Cheesecake Archives -

White Chocolate and Raspberry No-bake Cheesecake

May 19, 2020May 19, 2020by jessicamarsden1Leave a Comment

This white chocolate and raspberry no-bake cheesecake recipe is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. It’s light, refreshing and very moreish!

The base is made using digestive biscuits, it’s buttery and crumbly and because this is a no-bake recipe, it can skip the oven and go straight in the fridge to set. The cheesecake filling is smooth, creamy and perfectly sweet. Fresh raspberries are dotted throughout which adds a lovely sharpness and goes so well with the sweet taste of white chocolate. The final touches are a simple drizzle of white chocolate and fresh raspberries placed around the edge.

White chocolate and raspberry cheesecake slice

Top tips for making a no-bake cheesecake

If making a no-bake cheesecake makes you feel a little nervous, trust me you’re not alone! I think it’s the dreaded fear that the cheesecake doesn’t set properly and you’re left with a lovely biscuit base swimming in a puddle of runny cheesecake mixture (eeek). But fear not! This recipe has gone through a lot of trial and error and I promise it won’t let you down. Just follow the steps carefully and have a read of my top tips below to help you make a perfect cheesecake every time.

Tip #1 – Line the base of the baking tin with greaseproof paper

Lining the base will prevent the cheesecake from getting stuck to the bottom of the baking tin, making it so much easier to lift off and transfer to a serving plate.

Tip #2 – Keep the cream cheese in the fridge until you’re ready to start

In the UK our cream cheese isn’t as thick and it can loosen very quickly when mixing it from room temperature. This is why I only take the cream cheese out of the fridge, along with the cream, at the start of the recipe. By the time you need to use it, it will still be cold enough to hold its shape but not too cold that it won’t mix with the icing sugar.

Tip #3 – Add the white chocolate before the double cream

I’ve learnt this tip the hard way. I’ve found that adding the white chocolate before the cream helps prevent it from seizing and making the mixture lumpy. I’m not sure what the science is behind this but its something to do with ingredient temperature differences. Just trust me on this on

Tip #4 – Don’t skimp on the chill time

Although it can be painful having to wait, make sure you chill the cheesecake for at least 4 hours, or even better overnight. This will give the cheesecake enough time to set and firm up.

Tip #5 – Decorate just before you’re ready to serve

If you’re using fruit, in particular berries, decorate your cheesecake just before you’re ready to serve. This will help prevent the fruit juices from bleeding onto your lovely white cheesecake and make sure they keep fresh.

white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake

Ingredients (makes 8-10 slices)

For the biscuit base:
250g digestive biscuits
125g unsalted butter

For the cheesecake layer:
400g full-fat cream cheese
75g icing sugar
300ml double cream
180g white chocolate
200g fresh raspberries

For the decoration:
20g white chocolate
50-100g fresh raspberries

Method

Line the bottom of an 8inch round loose-bottom baking tin.

First melt the 180g white chocolate for the cheesecake in the microwave in 20 second blasts or on the hob until smooth. Set aside to cool.

Now make the biscuit base. In a separate bowl, melt the unsalted butter until it turns to liquid. Use a rolling pin or food processor to crush the digestive biscuits into fine crumbs. Pour in the melted butter and mix together, coating all the biscuits crumbs in butter. Transfer the biscuit mixture to the baking tin and press into an even layer. Place in the fridge to firm up.

Now move on to the cheesecake layer. Sift the cream cheese into a large mixing bowl and add the cream cheese. Use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment to whisk together until smooth and free of any lumps. Pour in the white chocolate and use a spoon or spatula to fold into the mixture. Add the double cream and whisk together for a 1-2 minutes until you have a thick, smooth cheesecake mixture that holds its shape.

Take your biscuit base out of the fridge. Spoon half of the cheesecake mixture on top and spread into an even layer. Scatter the raspberries on top. Spoon the remaining cheesecake mixture on top and spread into an even layer, smoothing out the top.

Place the cheesecake in the fridge to set for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight for best results.

Decorate just before you’re ready to serve. Melt the 20g white chocolate and drizzle on top. Place the raspberries around the edge of the cheesecake. Slice into 8-10 slices and serve.

Cheesecake, Dessert, Puddings

Lotus Biscoff cheesecakes

April 20, 2020April 21, 2020by jessicamarsden1Leave a Comment

A fool-proof cheesecake recipe for deliciously rich Lotus Biscoff cheesecakes.

The cheesecakes have a crunchy Biscoff biscuit base, a creamy Biscoff spread cheesecake filling and a chilled layer of Biscoff spread on top. Either serve as they are, or with a Biscoff biscuit to ‘spoon’ out the cheesecake.

