Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake

By Trish Rapley - 13th September 2024

Serves 10-12 people

Indulge in this delightful combination of rich raspberry and creamy white chocolate in this exquisite cheesecake.

The velvety texture of the cheesecake is perfectly balanced by the tartness of raspberries, creating a harmonious flavour experience. Topped with a luscious raspberry sauce and garnished with fresh raspberries, this dessert is not only a feast for the taste but also a visual treat.

Perfect for any special occasion or as a sweet ending to a meal, this raspberry white chocolate cheesecake is sure to impress.

For the Crust:

350g scotch finger biscuits

150g unsalted butter, melted

For the Cheesecake Filling:

675g cream cheese - room temperature

⅔ cup sugar

300ml thickened cream

½ cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

250g white chocolate - melted

1 lemon - for zest

For the Puree:

2 punnets raspberries

2 tablespoons of sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice or half a lemon squeezed

For Decoration:

1 punnet fresh raspberries

White chocolate block - for shavings

NOTES

For the crust, I use an Easy Glide Fondant Smoother to get that even height all over.

Before I whip the thickened cream, I place

my mixing bowl in the freezer. It helps whip it up well but firm too!

Once it is beaten I again place it back into the freezer until I am ready to fold it into my mixture.

I use Cadbury Chocolate being Australian it's the best product for quality but any of your favourite brands of chocolate will be fine to use.

Either blend or crush your strawberries then put them through a strainer to remove pulp and seeds for the strawberry sauce.

I always prefer stovetops over microwaves. You can see what's going on! There's nothing worse than overcooking or burning ingredients.

With the puree/sauce, you can make this hour or even days before. This method also increases the thickness of the puree/sauce but also prevents it from being too warm when you add it to the cheesecake filling or on top!

Method:

Prepare the Crust:

Line a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan or round tin with parchment paper on the bottom and the sides.
Place the scotch finger biscuits in a food processor until finely crushed.
Either in the microwave or on a stovetop melt the butter.
Pour the crushed biscuits into a medium mixing bowl, add butter, and combine well.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and press the mixture over the base evenly.
Place in the fridge to set.

Prepare the Raspberry Puree:

Puree the raspberries in a food processor and press them through a fine-mesh sieve to remove their seeds.
Whisk in the sugar and lemon juice, whisking until the sugar dissolves.
Adjust the sweetness to the desired amount by adding additional sugar.
Set aside and allow to cool completely.

Prepare the Chocolate Filling:

Finely chop the chocolate and place it into a heatproof or glass jug or bowl.
Place in a small saucepan and heat until all the chocolate is melted - ensuring you stir it and don't leave it.
Once melted set aside to cool slightly.

Prepare the Cheesecake Filling:

In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer or kitchen master whip the cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
Add granulated sugar and beat until well combined.
Add the sour cream and lemon zest, and beat until well combined.
Mix in the cooled melted chocolate until smooth - this is done over medium speed to ensure the cream cheese isn't overbeaten.
In a separate mixing bowl add the vanilla essence and cream whipping well until thickened using a hand mixer - remembering the cream needs to be firm but not over-whipped.
Combine the fresh thickened cream mixture with the cream cheese filling by folding it in, not stirring. Stirring it will remove the thickness from the cream cheese.

Assemble the Cheesecake:

Remove the crust from the fridge.
Pour the cheesecake filling into the baking tin and tap on the bench to help level it out.
Pour the puree over the top smoothing it out and to the edges.
Place in the fridge either for 6-8 hours or overnight to set.