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Mary Berry No Bake Vanilla Cheesecake Recipe

Mary Berry No Bake Vanilla Cheesecake Recipe

Mary Berry's no bake vanilla cheesecake is pure, creamy, and sets perfectly overnight — the most elegant and versatile cheesecake of all.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Setting Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 10 Slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Calories: 475
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Biscuit Base:
  • 300 g digestive biscuits crushed
  • 150 g unsalted butter melted
  • 1 tbsp caster sugar
  • Vanilla Filling:
  • 600 g full-fat cream cheese room temperature
  • 150 g icing sugar sifted
  • 300 ml double cream cold
  • 2 tsp good quality vanilla extract
  • ½ vanilla pod seeds scraped (optional)
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Decoration:
  • Fresh fruit icing sugar, honey — or serve plain

Method
 

  1. Press biscuit base very firmly into a 23cm springform tin using a flat glass. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
  2. Beat room-temperature cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth. Add vanilla extract, pod seeds if using, and lemon juice. Beat briefly. Taste — vanilla should be clearly fragrant. Add more extract if needed.
  3. Whip cold cream to soft peaks in a separate bowl. Fold into cream cheese mixture in two additions — gently, stop the moment no white streaks remain.
  4. Spoon onto chilled base. Spread evenly. Smooth surface with a hot palette knife. Cover loosely. Refrigerate overnight.
  5. Release tin. Decorate as desired — or leave plain. Serve.

Notes

Use 2 tsp good vanilla extract plus pod seeds — vanilla is the whole point of this cheesecake, use enough of it.
Taste the mixture before adding cream — adjust vanilla level now.
The lemon juice is not optional — it brightens and balances without tasting of lemon.
Refrigerate overnight — 8 hours minimum, 12 is better.
Press base very firmly — particularly around the edges.
Freeze without decoration for up to 2 months.
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