Chelsea’s white chocolate & berry cheesecake
This is still one of my most popular recipes ever – especially around Christmas time! People make it year after year, and can you blame them? It looks a million bucks and isn’t the slightest bit difficult to make. It can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for a day or so – then you add the berries just before serving. I’ve also had people drizzle it with melted chocolate, and make individual cheesecakes in ring moulds or muffin tins.
You can also freeze the whole cheesecake – chill it in the tin, wrap it tightly in a double layer of clingfilm then a layer of foil, and freeze for up to 4 weeks.
Gluten-free: This recipe is easy to make gluten-free just by choosing gluten-free biscuits for the base. You can find these at most supermarkets. Any sort will work.
Ingredients
350g double or triple chocolate cookies (GF if needed)
75g softened (almost melted) butter
500g cream cheese – not the spreadable kind, and not light
250g good quality white chocolate, chopped
1 cup cream
3 punnets ripe strawberries (or a mix of summer berries raspberries, even pomegranate seeds)
1/3 cup berry jam melted with 1 tbsp water (optional)
Method
Bring the cream cheese out of the fridge 20 or so minutes before you start, to lose it’s chill. (Or you can microwave on medium power in a heatproof bowl for 10-15 seconds or so).
Line the base of a round 20-25cm diameter springform cake tin with a cut round of baking paper.
Place the biscuits in a food processor and process to a very fine crumb (you can also very finely smash the biscuits in a bag with a rolling pin if you don’t have a food processor). Add the butter and process until well combined and smooth. Tip the crumbs into the cake tin and using clean moistened fingers, press the crumb firmly into the base.
Beat the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Set aside.
Place the chopped white chocolate in a heatproof bowl sitting over a saucepan of gently simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water), and heat until just melted, stirring only every now and then. (If it seizes and goes grainy, remove from the heat, add a little cream and stir in a circular motion until it’s smooth again. You can also add a splash of rice bran oil to help it along.) Remove the chocolate from the heat and and let sit for 10 minutes.
Fold a quarter of the melted chocolate into the cream cheese, then repeat with the remaining chocolate in three parts.
Whip the cream until thick and cloudy, but stop before it gets too firm. Gently fold it through the cream cheese mixture. At this point, you can also fold in a handful of fresh raspberries if you like.
Scrape the mixture on to the biscuit base and smooth out the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to set, or until needed (it’s fine overnight or for a couple of nights, if it’s well sealed).
Just before you’re ready to tuck in to your cheesecake, sit the tin on a sturdy wide bowl. Carefully release the spring latch on the tin and let the sides of the tin drop down. Gently remove the metal base with a metal spatula or fish slice, and peel off the baking paper if you can. Carefully slide the cheesecake on to a serving platter (it’s easier doing this when it’s cold straight from the fridge). Smooth out the sides with a warm knife.
Arrange the fresh berries on top.
Drizzle with a little of the melted jam if you like, dust with icing sugar, slice with a hot knife and serve. If you have freeze dried berries, you could also crumble some up and throw some on top for a bit of zing.
It’ll go soft quickly on a hot day so put any leftovers back in the fridge right away. Enjoy, my friends!
Note: You can freeze the whole cheesecake without the berries on it – wrap it tightly in a double layer of glad wrap and a layer of foil, and freeze for up to 4 weeks.
Hi Chelsea I do not have a tin with spring side mine just has a loose bottom. Will I be able to use a knife to loosen the sides before trying to get it out of the tin? I have used a larger tin to get extra slices to make it go further. Have made it before in the right tin and its delicious. Thanks
Hi, made this for a BBQ we went to on the weekend, was really easy and went down a treat, great feedback from everyone. Loving the new book we have some favourites already.Thanks
Hey there just got ya new cook book yay but just wondering why the berry cheesecake does not use the berry White cho anymore ? Love ur recipies :-)
Just because it’s not always in stock – feel free to use it though!
Hi Kim, what kind of white chocolate did you use?
Is there a way or rescuing the mix? When I added the cream to the cream cheese and chocolate, it split. The mix tastes fine, it just doesn’t look that flash.
Try putting it in a food processor :)
Hi Chelsea!
I am looking at making this for my engagement party! :)
What proven brand of cookie works well for the base?
Whatever is your favourite :)
Hi Chelsea,
Looking at making this on the weekend for a family dinner. With the berries not being in season, can you use frozen berries? Would you put them in frozen or let them defrost first? Or is it best just to wait and make it in summer? Do you have any other cheesecake recipes? Thanks (hope you get his in time!)
