Anna Louise A no bake chocolate cheesecake is one of the most indulgent things you can make without turning the oven on. Rich, dark, intensely chocolatey cream cheese filling on a chocolate biscuit base — set overnight in the fridge to a silky, slightly dense consistency that is somewhere between a mousse and a truffle — topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
Mary Berry’s no bake chocolate cheesecake uses good quality dark chocolate melted into the cream cheese filling to give a depth of chocolate flavour that cocoa powder alone cannot achieve.
The chocolate sets the filling as it cools, working alongside the cream cheese and whipped double cream to give a cheesecake that holds its shape perfectly without gelatine.
This is the cheesecake for serious chocolate lovers — not sweet and mild, but properly dark and intense.
How This Cheesecake Sets Without Gelatine
Like all no-bake cheesecakes on this site, this one sets through the fat content of the cream cheese and the air in the whipped cream, supported by the cocoa butter in the melted chocolate which sets firm when cold.
The three critical requirements are identical to the other no-bake cheesecakes — full-fat cream cheese at room temperature, cold double cream whipped to soft peaks, and overnight refrigeration.
The chocolate adds an additional setting agent — cocoa butter sets firm when cold and gives the chocolate cheesecake an extra firmness that makes it even more reliable to set than a plain version.
Ingredients for Mary Berry No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
For the Chocolate Biscuit Base
- 300g chocolate digestive biscuits, crushed to fine crumbs
- 150g unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
For the Chocolate Filling
- 200g good quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), finely chopped
- 600g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 150g icing sugar, sifted
- 50g good quality cocoa powder, sifted
- 300ml double cream, cold
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
To Decorate
- 150ml double cream, whipped to soft peaks
- Chocolate shavings or curls
- A dusting of cocoa powder
- Fresh raspberries (optional — the sharpness is wonderful against the dark chocolate)
How to Make Mary Berry No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake — Step by Step
Step 1 — Make the Chocolate Biscuit Base
Combine the crushed chocolate digestive biscuits, melted butter, and sifted cocoa powder. Mix until the mixture resembles damp, dark sand and holds together when pressed.
Press very firmly into a 23cm round loose-bottomed springform tin using the base of a flat glass — pay particular attention to the edges. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 2 — Melt the Chocolate
Place the finely chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir gently until completely melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for ten minutes — the chocolate must be warm but not hot when it goes into the cream cheese, or it will cause the filling to seize.
Step 3 — Make the Chocolate Filling
Beat the room-temperature cream cheese and sifted icing sugar together until completely smooth. Add the sifted cocoa powder and vanilla extract. Beat until fully incorporated.
Pour in the warm (not hot) melted chocolate and fold through gently until completely combined and uniformly dark. The mixture will look thick and glossy.
In a separate bowl, whip the cold double cream to soft peaks. Fold into the chocolate cream cheese mixture in two additions — gently, preserving the air. Stop the moment no white streaks remain.
Step 4 — Fill and Set
Spoon the chocolate filling onto the chilled biscuit base. Spread evenly with a palette knife. Smooth the top as much as possible — dip the knife in hot water and wipe dry for the smoothest finish.
Cover loosely with cling film and refrigerate overnight — eight hours minimum, twelve is better.
Step 5 — Remove and Decorate
Run a thin palette knife carefully around the entire edge. Release the springform sides slowly. Slide onto a serving plate.
Pipe or spoon whipped cream around the top edge. Scatter chocolate shavings generously over the surface. Dust with cocoa powder. Add fresh raspberries if using.
My Top Tips For Mary Berry No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
Use 70% dark chocolate. Milk chocolate gives a sweeter, less intense filling — pleasant but not the deeply chocolatey result this recipe aims for. 70% cocoa solids gives the right balance of richness and slight bitterness.
Cool the melted chocolate before adding to cream cheese. If the chocolate is too hot when it goes into the cream cheese, it can cause the filling to seize and become lumpy. Ten minutes of cooling after melting gives the right temperature — warm and fluid but not hot.
Use chocolate digestive biscuits for the base. Plain digestive biscuits work but chocolate digestives give an extra layer of chocolate character to the base that complements the filling beautifully. The cocoa powder added to the crumbs deepens it further.
Full-fat cream cheese at room temperature — as with every no-bake cheesecake on this site. Low-fat cream cheese will not set. Cold cream cheese will not beat smoothly. Full-fat, room temperature, every time.
Refrigerate overnight. The cocoa butter in the chocolate needs time to set completely cold. Eight hours is the minimum — twelve gives a noticeably firmer, cleaner-slicing result.
Serve with fresh raspberries. The sharp, bright flavour of fresh raspberries against the rich, dark chocolate cheesecake is one of the great flavour combinations. Always offer them alongside.
Serving Suggestions
Cold from the fridge, sliced at the table. With fresh raspberries alongside — the sharpness balances the richness beautifully. As a dinner party dessert — it looks genuinely spectacular and is completely made ahead. As a birthday dessert for someone who prefers chocolate to cake.
How to Store Mary Berry No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake
In the fridge: Store covered for up to 4 days. The chocolate filling stays firm and rich throughout.
In the freezer: Freeze without decoration for up to 2 months. Wrap tightly in cling film and foil. Defrost overnight in the fridge and decorate fresh before serving.
Mary Berry No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Combine chocolate digestive crumbs, melted butter, and cocoa. Press very firmly into a 23cm springform tin. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Melt chopped dark chocolate over barely simmering water until smooth. Cool 10 minutes.
- Beat room-temperature cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth. Add cocoa powder and vanilla — beat until incorporated. Fold in warm melted chocolate until uniformly dark.
- Whip cold cream to soft peaks. Fold into chocolate mixture in two additions until just combined.
- Spoon onto base. Spread and smooth. Cover loosely. Refrigerate overnight.
- Release tin. Pipe whipped cream around edge. Scatter chocolate shavings. Dust with cocoa. Add raspberries if using.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use milk chocolate instead of dark?
Yes — milk chocolate gives a sweeter, creamier, less intense filling. Reduce the icing sugar to 100g to compensate for the sweetness. The result is good but quite different from the dark chocolate version.
Can I use cocoa powder only without melted chocolate?
You can but the texture will be less set and the flavour less intense. The melted chocolate adds cocoa butter which sets firm when cold — an important structural element. Use both for the best result.
Why is my chocolate filling grainy?
The melted chocolate was too hot when added to the cream cheese and caused it to seize slightly. Make sure the chocolate has cooled for ten minutes before adding. If already grainy, try warming the bowl gently over hot water while stirring — sometimes the mixture can be rescued.
Can I make this with white chocolate?
Yes — white chocolate gives a completely different, sweet, vanilla-flavoured cheesecake. Use 200g of good quality white chocolate and reduce the icing sugar to 100g. Omit the cocoa powder. The result is pale, sweet, and very good.
Can I add a raspberry swirl?
Yes — blend 100g of fresh raspberries to a purée, sieve, and drizzle over the chocolate filling before smoothing. Drag a skewer through it in a swirl pattern for a beautiful marbled effect.
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