Mary Berry White Chocolate Cheesecake​ Recipe

Mary Berry White Chocolate Cheesecake is a classic British dessert that’s perfect for a special dinner. This creamy treat combines buttery digestive biscuits with smooth white chocolate, rich cream cheese, and fresh double cream.

I’ve tried a few versions of white chocolate cheesecake and this one from Mary Berry is the one I keep going back to because it actually sets properly every time. Most recipes for no-bake cakes like this can end up a bit floppy or loose when you slice them. This version uses the right balance of fats to make sure each wedge stays sharp and tidy on the plate.

The first time I made this, I rushed the chocolate cooling part and ended up with tiny grainy lumps in my filling. Now I always let the melted chocolate sit on the side until it’s just barely warm to the touch before I mix it in. If it’s too hot, it reacts with the cold cheese and seizes up, but if it’s too cold, it won’t blend smoothly. It’s a small window but getting it right makes the texture like velvet.

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Mary Berry White Chocolate Cheesecake Ingredients

For the Base

• 200g (7oz) digestive biscuits
• 75g (3oz) unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling

• 200g (7oz) good quality white chocolate, broken into pieces
• 450g (1lb) full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 75g (3oz) icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 300ml (10fl oz) double cream
• Salt and pepper, to taste (omit for this sweet dish)

For the Topping

• 150g (5oz) fresh raspberries or strawberries
• 25g (1oz) white chocolate, for shavings

How To Make Mary Berry White Chocolate Cheesecake

1. Prepare the tin: Lightly grease the sides of a 20cm (8-inch) loose-bottomed springform tin and line the base with greaseproof paper. This makes it much easier to slide the cake onto a serving plate later without the biscuit base sticking or crumbling.
2. Melt the chocolate: Place the chocolate pieces in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Stir occasionally until the mixture is completely smooth, then lift the bowl off the heat and let it cool for about 10 minutes.
3. Make the biscuit base: Blitz the biscuits in a food processor until they’re fine crumbs or bash them in a freezer bag with a rolling pin. You want a consistent sandy texture so the base doesn’t have any large chunks that might cause it to crack when you cut a slice.
4. Combine the base: Mix the melted butter into the crumbs until they’re all dark and coated. Tip the mixture into your prepared tin and use the back of a large metal spoon to press it down into a firm, even layer.
5. Chill the base: Pop the tin into the fridge for at least 30 minutes while you get on with the filling. Chilling the butter makes the base solid enough to hold the weight of the cheese mixture without absorbing too much moisture.
6. Beat the cream cheese: Put the room temperature cream cheese, icing sugar, and vanilla into a large bowl and beat them together until the mixture is light. It’s much easier to get the lumps out of the cheese before you add any other liquids to the bowl.
7. Add the chocolate: Pour the cooled, melted chocolate into the cream cheese and beat again until it’s all one pale, smooth colour. If the chocolate is still quite runny, don’t worry, as it’ll firm up once it hits the fridge later.
8. Whip the double cream: In a separate bowl, whisk the double cream until it reaches soft peaks. You’re looking for the point where the cream holds its shape but the very tip of the peak flopped over when you lift the whisk. Don’t over-whisk the cream into stiff peaks or it’ll make the final cheesecake taste oily and heavy rather than light and airy.
9. Mix the filling: Gently mix the whipped cream into the chocolate cheese mixture using a large metal spoon. Use a slow figure-of-eight motion to keep as much air in the cream as possible, which gives the cake its mousse-like texture.
10. Assemble the cheesecake: Spoon the filling over the chilled base and spread it right to the edges. Use a palette knife or the back of a spoon to level the top so it’s flat and smooth.
11. Chill and set: Leave the cheesecake in the fridge for at least 6 hours, though overnight is even better. This time is vital because the white chocolate needs to fully firm up to give the cake its structural strength.
12. Garnish and serve: Run a thin knife around the inside edge of the tin before uncliping the sides. Pile the fresh berries in the centre and use a vegetable peeler to create chocolate shavings over the top before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Check the cheese. Always use full-fat cream cheese for this because the lower fat versions have a higher water content and won’t set firmly. If you try to use a “light” version, you’ll end up with a dessert that needs to be eaten with a spoon from a bowl.
• Watch the heat. When melting your white chocolate, make sure the bottom of the bowl isn’t touching the simmering water. White chocolate burns much faster than dark or milk versions, and if it gets too hot, it’ll go grainy and thick.
• Temperature matters. Take your cream cheese out of the fridge an hour before you start. If the cheese is fridge-cold when you add the melted chocolate, the chocolate will instantly turn into hard little beads instead of blending into a smooth cream.
• Sieve the sugar. Icing sugar often has stubborn little clumps that don’t disappear when you beat the cheese. Give it a quick shake through a sieve as you add it to the bowl to ensure the filling is perfectly smooth.
• Clean cuts. For the tidiest slices, dip a sharp knife into a jug of hot water and wipe it dry between every single cut. The heat helps the blade glide through the chilled chocolate fat without dragging the filling into the biscuit layer.
• Biscuit choices. While digestives are the standard, you can swap them for ginger nuts if you want a bit of spice. Just keep the butter measurements the same so the base stays together when you move it from the tin.

What To Serve With White Chocolate Cheesecake

A handful of tart raspberries or some sliced passion fruit helps balance the sweetness of the white chocolate. The acidity from the fruit makes the whole dessert feel much lighter and less cloying.

If you’re serving this for a dinner party, a pouring of single cream or a small dollop of Greek yoghurt works well. Some people like a sharp coulis drizzled over the top to give the plate a bit of extra colour.

How To Store White Chocolate Cheesecake

Fridge: Keep the cake in the fridge at all times, ideally in a sealed container or covered loosely with clingfilm. It’ll stay fresh and hold its texture for up to 3 days.

Reheat: This is a no-bake chilled dessert, so you shouldn’t reheat it at all. If it gets too warm, the fats will soften and the cake will lose its shape, so only take it out of the fridge when you’re ready to eat.

Freeze: You can freeze this cheesecake for up to a month if you wrap it tightly in a double layer of clingfilm and foil. Thaw it slowly in the fridge for several hours before you plan to serve it so the texture stays creamy.

Mary Berry White Chocolate Cheesecake Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 of 10):

• Calories: 485 kcal
• Protein: 6g
• Fat: 38g
• Carbohydrates: 31g
• Sugar: 22g
• Sodium: 310mg

Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.

FAQs

Why is my Mary Berry White Chocolate Cheesecake still soft after chilling?

This usually happens if you used a low-fat cream cheese or didn’t whip the double cream enough before mixing it in. If it’s still quite wobbly after six hours, give it a full 24 hours in the fridge to see if the chocolate sets the base.

Can I use milk chocolate instead of white?

Yes, you can swap the chocolate types, but keep in mind that milk chocolate is softer than white chocolate once set. You might find the cake is a little bit more delicate, so keep it very cold until the moment you want to slice it.

How do I stop the biscuit base from crumbling?

The trick is to press the buttery crumbs down very firmly with the back of a spoon until they’re packed tight. If you just spread them loosely, the base won’t have the strength to stay together when you lift a slice out.

Can I make this Mary Berry White Chocolate Cheesecake a day ahead?

This is actually the best way to do it because it gives the filling plenty of time to firm up completely. Making it the day before also means the biscuit base has time to soften just slightly so it’s easier to cut.

Can I use a different tin if I don’t have a springform one?

You can use a loose-bottomed tart tin, but it’s much harder to get the cake out without damaging the sides. If you have no other choice, line the entire tin with clingfilm first so you can use the overhanging edges to lift the cake out.

Try More Recipes:

• Mary Berry Lemon And Lime​ Cheesecake Recipe
• Mary Berry No Bake​ Strawberry Cheesecake
• Mary Berry No Bake​ Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe