White Chocolate and Raspberry No-bake Cheesecake

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.

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.

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.