Lotus Biscoff cheesecakes are made using 6 simple ingredients. No eggs or flour required. It’s a no bake, no fuss recipe. The recipe makes enough for 4 individual cheesecake pots. Double the recipe and make them for a dinner party dessert, or half the recipe and make a delicious pudding for two.

Ingredients (makes 4 individual cheesecakes)

For the base:
8 Lotus Biscoff biscuits
40g unsalted butter

For the cheesecake filling:
150g full-fat cream cheese, cold from the fridge
30g icing sugar
75g Lotus Biscoff spread
75ml double cream

For the topping:
30g Lotus Biscoff spread
4 Lotus Biscoff biscuits

Method

Start with the base: Put the biscuits in a bowl and bash with a rolling pin until finely ground. Melt the butter in the microwave for 20 seconds. Pour the melted butter into the crushed biscuits and mix together. Divide evenly between four individual ramekins and press into an even layer.

Now make the cheesecake filling: Beat the cream cheese, icing sugar and Biscoff spread together until smooth. Add the double cream and whisk until it is very thick and holds its shape. Divide the filling between the ramekins and set for a minimum of 4 hours or overnight.

Once chilled, make the topping: Melt the Biscoff spread in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. Pour over the top of each cheesecake and put back in the fridge for 10 minutes to set. Serve straight away with a biscuit on top, or cover and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Cheesecake, Easter

White chocolate Easter Cheesecake

March 30, 2018May 4, 2020by jessicamarsden1Leave a Comment

A crumbly biscuit base, topped with creamy white chocolate cheesecake and decorated with a chocolate nest filled with chocolate eggs. A showstopper desert to roundoff your Easter lunch celebrations.

For the biscuit base you will need…

300g Digestive biscuits
150g Unsalted Butter

For the cheesecake filling…

2 x 180g tubs of Philadelphia cream cheese
75g icing sugar
300ml double cream
200g white chocolate

For the decoration…

8 x Flake chocolate bars
3 x packets of chocolate eggs (I used Mini-eggs, Galaxy golden eggs and Smartie eggs)
A couple of fluffy Easter chicks

Let’s get baking

Line the bottom of a 23cm/8inch round lose-bottomed tin with grease proof paper.

Start with the base. Crush the biscuits to fine crumbs (I used a blender to speed this part up) and transfer to a bowl.

Melt the butter in the microwave in 10 second blasts until liquid and pour over the crushed biscuits. Mix through until the crumbs are fully coated.

Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and press firmly down into the base to create an even layer. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to set firmly.

Once set, move onto the cheesecake. Break the white chocolate up into a microwaveable bowl and melt in 10 second blasts until smooth. Leave to cool.

Add the cream cheese and icing sugar to a bowl and use an handheld or electric whisk to beat until smooth. Add the double cream and beat again until thick and creamy. Pour in the cooled white chocolate and mix through until fully combined.

Spoon the mixture on top of the biscuit base and spread out into an ever layer. Chill in the fridge for at least four hours or overnight for best results.

To decorate. Chop the Flake bars into thirds and stack them in a circle leaving the middle empty. Sprinkle the crumbs around the outside of the nest. Fill the middle of the nest with your different eggs and finish by perching a fluffy chick on top!

Brownies, Cheesecake

Raspberry and White Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies

September 11, 2015April 9, 2020by jessicamarsden12 Comments

Rich, fudgy brownie swirled with creamy white chocolate cheesecake and dotted with fresh juicy raspberries.

Ingredients (makes 12 large/16 small brownies)

For the brownie layer:

170g good quality 70% dark chocolate, broken into pieces
150g self-raising flour
150g unsalted butter, cut into chunks
225g caster sugar
2 medium eggs, at room temp

For the cheesecake swirl:

200g full-fat cream cheese, at room temp
2 medium eggs, at room temp
½ tsp vanilla essence
120g good quality white chocolate, broken into pieces
50g caster sugar
80g frozen/fresh raspberries

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 23cm square baking tin with greaseproof paper.

Melt the dark chocolate and butter in a glass bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Once melted, remove from the heat and leave to cool. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until frothy.

Pour in the cooled chocolate mixture into the whisked eggs, add the flour and fold the mixture together until just combined.

To make the cheesecake layer first melt the white chocolate in a glass bowl set over a pan of simmering water, once melted remove from the heat. Whilst the chocolate cools, beat together all of the remaining ingredients until just combined. Now fold in the melted white chocolate.

Pour two thirds of the brownie mixture into the baking tin. Pour the cheesecake mixture on top of the brownie layer in the pan and dollop spoons of the remaining brownie mixture on top. Glide a skewer through the layers to create a swirl pattern and press the raspberries into the top.

Bake for 30 minutes in the centre of the oven until the corners are starting to crack and the top is no longer shiny. Cover the brownies after 20 minutes with foil to avoid the top from browning too much. Leave to completely cool before cutting into 12 or 16 brownies.