Mary Berry’s white chocolate cheesecake is baked with 300g of white chocolate folded through cream cheese and soured cream. It bakes at 160°C (fan 140°C) for 45 minutes on a chocolate digestive base. It serves 8–10.
Berry publishes this in her Christmas Collection (2013) with a brief headnote. She pairs it with raspberries and cocoa powder, giving the pale filling a striking contrast on the plate.
White chocolate is the technique challenge here. Berry warns it can become “grainy” if overheated, and specifically notes that “Milky Bar does not melt well.” She recommends Lindt Continental White or Green and Black’s instead.
Mary Berry Divine White Chocolate Cheesecake
Course: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy8-10
servings20
minutes45
minutes530
kcalFrom Mary Berry’s Christmas Collection (2013), this rich baked cheesecake pairs white chocolate with full-fat cream cheese and vanilla. Berry’s tip on chocolate brands is unique to this recipe and genuinely useful.
Ingredients
- For the base:
50g (2 oz) butter
150g (5 oz) plain chocolate digestive biscuits, crushed
- For the filling:
300g (10 oz) good-quality white chocolate, broken into pieces
400g (14 oz) full-fat cream cheese
2 eggs
150ml (¼ pint) soured cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
- To serve:
A dusting of cocoa powder
About 225g (8 oz) fresh raspberries
Directions
- Preheat: Set the oven to 160°C (fan 140°C/Gas 3). Grease and line the base of a 20cm (8 in) deep springform cake tin with non-stick paper.
- Make the base: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat. Stir in the crushed biscuits and press evenly over the base of the prepared tin. Chill in the fridge.
- Melt the chocolate: Break the white chocolate into a bowl and melt over a pan of hot water (do not allow the chocolate to become too hot), stirring occasionally with a spoon until runny and smooth.
- Make the filling: Whisk the cream cheese and eggs together in a large bowl or with the electric mixer until smooth, then add the soured cream and vanilla and whisk again until completely smooth with no lumps. Stir in the melted chocolate and mix together. Pour this mixture into the tin and spread evenly over the chilled base.
- Bake: Bake for about 45 minutes until firm around the edge and just set in the middle. Remove from the oven. Run a small palette knife around the edge of the tin, then allow to cool. Chill.
- Serve: Remove the outside ring and lift the base onto a serving plate. Serve dusted with cocoa powder and with a few fresh raspberries.
FAQs
Why does Berry recommend specific white chocolate brands?
Berry names Lindt Continental White and Green and Black’s because white chocolate varies wildly between brands. Cheap white chocolate contains more sugar and vegetable fat than cocoa butter, which makes it seize and turn grainy when melted. Higher quality brands with a good cocoa butter content melt smoothly and fold into the filling without lumps.
Her specific warning about Milky Bar is practical advice you won’t find elsewhere. Milky Bar is one of the most common white chocolates in UK supermarkets, so many home bakers would reach for it first. Berry saves you the disappointment.
How is this different from Berry’s chocolate ripple cheesecake?
Berry’s chocolate ripple cheesecake uses dark chocolate marbled through a plain filling, while this one folds white chocolate uniformly into the mixture. The ripple version has a bold two-tone look, but this cheesecake is consistent throughout, with the white chocolate giving a smoother, creamier sweetness.
The other big difference is soured cream. This recipe includes 150ml in the filling, which the ripple version doesn’t use. That soured cream lightens the texture and adds a slight tang that stops the white chocolate from being too sweet.
Can I freeze this cheesecake?
Berry specifically notes this cheesecake freezes well after step 4 (baked and cooled). Wrap it tightly in the tin before freezing, then defrost overnight in the fridge. The soured cream and cream cheese hold their texture through freezing better than most cheesecakes because the white chocolate acts as a stabiliser when it sets.
This is one of the few Berry cheesecake recipes with an explicit freezing note, which makes it a good choice for Christmas prep. You could bake it up to a month ahead and defrost the day before serving.
Why does Berry use a chocolate digestive base with a white filling?
The dark biscuit base creates a visual contrast with the pale white chocolate filling, and the chocolate flavour complements the vanilla in the filling. It’s a deliberate pairing. Berry could have used plain digestives, but the cocoa in the chocolate version adds depth to what would otherwise be a very sweet cheesecake.
The cocoa powder dusting on top echoes the chocolate base and frames the white filling between two dark layers. With fresh raspberries adding a third colour, the presentation is striking for very little effort.
What does “just set in the middle” mean?
Berry says to bake until “firm around the edge and just set in the middle.” This means the outer ring of the cheesecake should feel solid when you gently press the tin, but the centre should still wobble like a jelly when you give it a gentle shake. It’ll firm up completely as it chills.
I’ve overbaked this once, leaving it until the centre was firm in the oven. The result was dry and slightly grainy. Trust Berry’s instruction and pull it while the middle still moves. The residual heat and overnight chilling do the rest.
Why is this cheesecake in Berry’s Christmas collection?
Berry includes this in her Christmas Collection because it’s a make-ahead dessert that looks impressive with minimal last-minute work. The freezing option means you can bake it weeks before Christmas Day, and the cocoa-and-raspberry presentation suits a festive table without needing any piping or decoration skills.
It also works well as an alternative to the traditional Christmas pudding for guests who prefer something lighter and more modern. Berry knows her audience: the cheesecake sits in the fridge while you deal with the turkey, and it’s ready to slice when you need it.
