Mary Berry Malteser Cheesecake​ Recipe

Mary Berry Malteser Cheesecake is a classic British dessert featuring a crunchy malted biscuit base. This creamy filling uses malted milk powder, melted chocolate, and crushed Maltesers for a crowd-pleasing weekend treat.

Mary Berry’s approach here is distinctive because she uses a significant amount of malted milk powder to build the base flavour. Most recipes just rely on the chocolate or the sweets themselves, but the powder ensures the whole filling carries that signature honeycomb taste. This makes the finished dish far more interesting than a standard chocolate cheesecake. I’ve found that using the specific malted powder creates a depth that’s impossible to get with just cocoa or sugar.

If you do nothing else, make sure the cream cheese is truly at room temperature before you begin. That’s the difference between a smooth, professional-looking filling and one that’s full of tiny white lumps that won’t go away. I once tried to rush this by using cheese straight from the fridge, and the cold fat just clumped up against the warm chocolate. It’s much better to leave the tubs on the kitchen counter for an hour before you want to start.

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Mary Berry Malteser Cheesecake Ingredients

For the Base

• 250g (9oz) malted milk biscuits, crushed
• 125g (4oz) unsalted butter, melted

For the Cheesecake Filling

• 600g (21oz) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 150g (5oz) icing sugar, sifted
• 75g (2.5oz) malted milk drink powder
• 200ml (7fl oz) double cream
• 150g (5oz) milk chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
• 150g (5oz) Maltesers, roughly chopped

For Decoration

• 100g (3.5oz) Maltesers, whole
• 50g (2oz) milk chocolate, melted for drizzling

How To Make Mary Berry Malteser Cheesecake

1. Prepare the tin: Lightly grease the sides of a 20cm (8in) springform cake tin with a little bit of butter. Cut a circle of greaseproof paper to fit the bottom and press it down so it stays in place. This helps the whole thing slide off the metal base easily when you’re ready to serve it to your guests.
2. Crush the biscuits: Put the malted milk biscuits into a food processor and pulse them until they look like fine sand. If you don’t have a processor, put them in a thick freezer bag and bash them with a rolling pin. Make sure there aren’t any large chunks left, as big pieces will make the base crumble and fall apart when you try to slice it later.
3. Make the base: Melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan over a low heat on the hob. Once it’s liquid, pour it over the biscuit crumbs in a large mixing bowl and stir until every bit of the biscuit is dark and coated in fat. You want the texture to feel like wet seaside sand that holds its shape when you squeeze a bit in your hand.
4. Press the base: Tip the buttery crumbs into your prepared tin and spread them out into an even layer. Use the bottom of a flat glass or a large metal spoon to press down very hard across the entire surface and into the edges. Put the tin into the fridge to chill for at least thirty minutes so the butter can firm up and create a solid foundation.
5. Start the filling: Place the room-temperature cream cheese into a clean mixing bowl along with the sifted icing sugar and the malted milk powder. Beat these together with an electric hand whisk on a medium speed until the mixture is thick, smooth, and has no lumps of sugar or powder left. Don’t over-work the cheese at this stage; you just want it combined and creamy.
6. Whip the cream: Pour the double cream into a separate bowl and whisk it until it reaches soft peaks. This means when you lift the whisk, the cream should stand up but the very tip of the point should curl over gently. It’s vital that you stop whisking the moment it reaches this stage. If the cream becomes too stiff or grainy, it won’t mix into the cheese properly and the texture of the cheesecake will be heavy rather than airy.
7. Melt the chocolate: Break the milk chocolate into small pieces and place them in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water, and stir until smooth. Take it off the heat and let it sit for five minutes so it’s still liquid but not hot enough to melt the cream cheese.
8. Combine the filling: Pour the slightly cooled chocolate into the cream cheese mixture and stir it in quickly using a large metal spoon. Once the chocolate is in, take your whipped cream and gently mix it into the bowl. Use a figure-of-eight motion to keep as much air in the mixture as possible while you bring it all together into a uniform, light brown colour.
9. Add the Maltesers: Take your chopped Maltesers and toss them into the bowl, stirring once or twice just to spread them through the cream. The bits of honeycomb add a lovely crunch, but the smaller dust particles will also start to dissolve and add even more malt flavour to the filling. Stop as soon as they’re mixed in so you don’t lose the volume of the cream.
10. Chill the cheesecake: Take the biscuit base out of the fridge and spoon the filling on top. Use a palette knife or the back of a spoon to level the surface, pushing the mixture right to the edges of the tin so there are no air gaps. Cover the tin with clingfilm and leave it in the fridge for at least six hours, though leaving it overnight is much better for a firm set.
11. Decorate and serve: Run a thin knife around the inside edge of the tin before you release the springform clip to ensure the sides stay smooth. Lift the cheesecake onto a serving plate, then pile the whole Maltesers on top in whatever pattern you like. Finish by drizzling a bit of extra melted chocolate over the sweets so they stay in place and look professional.

Recipe Tips

• Check the cheese temperature. If your cream cheese is even slightly cold, it will cause the melted chocolate to seize and turn into hard little flecks when they meet. Take the cheese out of the fridge at least sixty minutes before you plan to start mixing to ensure everything stays smooth.
• Use the right powder. Ensure you’re using a malted milk drink powder that is meant to be mixed with milk, like Horlicks. Don’t use a chocolate-flavoured version, as the plain malt flavour is what provides that specific taste that makes this recipe work.
• Avoid over-beating the cream. Double cream can go from soft peaks to thick butter in a matter of seconds. Keep a close eye on it and stop as soon as it holds its shape, because the friction from folding it into the cheese will continue to thicken it further.
• Sift your dry ingredients. Icing sugar and malt powder both love to form hard clumps while sitting in the cupboard. Passing them through a fine sieve before they hit the cream cheese is the only way to guarantee you won’t have gritty bits in your finished dessert.
• Press the base firmly. Don’t be afraid to really put some weight behind the spoon when you’re flattening the biscuit layer. If the base is loose, it will crumble into the cream when you try to serve it, making the whole thing look messy on the plate.
• Let the chocolate cool. If you pour boiling hot chocolate into the cheese and cream, it will split the fats and leave you with a puddle of oil. It needs to be just warm enough to pour but cool enough that you can stick a finger in it comfortably.

What To Serve With Malteser Cheesecake

A simple pour of extra double cream or a dollop of thick clotted cream works well here. The malt flavour is quite rich, so having something plain and cold on the side helps to balance out the sweetness of the honeycomb.

If you want some fruit, fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries are the best choice. Their slight tartness cuts through the heavy chocolate and malt, making the whole dessert feel a bit lighter for a summer lunch.

How To Store Malteser Cheesecake

Fridge: Keep the cheesecake in the fridge at all times when you aren’t eating it. Put it in an airtight container or keep it on a plate tightly covered with clingfilm to stop it from picking up other food smells. It will stay fresh and hold its texture for about three days.

Reheat: You should never reheat this dish as the filling relies on being cold to stay solid. If it gets warm, the cream and cheese will soften and the whole thing will lose its shape. Serve it straight from the fridge for the best experience.

Freeze: This cheesecake freezes surprisingly well for up to two months if you wrap it properly. Wrap the whole thing, or individual slices, in a double layer of clingfilm and then a layer of aluminium foil to prevent freezer burn. Thaw it slowly in the fridge overnight before you want to eat it.

Mary Berry Malteser Cheesecake Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 of 12):

• Calories: 540 kcal
• Protein: 7g
• Fat: 39g
• Carbohydrates: 41g
• Sugar: 32g
• Sodium: 310mg

Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.

FAQs

Can I use light cream cheese for the Mary Berry Malteser Cheesecake filling?

No, you really need the full-fat version to ensure the cheesecake sets properly. Low-fat or “light” cream cheese has a higher water content and less structural fat, which will leave you with a runny filling that won’t slice cleanly.

What should I do if my cheesecake base is sticking to the tin?

Make sure you’ve greased the tin well and used greaseproof paper on the bottom before adding the crumbs. If it’s already stuck, wrap a warm, damp cloth around the outside of the tin for a minute to slightly soften the butter in the base, which should help it release.

Why did my Maltesers go soft inside the filling?

The honeycomb centre of the sweets naturally starts to dissolve when it comes into contact with the moisture in the cream cheese. This is why you should only chop them just before adding them to the mix and ensure you don’t over-mix them once they’re in.

Can I make this Mary Berry Malteser Cheesecake without an electric whisk?

Yes, you can do it by hand with a balloon whisk, but it will take a lot of physical effort to get the cheese smooth and the cream to the right peak. An electric whisk is much better for getting the light, airy texture that Mary Berry’s recipes are known for.

Is there a substitute for malted milk biscuits?

If you can’t find malted milk biscuits, chocolate digestives or plain digestive biscuits are the next best thing. You’ll lose a little bit of that extra malty punch in the base, but the filling has enough flavour that it will still taste great.

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry Chocolate Orange Cheesecake​ Recipe
• Mary Berry Mango Cheesecake Recipe​
• Mary Berry Lemon Curd Cheesecake​ Recipe