Anna Louise Chocolate and orange in a cheesecake is one of those combinations that makes an already wonderful dessert considerably more interesting. The dark chocolate gives richness and depth.
The orange zest gives a vivid, slightly floral brightness that lifts the chocolate and gives the filling a complexity that plain chocolate alone does not have.
This is the cheesecake for Christmas, for a winter dinner party, and for any occasion where something intensely flavoured and deeply indulgent is wanted.
The decoration — dark chocolate ganache drizzled over the set cheesecake, thin orange slices, and a scattering of candied orange peel — makes it look genuinely spectacular.
The method is the same as every no-bake cheesecake on this site. The combination of melted dark chocolate and orange is what makes this version specifically and completely wonderful.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Chocolate Orange Cheesecake
For the Chocolate Biscuit Base
- 300g chocolate digestive biscuits, crushed to fine crumbs
- 150g unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
For the Chocolate Orange Filling
- 200g good quality dark chocolate (70%), finely chopped and melted — cooled to room temperature
- 600g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 100g icing sugar, sifted
- 300ml double cream, cold
- Finely grated zest of 2 large unwaxed oranges
- 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp Grand Marnier or Cointreau (optional — deepens the orange flavour)
For the Chocolate Ganache Drizzle
- 100g good quality dark chocolate (70%), finely chopped
- 100ml double cream
- 1 tbsp golden syrup
To Decorate
- Thin slices of unwaxed orange — halved
- Candied orange peel (optional)
- Extra grated orange zest
- A dusting of cocoa powder
How to Make Mary Berry Chocolate Orange Cheesecake
Step 1 — Make the Chocolate Base
Combine the crushed chocolate digestives, melted butter, and cocoa powder. Press very firmly into a 23cm round loose-bottomed springform tin using the base of a flat glass — particularly firmly at the edges. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 2 — Melt the Chocolate
Melt the finely chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water — stir gently. Remove and leave to cool for fifteen minutes until at room temperature. The chocolate must be completely cool before it goes into the cream cheese.
Step 3 — Make the Filling
Beat the room-temperature cream cheese and icing sugar together until completely smooth. Add the orange zest, orange juice, vanilla extract, and Grand Marnier if using. Beat briefly until combined.
Add the completely cooled melted dark chocolate. Beat until uniformly combined and smooth.
In a separate bowl, whip the cold double cream to soft peaks. Fold into the chocolate orange cream cheese mixture in two additions — gently, stopping the moment no white streaks remain.
Step 4 — Fill and Set
Spoon the filling onto the chilled biscuit base. Spread evenly. Smooth the surface. Cover loosely with cling film and refrigerate overnight — eight hours minimum.
Step 5 — Make the Ganache Drizzle
Heat the cream and golden syrup until just simmering. Pour over the chopped chocolate. Leave two minutes. Stir from the centre until smooth. Leave to cool until slightly thickened — about twenty minutes.
Step 6 — Decorate
Release the springform tin. Slide onto a serving plate. Drizzle the thickened ganache over the top in irregular lines or a zigzag pattern — allowing some to drip over the edge slightly. Arrange thin orange slices around the edge. Scatter candied orange peel and orange zest. Dust lightly with cocoa powder.
My Top Tips
Use both orange zest and juice. The zest gives fragrance — the essential oils that give the specific, vivid orange character. The juice gives acidity and brightness. Both together give a more complete orange flavour than either alone.
Cool the chocolate completely before adding to the cream cheese. Warm dark chocolate added to cream cheese and whipped cream can partially melt the cream and give a soft, slightly runny filling. Fifteen minutes of cooling after melting is the minimum.
The chocolate digestive base with cocoa is the right base. The extra cocoa deepens the chocolate character of the base and gives a coherent, all-chocolate flavour from base to filling. A plain digestive base is too neutral for this intensely flavoured filling.
Grand Marnier deepens the orange flavour significantly. One tablespoon — added with the orange juice — gives an additional complexity and warmth to the orange flavour without the cheesecake tasting of liqueur. It is optional but excellent.
The ganache drizzle must be slightly thickened before drizzling. Ganache that is too thin runs off the cheesecake in a liquid pool rather than drizzling in attractive lines. Twenty minutes of cooling after making gives the right consistency.
Serving Suggestions
Cold from the fridge at a Christmas dinner party — it looks genuinely spectacular. With extra thin orange slices alongside. As a celebration dessert for any occasion where chocolate orange is the right flavour — which is most occasions in winter.
How to Store
In the fridge: Store covered for up to 3 days. The chocolate orange flavour becomes slightly more pronounced on the second day.
In the freezer: Freeze without the ganache drizzle and fresh orange decoration for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and decorate fresh.
Try These Recipes
- Mary Berry Carrot Cake Muffins
- Mary Berry Lemon And Lime Cheesecake
- Mary Berry Apple And Almond Cake
- Mary Berry 3 Layer Victoria Sponge
Mary Berry Chocolate Orange Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Combine crushed chocolate digestives, melted butter, and cocoa. Press very firmly into a 23cm springform tin. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Melt dark chocolate over barely simmering water. Cool completely — 15 minutes minimum.
- Beat room-temperature cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth. Add orange zest, juice, vanilla, and Grand Marnier if using — beat briefly. Add cooled chocolate — beat until uniformly combined.
- Whip cold cream to soft peaks. Fold into chocolate orange mixture in two additions — gently until just combined.
- Spoon onto base. Spread evenly. Smooth surface. Cover loosely. Refrigerate overnight.
- Make ganache: heat cream and syrup to simmering — pour over chopped chocolate. Stand 2 minutes. Stir smooth. Cool 20 minutes until slightly thickened. Release tin. Drizzle ganache. Arrange orange slices. Scatter zest and candied peel. Dust with cocoa.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use milk chocolate instead of dark?
Milk chocolate gives a sweeter, less intense result. Reduce the icing sugar to 75g to compensate. Dark chocolate gives the depth and slight bitterness that makes the orange flavour pop — it is the better choice.
Can I use blood orange instead of regular orange?
Yes — blood orange zest and juice give a more vivid, slightly more complex flavour and a beautiful natural colour in the filling. In season from December to March — perfect for a Christmas cheesecake.
Can I add a Terry’s Chocolate Orange to this recipe?
Yes — 150g of Terry’s Chocolate Orange (dark) melted and used as part of the 200g of dark chocolate gives a slightly more pronounced, slightly more familiar chocolate orange character.
Why is my filling too soft?
The chocolate was still warm when added and partially melted the cream, or the double cream was not whipped to proper soft peaks. Both are critical — cool chocolate and properly whipped cream give a correctly set filling.
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