You could try the raw cashew cheesecake we mentioned last week? http://bit.ly/jexXhX

I made the Cook's Country Lemon Icebox Cheesecake recently and while you do use gelatin (you mix it w/ the lemon juice and then nuke in the microwave to warm it and help the gelatin dissolve) I didn't feel like it had any sort of "jello-y" quality to it. The recipe also called for heavy cream and lemon curd in addition to the cream cheese, which might have helped make it lighter and creamier.

Hi Sarah, did you use 'sheet' or 'powder' gelatin? I do my no-bake cheesecake with these proportions: 2 sheets of gelatin, 100ml of double cream and 200g of cream cheese. My wife loves it!

Nigella Lawson has one that uses no gelatin and really holds up in terms of texture and flavor. I've made it TONS of times and I think it's delicious. You may have to tinker with it to make it key lime-flavored, but it's great in its original form as well.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nigella-lawson/cherry-cheesecake-recipe/index.html

did he think that there was a gelatin texture because you told him there was gelatin in there? i have learned after 10 years of cooking for my fellow that he is often best left in the dark when it comes to the details of my recipes.

I recently made a Sour Cream Cheesecake in the slow cooker and it turned out really great. Doesn't answer your question directly, but does address the problem of heating up the house baking a traditional cheesecake. It was a Food and Wine recipe.

I agree with kristian. Try it again, but leave out the bit about the gelatin. That method always works well for my husband, particularly when he's eating ground turkey in something. ;)

I've never used gelatin in my no bake. It is fluffy, but it works. It is basically cream cheese, whipped cream, sugar. So good.

He may have a mental ideal for cheesecake - and anything that isn't a match, isn't cheesecake. Therefore, use your cheesecake recipe to make panna cotta instead: individual servings instead of a cake, and fruit on the bottom instead of a crust.
http://www.slashfood.com/2007/02/12/light-life-yogurt-panna-cotta-with-raspberries/

try either sisterfunkhaus' recipe or whip together equal parts cream cheese and drained greek yogurt (add sugar to taste and other flavourings) and chill for at least an hour for a rich but light no-bake cheesecake.

If I'm making a cake with gelatin, I wouldn't be surprised if it tastes like gelatin. Just saying :P

Oooh I'm on board with the panna cotta idea or anything else that's basically a curd. You'd have to deal with the fact that it's not cheesecake, so it's not going to magically become cheesecake :(

I agree with TMax, I use the Nigella recipe and have adapted it to other flavours successfully. I had made no-bakes without gelatin for a long time in any case, and the first time I saw a recipe with gelatin in thought it odd - maybe because I'm in the UK (and the only time I made it thought it revolting).

I love the Nigella version that others have mentioned. I'm also a big fan of her no-fuss fruit tart, which has a similar approach and I make it with key lime curd instead of lemon curd when we have a craving for key lime cheesecake. (Honestly, in this application, regular lime curd may work just as a well.) It's a great way to use up a bit of extra fruit too--when all you have left is too small for a true serving, it works great as a tart topping! Plus, you can fool yourself into thinking that it is better for you, because there's fruit to counteract any of the bad calories. :)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nigella-lawson/no-fuss-fruit-tart-recipe/index.html

Forgot to mention: years ago, before I discovered Nigella's cheesecake, I used to make Rachael Ray's no-bake. It isn't the fanciest, and it isn't really that great for show stopping, buuuutt, it is extremely simple and very easy to adapt for other flavors. We've done key lime with both fresh key limes and bottle key lime juice in place of the strawberries in her recipe. We've also don't other fruit flavors, and all worked out fine, but the key lime was a pretty big hit.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/individual-no-bake-strawberry-cheesecakes-recipe/index.html

Thanks everybody for your answers! I actually bought the gelatin to make homemade marshmallows with, and the recipe on the packet I had leftover was for cheesecake, so I figured I'd give it a go. It was powdered gelatin, not sheets. I wasn't sure what to expect, as I didn't eat much jello as a kid, and I'd never used gelatin on its own before. I think next time I'll attempt a cheese with more elements of texture to it, and maybe include some whipped cream to make it lighter. I was really pleased with how well it held up and came together, I just wish it hadn't been quite so...bouncy.

Mark Bittman's No Bake Cheesecake recipe is incredible. It's made with a mixture of ricotta and cream cheese and no gelatin I won't use any other recipe for cheesecakes now. You may be able to find it on the New York Times website.

Jamie Oliver's Cheescake requires no baking, is super-easy and magnificent!
http://bit.ly/itmY6N

I second the recommendation for Cook's Country Lemon Icebox Cheesecake - it's delicious.