Yes you can use frozen berries – simmer 2 cups with 1/4 cup of sugar until jammy and top once cooled.
Hey Chelsea ^_^ I’m 15 and I do a lot of cooking and baking at home for my family. I really love your recipes and cooking techniques and I think you are such an awesome inspiration for NZ teens out there that enjoy cooking. Anyways, I came across this recipe and i’m planning on making it this week because it sounds delicious, but i’m not sure what chocolate biscuits I should use. Would you have any recommendations?
Thankyou,
Marissa
Hiya, I use Farmbake or Ernest Adams :)
Hey Chelsea!! Could you use freeze-dried raspberries in the cheesecake itself?? Or would they be a bit bitter? Its winter and thought that fresh berries are a bit hard to come by at the moment. Thanks in advance :)
Yes you could, yum!
Hi Chelsea, would this still work using dairy milk chocolate?
Yes.
Hi Chelsea, can I use Milk Chocolate instead of Dark or White Chocolate?
Yes.
HI Chelsea, I’m attempting to make this for the second time at the weekend – but last time I made this the filling slightly curdled, do you know why this would’ve happened and what I can do to avoid it happening again? I wondered if it was the lemon juice.. but I’m thinking not? then I compared it to the peppermint mini cheesecakes which has no lemon juice and you say to beat the whipped cream all in in one go – but this one you fold it in, can that make a difference? Thanks again, Sarah.
Hi Sarah, the cream was probably a little bit overwhipped when you mixed it with the cream cheese. Next time slightly underwhip it and it should be fine :)
Hi Chelsea,
Can’t wait to try this recipe out for my birthday!
My partner is going to make it for my birthday cake, and I’ve decided instead of using plain white chocolate, I’m going to use the whittakers hundreds and thousands chocolate to hopefully give it a subtle pink colour and some yummy biscuit pieces through it. Can’t wait to try it! :)
Damn this is good! My willpower can handle most things but not this. Now onto my 4th one. (No, not in one sitting!)
Thanks!
Hi there. Really enjoyed this recipe of yours. Its easy to follow steps and the outcome is really yummy its become a more than once dessert to make in the family. :)
Just tried this recipe after hunting around for 3 hours trying to find ingredients – serves me right for going shopping on Good Friday! It tastes amazing! So light and fluffy! Thanks so much Chelsea!
Hi Chelsea! Just wanted to let you know that this is now my go-to dessert recipe! I made it for all 4 xmas parties we had, and two more parties since then! It works out perfectly every single time and there is barely a crumb leftover. (And this is coming from a completely hopeless cook!) LOVE it!! Im thinking I will try the mint choc one for this weekends do. Thanks so much! :D
Hi, would frozen berries be ok to stir through the filling before putting in the shell?
Hi Chelsea, I made this cheesecake for the first time tonight for my father-in-law’s birthday. Everyone loved it including my husband who doesn’t like berries, I just left a small section without berries or jam. I’m looking forward to trying it with dark chocolate next time I need to make a dessert. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Hiya. I have just made the second one in 4 days. Love it. Just wondering whether I can put the strawberries on at home so I can take it to a dinner party ready to eat in a few hours. I would put it straight into the fridge when I got there.
Thanks
Shirley
Great recipe it made my Christmas day! Changed the base to a malt biscuit baked one however the filling was delicious!
Making this beauty tonight for our Christmas dessert tomorrow!! Cross fingers I nail it
Hi. I am 13 and I am making it for chritstmas dinner. I love to cook and hopefully this will go well!
I made this on Sunday and it tasted fabulous! However I found it really thin and melted easily when I put the strawberries on top. I did wait to eat it overnight so took it out of the fridge on Monday and literally within 20 secs the strawberries started to sink. Do you recommend adding less cream? And how whipped do they need to be? I don’t know if it’s either too much cream or I didn’t whip it enough since everyone has commented on here that it’s turned out perfect! Or does the white chocolate need to be luke warm? I may have added this to the cream cheese mixture when the melted white chocolate was still quite hot, but should this matter and affect it’s texture? Please advise! I really want to make this again on Xmas day.
Hi , How far in advance can this be made… I want it for xmas day but dont have time to make close to time so if i made it 3 days in advance and put in fridge or freezer will this be ok?
Thanks
Where do you find the freeze dried berries, Chelsea? I’ve tried both Countdown and New World with no luck. Cheesecake lovely and think these berries would just top it off nicely. Thanks
Hi, I was going to wing it and do this for Christmas day without a trial run! My question is, if I put it in the freezer how long before eating should I bring it out and should I put it in the fridge to defrost or leave out on the bench? Thanks
Definitely going to give this a go sometime! I love the aspect of no gelatin in it & then being able to scite about that lol. I’ve been put on cheesecake duty for xmas & someone has given me their really simple/plain recipe to use as I have never made 1 b4 & then can make it whatever flavour I like. There’s so many different recipes of the basic ingredients out there. Yours sounds perfect X
Cant wait to try yur pav and this cheese cake recipe. As work has given us a whitchoulls voucher.
so im getting yur book.
Hi, I’m looking at making the above cheesecake for Xmas, however when I have made cheesecake before I had to do the whole oven cooking thing with the boiling water etc do you not need to do that with this one? Sorry a little confused and don’t really want to get it wrong. Thanks
Hi Chelsea
I saw this on FB and am really looking fwd to making it on Saturday- do you prefer it with white or white and raspberry chocolate? i have both kinds…
hay there, awesome recipe! i was wondering could you use evaporated milk in place of the cream?
Hiya, I wouldn’t – you can’t really whip it.
Hi Chelsea, I want to make this for our Christmas dessert, however my Husband can’t have white chocolate. Will it hold together if I don’t use the white chocolate or do I need to substitute some gelatin in there somewhere for stability?
Looking forward to trying it! Thanks :-)
Try it with dark chocolate!
Wow young lady, you have the most wonderful recipes, a great marketing strategy and fantastic cook books of which I have purchased many for myself and family! Keep up the good work. “Merry Christmas”
Hi Chelsea, Loved this recipe. Our trial run for Xmas was very successful. Have you ever tried freezing the leftovers? We’re headng on holiday on Boxing Day and wondering if freezing it would work or if I should offer any leftovers to the neighbours :) Thank you
This looks amazing, do you think it would freeze? Am a bit pushed for time as working until christmas morning.
Yes, you can freeze the whole cheesecake – cool and chill it in the pan, wrap it tightly in a double layer of glad wrap and a layer of foil, and freeze for up to 4 weeks.
This looks amazing Chelsea and I would love to make it for Christmas but I will be working late until Christmas morning. Do you think I could freeze it, thaw it Christmas Eve and pop the berries on the next day?
Yes, you can freeze the whole cheesecake – cool and chill it in the pan, wrap it tightly in a double layer of glad wrap and a layer of foil, and freeze for up to 4 weeks.
My husband can’t eat berries so do you think I could use canned peaches instead?
My husband doesnt like berries so any other toppings that would work? Thanks
Phenomenal cheesecake ! I have made this so many times and it never fails to impress and disappear in a heartbeat, plus it’s super easy to make. Thanks
Made this cheesecake for my mother in laws birthday. Everyone loved it and were so impressed! I found it very easy to make and looked fantastic. Thanks!
This is officially now my favourite cheesecake recipe! my sister-in-law made this for a birthday dinner on the weekend and it was awesome! Going to give it a go myself now…and maybe hide it so I can eat it all myself ;-)
Hi Chelsea yummy thank you! I’ve always been too scared to try making cheesecake it always seems so complex but this was super easy and tasted amazing
Made this on Saturday for a party – lovely & light filling with a hint of citrus a total success so much so that my son wants another one tomorrow for his birthday dessert. Thanks for a great recipe.
Made this cheesecake for a family dinner last week; needless to say they were all very impressed – it looked amazing with all the strawberries piled on top and drizzled with a select mixed berry dessert sauce I found an Countdown, tasted AMAZING and leftovers the next night tasted even better! The mint chocolate cheesecake still my fav though!
I love this recipe and make it often. Most recently I accidentally picked up ‘spreadable’ cream cheese but due to time restraints and a promised dessert, I went ahead anyway. I followed your recipe, except I added 1 teaspoon of gelatine. It turned out fantastic, in fact my husband preferred this version as it was not nearly as rich as using the traditional cream cheese. Thought I would share just in case anyone else has problems reading labels like me.
Delicious and easy to make. Thanks
Hi Chelsea,
I’m wanting to make this for mid-winter Christmas. Wondering what you would suggest for fresh berries instead of strawberries?
I first saw this recipe in a magazine at my work and I was truly impressed. Therefore I made it for Christmas Dinner 2013. Its been a hint ever since. When I have to supply a desert for dinner parties I always make this recipe Chelsea. Thank You it is awesome.
YUM!!! Made this last night as a family treat. Kids have been asking for more all morning haha such a long time till dessert time ;-)