White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake

This White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake is absolutely and incredibly gorgeous. A bit of a fanfare but so well deserved here. It is creamy with white chocolate and sweet cream cheese, studded with raspberries and supported deliciously by a custard cream biscuit base. The whole thing just works baby.

I would never choose white chocolate over milk or dark. My children feel differently but I have always found it a little too sickly.

However here it is just the most perfect backdrop to bright bursts of raspberries and mellow custard cream base.

What's more it is make ahead and I find it just as good two days after I have made it.

The easiness with which it all comes together is another big bonus. There is nothing technical about it at all. Nada.

You will be a kitchen hero.

 Recipe

You will need a 8" dish, the loose bottomed spring release ones are the easiest to use because you can get the cheesecake out all in one. But a standard dish will be fine just getting the first slice out may be a bit fiddly.

The ingredients require no more than a bit of bashing, melting and whisking.

Ingredients

340 grams (12 oz) Full Fat Cream Cheese - the reduced fat will not get the filling thick enough.

50 grams (.76 oz) Icing Sugar - Fine enough to keep the filling smooth.

1 tsp Vanilla Extract - better than vanilla paste as it does not have back flecks in it.

300 mls Double Cream - Heavy Cream for the Americans amongst you.

200 grams (7oz) White Chocolate - White cooking chocolate is best as it melts more smoothly. The best quality that you can.

150 grams (5.3 oz) Raspberries  - not too ripe so as not to bleed lots in the filling.

70 grams Butter (2.5oz) - unsalted. Baking spread or low fat butter or spread is not advisable as they contain more water.

200 grams Custard Cream Biscuits (7 oz) - Vanilla Biscuits for the Americans amongst you.

2 tbsp Freeze Dried Raspberries for decoration - not essential but delicious and very pretty.

20 grams white chocolate (0.7 oz) for drizzling and decoration

I love the custard cream biscuits here as I feel they are a perfect backdrop to the mellow flavours of the cheesecake filling.

I use freeze dried raspberries to decorate and give a final burst of flavour along with a flourish of melted white chocolate. I had never used anything freeze dried before but they really are perfect little bursts of raspberry flavour.

You could leave it completely alone too and serve it naked. I kind of like the contemporary plainness of it.

Scroll down for the recipe card below if you don't need the step by step instructions and photos.

Method

STEP 1 - Making the Biscuit Base

• I use a food processor here as I am all about the shortcuts but if you want to crush up the biscuits by hand then put the biscuits in a freezer bag and crush with a rolling pin. Otherwise blitz the hell out of them and add the butter.
• Tip the sandy rubble into your serving dish/tin. I use a spring release loose bottomed 8 " tin. I think this produces the perfect depth to the cheesecake.
• Chill for 30 minutes in the fridge or 10 minutes in the freezer.

STEP 2 - Whipping Up the Cheesecake Filling

• Melt your white chocolate in 20 seconds bursts in the microwave. I have found that the middle range quality of white chocolate works best for melting. So I use Belgian White Cooking Chocolate. Set it aside to cool.
• In a large mixing bowl or free standing mixer put your cream cheese, vanilla extract and icing sugar. Whisk until mixed well together. Add the double cream and whisk together until really thick.

• Tip in the cooled white chocolate and whisk again until mixed all the way through.
• Chop up your raspberries and fold through the cheesecake filling.

• Tip onto the biscuit base and use a spatula to evenly spread it. Press down to ensure you don't have any air pockets.
• Chill for at least 5-6 hours or overnight.

STEP 3 - Decorating the Cheesecake

• I simply scatter the freeze dried raspberries over the top and drizzle a little more melted white chocolate over. The result is understated but fancy pants.
• Chill until you are ready to serve.

Tips and Tricks

• Use a 8" loose bottomed and spring release tin
• Freeze your biscuit base for 10 minutes rather than 30 minutes in the fridge if you're in a rush
• Buy quality white cooking chocolate.
• Drizzle the white chocolate over the cheesecake with a tea spoon
• Store left overs in the fridge covered. This cheesecake lasts well for 3 days.

Storing and Freezing.

• You can freeze these no bake cheesecakes whole. Simply double wrap in clingfilm and then silver foil in your tin. Defrost at room temperature for a few hours.
• You can exactly the same for slices. They will take less time to thaw

Here are some more of my delicious no bake cheesecakes. I love them all deeply...

No Bake Lemon Cheesecake

No Bake Caramel Cheesecake

Nutella Cheesecake

No Bake Lime Cheesecake