No-Bake Cheesecake Flag Cake
You can make this lovely, sweet treat without turning on the oven and enjoy the iconic stars and stripes design provided by the fresh blueberries and strawberries. USA! USA! USA!
Ingredients
Graham cracker Crust 1 1/2 cups finely crushed graham cracker crumbs 1/4 cup white sugar 2 T unsweetened cocoa powder 6 tsp butter, melted
Filling
1 cup cream cheese, room temperature 1 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature 2 tsp grated lemon zest 2 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp vanilla extract 1/3 cup white sugar 1 1/4 cups cold heavy whipping cream 20 large fresh strawberries, halved lengthwise 24 large fresh blueberries Directions
Combine graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, cocoa powder, and melted butter in a bowl until mixture is thoroughly combined and crumbly. Transfer crust mixture to a 9x11-inch baking dish. Press crust into bottom of dish until smooth and even. Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set.
Mix cream cheese and mascarpone cheese in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract into mixture.
Whisk 1/3 cup sugar into whipping cream in a separate metal or glass bowl until the cream is fluffy and forms soft peaks. Add whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and gently whisk until filling is soft, fluffy, and well combined.
Spoon filling on top of the graham cracker crust, spreading and smoothing the top. Cover pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and set, at least 3 hours.
Lay a line of blueberries with the blossom ends pointing up in the upper left square space. Continue to lay down blueberries in lines, berries touching the previous line, until a square is filled with blueberries. Arrange strawberry halves in horizontal lines with the pointed bottoms of the strawberry halves pointing to the right.
Cut cake into squares to serve.
July 4th Jello Shots
These jello shots are a fun way for kids and adults to enjoy the summertime celebrations. Made with berry jello, sweetened condensed milk, and cherry jello, these can be made with or without alcohol.
Ingredients
6 oz. cherry or strawberry jello mix 1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk 2 packets of Knox unflavored gelatin 6 oz. berry blue jello mix 8 cups water Whipped cream and maraschino cherries for topping 2 cups vodka if adding alcohol 16 (3 oz.) plastic shot glasses
Directions
Bottom layer - Follow instructions on box and make blue jello and pour into shot glass about 1/3 full, layer and chill, (add one cup vodka to jello if using alcohol). Put in refrigerator and chill for 2 hours.
Middle layer - Next, in a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Remove from the heat and add sweetened condensed milk. Whisk, then add 2 packets of Knox gelatin. Whisk again until well combined. Add white jello layer to the shot cups, on top of the blue jello, filling to about the ⅔ full point, making sure to leave enough room for the red layer. Move back to the refrigerator to chill for 2 hours.
Top layer - Follow instructions on box and make red jello (add one cup vodka to jello if using alcohol). Pour into shot glasses on top of white layer and chill for 2 hours.
Before serving, top with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry.