White Chocolate Cheesecake

We are spoilt for choice when it comes to cheesecake. Recipes can be adapted to suit personal taste- and the occasion-with a minimum of fuss. White chocolate cheesecake is a little bit different and can also be adapted to suit both your palette and waistline. This cheesecake looks so fresh and innocent it’s hard to believe there are such a lot of calories lurking within...

If you prefer you can use reduced fat chocolate, biscuits and half fat (extra light) soft cheese; without compromising the end result.

Ingredients for 8 Servings - approximately

This is best made the day before you want to serve it.

• 150g (5oz) crushed biscuits (ginger, digestive or rich tea are great but use white chocolate biscuits if you fancy!)
• 55g (2oz) butter
• 300g (10½ oz) white chocolate
• 400g (14oz) soft cream cheese (full fat or otherwise)
• 150mls (5fl oz) crème fraiche
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional:
For extra zing try making this cheesecake with the addition of one 135g pack of lime jelly. It provides a light, refreshing layer between the biscuit crumb base and all that chocolate and cream. Alternatively, use the grated rind and juice of one lime.

Method

1. If using lime jelly, dissolve the cubes in 100mls of boiling water. Stir and leave to cool. Refrigerate.
Break the biscuits down into crumbs by placing them in a polythene bag and methodically bashing them all (on a flat surface) with a rolling pin.

2. Melt the butter in a small pan over gentle heat and mix with the biscuit crumbs.Line a 25cm cake tin (or flan dish) with baking parchment.6Press the biscuit/melted butter mixture over the base of the tin. Refrigerate.

3. Melt the chocolate by first breaking it into pieces and placing in a bowl. Sit the bowl snugly in the top of a small pan over a moderate heat. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

4. In a sturdy mixing bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, crème fraiche and vanilla extract. If using the fresh lime, combine it with these ingredients at this stage. Add the melted chocolate and combine all the ingredients evenly. 5. Remove the jelly from the fridge and stir with a fork. It should be partially set but still easy to break up.

6. Take the biscuit crumb base from the fridge. Use the fork to form a rippled layer of lime jelly by spreading it evenly over the biscuit base. If the jelly is slightly looser than you thought, don’t panic! It will soak into the biscuit base anyway and give that an extra citrus zing. Pop the jelly-covered biscuit base back in the fridge until set firmly.

7. Spoon the cream cheese, crème fraiche and melted chocolate mixture over the refrigerated biscuit/jelly combination. Level with a palette knife. Chill the white chocolate cheesecake overnight in the fridge or a minimum of three hours before serving if this is not possible.

Decorate

Decorate your exquisite dessert with cool colours; sliced white grapes or slices of fresh lime, a sprig of fresh mint. Don’t overdo the decoration though, keep it clean and simple. For a simple, elegant, finishing touch: curl (or grate) a little white chocolate on the centre of the cheesecake before serving.

More Cheesecake Recipes

We have more tempting cheesecakes for you to make on this site, including Baked Cheesecakes and Chilled Cheesecakes and The Perfect Cheesecake recipe.