Anna Louise A white chocolate cheesecake is the most indulgent and luxurious of all the cheesecakes in the no-bake repertoire. Where a lemon cheesecake is bright and sharp and a chocolate cheesecake is bold and dark.
White chocolate gives something altogether more gentle — sweet, rich, creamy, with the distinctive milky, vanilla character that makes good white chocolate so appealing.
Mary Berry’s white chocolate cheesecake uses melted white chocolate folded into the cream cheese filling, which does two things — it sets the filling more firmly than cream cheese and whipped cream alone, and it gives the cheesecake a pure, unmistakably white chocolate flavour throughout every layer.
The decoration — fresh raspberries, a drizzle of white chocolate, and a little lemon zest — cuts through the sweetness beautifully and makes the finished cheesecake look genuinely spectacular.
Why White Chocolate Works So Well in Cheesecake
White chocolate contains cocoa butter — the fat that sets firm when cold. When melted white chocolate is folded into a cream cheese filling, the cocoa butter sets as the cheesecake chills, giving the filling an extra firmness and a cleaner slice than a plain cream cheese version.
The sweetness of the white chocolate means this cheesecake needs slightly less icing sugar than other versions — balance is important. And the vanilla in good quality white chocolate adds a fragrant, warm note that works beautifully with cream cheese.
Always use good quality white chocolate with real cocoa butter — cheap white chocolate compounds give a waxy, artificial flavour. Lindt, Green and Black’s, or any chocolate that lists cocoa butter in the ingredients rather than vegetable fat.
Ingredients for Mary Berry White Chocolate Cheesecake
For the Biscuit Base
- 300g digestive biscuits, crushed to fine crumbs
- 150g unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
For the White Chocolate Filling
- 250g good quality white chocolate, finely chopped
- 600g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 100g icing sugar, sifted
- 300ml double cream, cold
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Juice of ½ lemon
To Decorate
- 150g fresh raspberries
- 50g white chocolate, melted, for drizzling
- Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
- A dusting of icing sugar
How to Make Mary Berry White Chocolate Cheesecake — Step by Step
Step 1 — Make the Biscuit Base
Combine the crushed digestive biscuits, melted butter, and caster sugar. 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 White Chocolate
Place the finely chopped white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir gently until completely melted and smooth. White chocolate is more sensitive to heat than dark — keep the water at a bare simmer and stir gently. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for fifteen minutes. The chocolate must be completely cool before it goes into the cream cheese or it will melt the filling.
Step 3 — Make the Filling
Beat the room-temperature cream cheese and sifted icing sugar together until completely smooth — two minutes with an electric hand whisk. Add the vanilla extract and lemon juice. Beat briefly.
Pour in the cooled melted white chocolate and fold through gently until completely combined and smooth.
In a separate bowl, whip the cold double cream to soft peaks. Fold into the white 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 filling onto the chilled biscuit base. Spread evenly with a palette knife. Smooth the top with a hot palette knife for the most elegant finish.
Cover loosely with cling film and refrigerate overnight — eight hours minimum. The white chocolate filling sets more firmly than a plain cream cheese version and the overnight set gives a cheesecake that slices beautifully.
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.
Arrange fresh raspberries over the top of the cheesecake — the vivid red against the pale, white filling is beautiful. Drizzle the melted white chocolate in thin lines over the raspberries. Scatter lemon zest. Dust lightly with icing sugar.
My Top Tips For Best Mary Berry White Chocolate Cheesecake
Use good quality white chocolate. This is non-negotiable for this recipe. Cheap white chocolate compound melts to something greasy and waxy and gives an artificial flavour. Good quality white chocolate — with cocoa butter in the ingredients — gives a clean, rich, genuinely wonderful flavour.
Cool the white chocolate completely before folding in. White chocolate is more delicate than dark and even slightly warm, it can cause the cream to melt and the filling to become runny. Fifteen minutes of cooling after melting — test it on the back of your wrist — before adding to the cream cheese.
Reduce icing sugar because white chocolate is sweet. This recipe uses 100g of icing sugar rather than the 150g used in the lemon and dark chocolate cheesecakes. White chocolate is significantly sweeter than cocoa-based fillings and the cheesecake needs less additional sugar to be balanced.
Raspberries are the perfect decoration. Their sharpness cuts through the sweetness of the white chocolate filling brilliantly. The colour contrast is beautiful. Always decorate a white chocolate cheesecake with something sharp and vivid.
Refrigerate overnight — always. The white chocolate filling needs the full overnight set. Eight hours minimum. Twelve is better.
Serving Suggestions
Cold from the fridge, sliced at the table. With an extra bowl of fresh raspberries alongside for those who want more. As a dinner party dessert — it looks spectacular, is completely made ahead, and needs no last-minute work.
How to Store Mary Berry White Chocolate Cheesecake
In the fridge: Store covered for up to 3 days. The white chocolate filling stays firm and creamy throughout.
In the freezer: Freeze without the fresh raspberry decoration for up to 2 months. Wrap tightly in cling film and foil. Defrost overnight in the fridge and decorate fresh.
Mary Berry White Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Press biscuit base very firmly into a 23cm springform tin. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Melt white chocolate over barely simmering water — stir gently until smooth. Cool 15 minutes completely.
- Beat room-temperature cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth. Add vanilla and lemon juice. Fold in cooled white chocolate until combined.
- Whip cold cream to soft peaks. Fold into white chocolate mixture in two additions until just combined.
- Spoon onto base. Spread and smooth. Cover loosely. Refrigerate overnight minimum.
- Release tin. Arrange raspberries over top. Drizzle with melted white chocolate. Scatter lemon zest. Dust with icing sugar.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use milk chocolate instead of white?
Yes — see the no-bake chocolate cheesecake recipe on this site for a dark chocolate version. Milk chocolate gives a sweeter, more traditional result. White chocolate gives the specific, distinctive result that makes this recipe what it is.
Why is my white chocolate cheesecake not setting?
Either the white chocolate was still warm when added and melted the cream, low-fat cream cheese was used, or the cream was not whipped to the right consistency. All three are critical — cool chocolate, full-fat cream cheese, soft peaks only.
Can I use white chocolate chips instead of a bar?
White chocolate chips often contain stabilisers that prevent them from melting as smoothly as a good quality bar. Use a bar for the best result.
Can I use strawberries instead of raspberries?
Yes — sliced fresh strawberries work beautifully. Raspberries give a slightly sharper flavour contrast which I prefer but strawberries look equally beautiful.
Can I add raspberry coulis instead of fresh berries?
Yes — pour a smooth, sieved raspberry coulis over the top of the set cheesecake before adding the white chocolate drizzle. It looks beautiful and adds a tangy fruity note throughout every slice.
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