No-bake Greek yogurt cheesecake with apricot mousse

1. Prepare a high-rimmed 8-inch / 20 cm springform baking pan (this is what I used) or 9-inch / 23 cm springform baking pan (standard height) by lining its bottom with baking paper.

Make the cookie crumb crust:

1. Mix the cookies in a food processor or blender until very fine (you can also place the cookies in a ziplock bag and pound them with a rolling pin until they reach a fine crumble).
2. Melt the butter. Mix the cookie crumbs with the butter, it should look like wet sand.
3. Add the mixture to the baking pan, press with the bottom of a measuring cup or with your fingers to form an even layer.
4. Place the pan in the fridge.

Make the cheesecake:

1. Prepare the gelatin: add 9 tablespoons of cold water to the gelatin powder and stir. Let stand for 10 minutes. After this time the gelatin should bloom (= it will swell in size and have a thicker consistency). Transfer the gelatin into a small pot. Heat over very low heat until all gelatin is dissolved (you can check with your finger if they're no gelatin granules). Don't let it boil (very important) !! Let cool slightly.
2. Using an electric mixer, mix the yogurt, cream cheese spread, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and zest until thoroughly combined.
3. Add a couple of tablespoons of cheesecake batter to the gelatin and mix. Check again with your finger if they are no gelatin lumps (if they are you can warm up the mixture gently until the gelatin is dissolved).
4. Mix the dissolved gelatin with the whole cheesecake batter.
5. Add the cold heavy cream into a clean bowl and whip it with clean whisk attachments until 'stiff peaks' form (if you scoop some whipped cream with a whisk and turn it upside down it shouldn't change its shape).
6. Using a silicone spatula, fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake batter.
7. Pour the batter into the baking pan and place it in the fridge. The batter will need about 3 hours to set. After 2 hours you can start making the apricot mousse.

Make the apricot mousse:

1. Drain the canned apricots but reserve the liquid!
2. Puree the drained apricots with honey in a food processor until smooth.
3. Prepare the gelatin: add 7 tablespoons of the liquid from the can to the powdered gelatin and stir. Let stand for 10 minutes. After this time the gelatin should bloom (it will swell in size and have a thicker consistency, but it won't be as thick as the gelatin for the cheesecake). Transfer the gelatin mixture into a small pot. Heat over very low heat until all gelatin is dissolved (you can check with your finger if they're no gelatin granules). Don't let it boil !! Let cool slightly.
4. Mix the gelatine mixture with the apricot mousse until well combined.
5. Let stand for about 30 minutes so that it can thicken a bit, then pour over the cheesecake. The cheesecake batter must be almost set (but it can be jiggly still in the middle, so not completely set).
6. Place the baking pan in the fridge. The apricot mousse will need about 2-3 hours to set. You can insert a toothpick into the canter of the cake to check if all the layers are set (it should come out clean). Best would be to leave it in the fridge for another 1-2 hours or overnight.

Make the apricot 'bees' (optional):

1. Melt the chocolate using double boiler method: In a small pot, bring water to a boil, remove the pot from the heat (steaming water should be enough to melt the chocolate). Place a small bowl over the pot, it should not touch the surface of the water. Add the finely chopped chocolate and coconut oil to the bowl and stir until the chocolate is melted. Place the bowl with the chocolate in the fridge for about 15 minutes or longer. The chocolate should thicken slightly but still be pourable.
2. Place the apricot halves, with the cut-side down on a chopping board lined with a piece of baking paper. Pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels (or the chocolate won't stick to it).
3. Using a teaspoon, pour the chocolate over the apricot halves so that it resembles the bees' stripes. Place the board with the apricots in the fridge.
4. Make the bees' heads: Place the bowl with the chocolate in the freezer for a short while. The chocolate should be almost set but still pliable. Scoop small amounts of the chocolate with a teaspoon, cover your hands with cocoa and form small balls with your palms. Place the balls on a piece of baking paper and put it in the fridge until the chocolate is set.
5. When the chocolate is set place the apricot halves and their chocolate heads on top of the cheesecake.
6. Make the eyes from a thick icing: mix a small amount of powdered sugar with just a drop of water and stir with a toothpick until very thick. Apply with a toothpick on the heads so that they resemble 'the eyes'.
7. Make the wings: Cut 2 small slits on top of the apricots, insert 2 flaked almonds into the slits.
8. You can also decorate the cheesecake with edible flowers.
9. Enjoy!