Mary Berry’s chocolate chip cheesecake is a no-bake, gelatine-set dessert on a muesli base. Melted dark chocolate and chopped chips run through a cream cheese filling, set in a 20cm (8 in) tin. It serves 8 at 628 calories.
Berry publishes this in Cooking with Mary Berry (2016) with muesli instead of digestive biscuits. The muesli gives a nuttier crunch against the smooth chocolate filling. It’s her only cheesecake without a biscuit base.
The gelatine must dissolve completely before it goes into the chocolate mixture. Berry says to sprinkle it over cold water, leave for 10 minutes until “spongy,” then stand the bowl in hot water until clear. Undissolved gelatine leaves rubbery threads through the filling.
Mary Berry Chocolate Chip Cheesecake
Course: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy8
servings25
minutes628
kcalFrom Cooking with Mary Berry (2016), this gelatine-set cheesecake uses a muesli base and combines melted dark chocolate with chopped chocolate chips in a cream cheese filling.
Ingredients
- For the base:
175g (6 oz) muesli
90g (3 oz) butter, melted
3 tbsp dark brown sugar
- For the cheesecake:
125g (4 oz) dark chocolate, broken into pieces
2 tbsp powdered gelatine
3 tbsp cold water
250g (8 oz) full-fat cream cheese
2 large eggs, separated
50g (2 oz) caster sugar
150ml (5 fl oz) soured cream
30g (1 oz) dark chocolate chips, coarsely chopped
- For decoration:
300ml (10 fl oz) whipping cream, whipped until stiff
Chocolate curls
Directions
- Make the base: Mix together the muesli, melted butter, and sugar. Press evenly over the bottom of the tin. Chill.
- Melt the chocolate: Put the chocolate into a small heatproof bowl over a pan of hot water. Heat gently to melt, stirring occasionally. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Prepare the gelatine: Put 3 tablespoons of cold water into a heatproof bowl and sprinkle the gelatine over the top. Leave for 10 minutes until spongy. Stand the bowl in a pan of hot water and heat gently until the gelatine has dissolved.
- Make the filling: Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the egg yolks and sugar and beat until blended. Stir in the soured cream, melted chocolate, chopped chocolate chips, and dissolved gelatine. Mix well.
- Fold in egg whites: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold carefully into the chocolate mixture until evenly mixed. Pour onto the muesli base and chill until set.
- Serve: Use a knife to loosen the side of the cheesecake from the tin, then remove. Slide onto a serving plate. Pipe rosettes of whipped cream on top and decorate with chocolate curls.
FAQs
Why does Berry use a muesli base instead of biscuits?
Berry chooses muesli for texture contrast. Crushed biscuits give a smooth, buttery base, but muesli keeps its oats, nuts, and dried fruit visible, adding crunch and visual interest. Mixed with dark brown sugar and melted butter, it firms up in the fridge without needing to be baked.
The muesli base is also sturdier than a biscuit one because the oats absorb butter differently. They don’t go soggy under a wet gelatine filling the way fine biscuit crumbs can. Use a standard muesli without added chocolate or yoghurt coating for the best result.
Is this the same as Berry’s chocolate ripple cheesecake?
No, they’re quite different. Berry’s chocolate ripple cheesecake is baked with eggs setting the filling in the oven, while this one is no-bake and uses gelatine. The ripple version marbles chocolate through a plain filling for a two-tone effect. This one mixes the chocolate evenly throughout and adds chopped chocolate chips for texture.
The filling here is also lighter because of the whisked egg whites folded in at the end. Berry’s baked version is dense and rich. This one has a moussey quality that makes it easier to eat larger portions, though Berry’s calorie count of 628 suggests restraint.
Can I use leaf gelatine instead of powdered?
Berry specifies powdered gelatine for this recipe, but you can substitute leaf gelatine. Use about 4 leaves of regular grade (or 2 platinum grade leaves), soaked in cold water for 5 minutes until floppy. Squeeze out the excess water, then dissolve the softened leaves in the warm chocolate mixture.
Berry herself notes in her Baking Bible that “powdered gelatine is easier to use than leaf gelatine” and warns “don’t be tempted to use leaf gelatine if a recipe calls for powdered gelatine, as they are very different quantities.” Follow the conversion on your packet rather than guessing.
Why does this recipe use raw egg whites?
The whisked egg whites give the filling its light, moussey texture. Berry folds them in at the very end so they trap air in the mixture. As the gelatine sets, those air bubbles stay locked in place, creating a filling that’s more airy than her baked cheesecakes.
If you prefer to avoid raw egg whites, you could skip them and the cheesecake will still set. It’ll be denser and richer, closer in texture to Berry’s baked chocolate versions. For food safety, use the freshest eggs possible and keep the cheesecake well chilled.
What chocolate works best for the chips?
Berry uses dark chocolate chips, coarsely chopped. The chopping is important because whole chips can be too uniform. Rough pieces give you variation: some melt slightly into the filling and some stay firm, so you get both smooth chocolate and crunchy bits in each slice.
If you can’t find dark chocolate chips, chop a bar of dark chocolate into small irregular pieces. Aim for roughly pea-sized chunks. Berry uses 30g (1 oz), which seems modest but it’s the right amount: too many chips would make the filling heavy.
How far ahead can I make this cheesecake?
The cheesecake sets fully in a few hours but tastes best after overnight chilling, which lets the muesli base firm completely and the chocolate flavour develop. Once set, it keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days, though add the whipped cream rosettes and chocolate curls just before serving.
The undecorated cheesecake could be frozen, though Berry doesn’t specifically mention freezing for this recipe. If you do freeze it, wrap tightly in cling film and defrost overnight in the fridge. The muesli base may soften slightly after thawing, but the filling holds up well.
