to cool.

* Mix the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Mix in gelatin. Set aside.

* Score 1 fresh pomegranate and place in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranate underwater to free the arils (seed sacs). The arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the membrane will float to the top. Sieve and put the arils in a separate bowl. Reserve 1 cup of the
arils from fruit and set aside. (Refrigerate or freeze remaining arils for another use.)

* Whip the cream until stiff. Gently but completely mix cream cheese and 1/2 cup pomegranate arils into the whipped cream.

* Spoon into prepared, cooled crust. Smooth out the top.

* Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set. Can be made the day ahead.

* To remove from pan, gently run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan, then open the pan.

* Top with remaining pomegranate arils.