Fluffy Fruity Frozen Cheesecake

April whizzed by and I realize I failed to do the traditional recipe post the last week of the month (probably because I failed to realize it WAS the last week of the month).  To make up for it here’s a super easy dessert that will make a nice, light finish to your May long weekend bar-b-q.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Oreo cookie crumbs

2 tbsp. melted margarine

1 – 250 gram package cream cheese (light or regular)

1 can of your favourite frozen fruit juice concentrate (thawed)

2 tbsp. icing sugar

1 – 1 litre tub Cool Whip (light or regular) (thawed)

Fresh fruit for garnish (optional)

BASE:

Mix together Oreo crumbs and melted margarine and press into the bottom of a 9” spring form pan.  Freeze for a minimum of 15 minutes.

FILLING:

Put cream cheese, thawed juice concentrate and icing sugar in a food processor or blender.  Blend on high until smooth.  Pour into a bowl and fold in all but ½ cup of the Cool Whip.  Pour this over the base and freeze.

Take dessert out of the freezer 15 minutes before you’re ready to serve it and garnish with the rest of the Cool Whip and some fresh fruit (optional).  (It’s easier to remove the spring form ring after it’s sat out for a bit.)

TIPS AND HINTS FOR SUCCESS:

• I’ve tried raspberry concentrate and Fruitopia tangerine (not mixed together – in separate desserts).  Both were fabulous – the raspberry is quite tangy and the tangerine tastes like creamsicle.

• DO NOT try to mix this in the mixer – you must use a blender or food processer.  I speak from experience...after I accidentally melted my food processor in the dish washer (don’t use the heated dry cycle) I tried using my Mix Master to blend the juice and cream cheese.  I ended up with revolting lumps of cream cheese bopping merrily in a bowl of juice concentrate – so not appealing!  This time I optimistically tried the KitchenAid (as I’m convinced it can do anything) but sadly even it wasn’t up to the task!

• If you’re using a food processor that has an open area to conveniently fling out slices of veggies while you’re slicing, be sure to put in the device that blocks this hole for the purpose of mixing liquids.  If you fail to do this, I promise you WILL spray the entire kitchen area with a sticky, dripping fruit juice/cream cheese mixture.  NOT a fun clean up!

Have fun and enjoy!