We’ve had our wood-fired kitchen range off for the past few sunny days as we’ve been having barbecues in the garden each evening. So I was looking for a no-bake cake to make for this week’s Cakes & Bakes recipe.
I found a great chilled marble chocolate cheesecake recipe in Mary Berry’s At Home cookbook. I’ve rechristened it white and dark chocolate cheesecake. I hope you don’t mind, Mrs Berry!
The cheese and double cream were whipped together. Next, the vanilla extract and white chocolate (which I melted over a bowl of water that I boiled in the kettle) were added. I got Justin to do the melted dark chocolate marbling stage – he has a much better technique than me!
It was then chilled in the fridge for a few hours – no cooking required. After that, I went right round the edge with a hot knife so that it slipped out of its loose-bottomed tin. If you stand the base of the tin on top of a can (of beans, for example) it makes this stage much easier.
The cheesecake was creamy and airy, light as a cloud. Not over-sweet or sickly as there was no added sugar. Another successful cheesecake creation!
Save this white and dark chocolate cheesecake recipe to Pinterest
- 100g/oz dark chocolate digestive biscuits, crushed
- 50g/oz butter, melted
- 200g/oz Belgian white chocolate, chopped
- 300ml/fl oz double cream
- 300g/oz full-fat cream cheese
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 100g/oz dark chocolate
- Line the base of a 20cm/8in round, deep spring-form tin with a circle of baking parchment
- To make the base, mix the crushed biscuits with the melted butter and press into the base of the tin. Level using the back of a spoon
- To make the filling, put the chopped white chocolate in to a bowl and sit over a pan of just hot water. Leave to melt (but don't allow it to get too hot), stirring occasionally, then set aside to cool a little
- Reserve 3 tablespoons of the double cream
- Pour the remainder into a large bowl, then add the cream cheese and vanilla. Whisk, using an electric hand whisk, until smooth
- Add the melted white chocolate and whisk again until smooth and thick
- Spoon about 6 tablespoons of the white chocolate filling into a mixing bowl
- Spoon the remaining mixture into the tin and smooth over the top
- Chill for 30 minutes
- Add the reserved double cream to the reserved white chocolate mixture and mix together until smooth. Spoon over the set mixture in the tin
- Melt the dark chocolate as before and then drizzle over the top of the cheesecake and use the blade of a knife or skewer to swirl the toppings together
- Chill for a minimum of 2 hours, turn out and cut into wedges to serve
Cakes & Bakes: No-bake Nutella cheesecake
I’ve been pining for my stove and oven; there’s been no home-made bread, cakes or biscuits for almost 2 months.
Consequently, when I came across Nigella’s no-bake Nutella cheesecake recipe, I knew it was the one to make for this week’s Cakes & Bakes recipe.
I’ve not unpacked many of my kitchen appliances – just the yoghurt maker, toaster, microwave and slow-cooker. I had to grind my digestive biscuits with a pestle & mortar; they did a ‘fine’ job!
Surprisingly, Nutella is something that, we only discovered today, neither of us remembers ever buying or tasting before. What’s wrong with us? What a treat we’ve been missing out on!
Even without the aid of electrical appliances to do all the hard work, this recipe was quick and simple to prepare. And it’s just so delicious and morish… definitely one that will be made again & again.
Click here to save the recipe to Pinterest
- 250g/8¾oz digestive biscuits
- 75g/2⅔oz soft unsalted butter
- 1 x 400g jar Nutella (at room temperature)
- 100g/3½oz chopped toasted hazelnuts
- 500g/17⅔oz cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 60g/2oz icing sugar (sifted)
- Break the digestive biscuits into the bowl of a processor, add the butter and a 15ml tablespoon of Nutella and blitz until it begins to clump
- Add 25g/3 tablespoons of the hazelnuts and continue to pulse until you have a damp, sandy mixture
- Tip into a 23cm/9" round spring-form cake tin and press into the base either using your hands or the back of a spoon. Place in the fridge to chill.
- Beat the cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth and then add the remaining Nutella to the cream cheese mixture. Continue beating until combined
- Take the spring-form out of the fridge and carefully smooth the Nutella mixture over the base
- Scatter the remaining chopped hazelnuts on top to cover and place the tin in the fridge for at least four hours or overnight
- Serve straight from the fridge for best results
Cakes & Bakes: Pan de Higo
After the Christmas period we always have a load of festive food that remains to be consumed; dates, dried figs, nuts, cheese and alcohol. Pan de higo, a Spanish cake that requires no eggs, flour or baking is a great way to make use of some of these ingredients. It’s traditionally made with figs, almonds, brandy and spices and is an excellent accompaniment to cheese & biscuits – especially Manchego, a Spanish cheese made with ewes’ milk – and a little glass of fino sherry!
Pan de Higo
Ingredients
- 250 g dried figs
- 60 g flaked almonds
- 3 or 4 anise seeds
- 1 tbs sesame seeds
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ⅛tsp all spice
- 1 tbs honey
- 1 tbs brandy
Instructions
- put the flaked almonds on a shallow tray and cook for about 5 minutes until lightly toasted, shaking once or twice during that time to ensure they're evenly done. Allow to cool
- put the dried figs into a food processor and pulse a few times
- grind the anise seeds with a pestle & mortar
- add the ground anise seeds, sesame seeds, cinnamon, all spice, honey, brandy and half the almonds to the dried figs and pulse again until blended
- using a spatula, fold in the other half of the almonds until they are evenly distributed into the mix
- line a 10cm springform mini cake tin with cling film (Saran wrap) before adding the mix (I used a couple of Le Creuset heart ramekins)
- press down firmly compressing the mix as much as possible
- cover the top with cling film and leave for a few days before eating to allow the flavours to infuse
- Turn out onto a cheese board or plate and serve
