“NO-BAKE” WHITE CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE WITH CHOCOLATE BISCUIT CRUST

Notes: In this divine no-bake cheesecake recipe it is the white chocolate that adds stability to the cream cheese filling while also adding so much flavor (and just the right amount of sweetness). This recipe will yield silky smooth cheesecake that is an ideal consistency, not too firm and not too soft. And the raspberry topping and chocolate biscuit crust, well I don’t need to tell you how well those complement each other. Once you taste it, this recipe just might have you only making no-bake cheesecake going forward.

I didn’t estimate “cup” equivalents for this recipe, except for the whipping cream, so this may be your sign to get a kitchen scale for baking and general cooking needs if you don’t already have one. The OXO Good Grips Digital Kitchen Scale is excellent, very accurate and reproducible, for ~$50, (also listed in my ‘Recommended Products’ tab) and is what I use for all my recipes these days.

Equipment:

• Stand mixer with both paddle and whisk attachments

• Food processor

• Baking sheet with silicone mat (provides an even and nonstick platform for the cake ring molds)

• 3 inch cake ring molds for making individual mini cakes. This recipe makes a total of 5 individual cheesecakes. Linked are the ones I own, which also come with a “pusher” for compressing layers, and a “lifter”.

• Alternatively, use an 8 inch springform pan to make one large cheesecake and double the recipe

Estimated time:

• If not making the chocolate biscuits: 30 mins to prep, 1 hour to refrigerate. Total time: 1.5 hours

• If making the chocolate biscuits: 30-40 mins to make biscuits, 30 mins to prep, 1 hour to refrigerate: Total time: ~2 hrs

Ingredients: Chocolate biscuits, salt, vanilla, heavy whipping cream, white chocolate, cream cheese, raspberry puree, butter, and sugar.

Ingredients:

Crust:

• Chocolate “Oreo” biscuits: 165 g

  I’ve linked the Cookies and Cream Biscuits (snowflakes). Just make the biscuits sans white chocolate. They’re easy to make and so good I like to eat the plain chocolate biscuits with coffee. However, if you don’t want to bake for this recipe then a great replacement is Biscoff biscuits with cocoa powder added. You may need to slightly increase the butter used if you decide to go this route.

• Butter: 2 tbsp

• Salt: pinch or to taste

Filling:

• Cream cheese: 200 g

• Granulated sugar: 2 tbsp

• Vanilla extract: 1 tsp

• Salt: 1/8 tsp (taste the filling to see if you prefer slightly more, I personally used 1/4 tsp).

• White chocolate: 75 g

  I’ve linked an excellent bulk bag (5.5 lbs) of white chocolate by Callebaut, which is the same as I used for this recipe. I use white chocolate often and this is excellent quality.

• Coconut oil: 1 tsp

• Heavy whipping cream: 150 g (2/3 cup)

• Raspberry puree: 60 g

  I’ve linked the Dark Chocolate Almond Cookie with Raspberry Puree recipe for directions on how to make the raspberry puree. You will start with frozen raspberries and have plenty left over. It’s a beautiful, vibrant dessert sauce that keeps well in the fridge for weeks and can be used on ice cream, yogurt bowls and whatever else your heart desires.

Directions:

*If making one 8” cheesecake you will need to double all the recipe ingredients. Don’t forget to lightly oil the ring of the springform pan and use a cake board.

1. In a food processor blend the chocolate biscuits until you get a fine crumb (~1 min), then add the butter and a pinch of salt to taste, and pulse until the mixture starts to look like wet sand.

2. Lightly oil the interior of five 3” cake ring molds.

3. Transfer 2.5 tbsp of the biscuit crumbs to each of the five cake molds, spread the crumbs out and compress firmly with the pusher. Swirl the pusher as you press down to help get an even layer.

4. In a stand mixer with paddle attachment add the cream cheese and mix on low speed until the cream cheese is soft and smooth and then mix in the sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth.

5. Melt the white chocolate with coconut oil in a microwave starting with a 25 second burst, then mix in the coconut oil thoroughly, followed by a 20 second burst, mix thoroughly, and one additional 20 second burst (if needed) to get a smooth melted mixture. Transfer the melted white chocolate to the cream cheese filling and mix in on low speed.

6. Switch the paddle attachment to the whisk attachment and beat in the cold whipping cream until the mixture looks a bit aerated, has formed soft peaks, and is silky smooth.

7. Transfer about 1/2 cup of the cream cheese filling to each mini cheesecake and twist the “pusher” across the top of each to slightly smooth the filling (don’t press down much as you’re not trying to compress the cream cheese filling).

8. Add ~2 tsp of the raspberry puree to the top of each cake and use a chopstick or knife to swirl the puree into the top of each cake.

9. Refrigerate the cakes for 1 hour and then they’re ready to unmold.

10. Use a butter knife inserted in between each mold and cake to push the cakes down and out. It shouldn’t take much effort.

Let me know in the comments if you try this and what you think :)

Lightly smooth the tops with the “pusher”.

Swirl the raspberry puree into the top of the filling.

Refrigerate for 1 hour and unmold. Voila!