This Black Forest Cheesecake is a delicious no bake combination of cherries and dark chocolate. The buttery biscuit base has dark chocolate pieces throughout, the creamy chocolate filling is packed with juicy kirsch soaked cherries, on top is a silky chocolate ganache, whipped cream, fresh cherries and dark chocolate curls. This is such a divine and grown up dessert option!
This post may contain affiliate links. I earn from qualifying purchases.
Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information
- It is really important to stick to the ingredients and use full fat cream cheese and double cream (a cream with a 48% fat content), both of these ingredients are essential to ensure the no bake cheesecake sets. If you want to make a low fat version, I suggest doing this in small dessert glasses or ramekins as they will not set well enough to be sliced.
- I am based in the UK and I find that Philadelphia cream cheese is the thickest and best quality cream cheese to use for no bake cheesecakes. I have made many cheesecakes with supermarket own brand cream cheeses too, and they have worked great. If you can though, I think it is worth spending a little more for Philadelphia (and no they haven't paid me to say this!)
- I like to use digestive biscuits (Graham crackers if you're in the US) for the base, but you could substitute if for another similar biscuit like Hobnobs.
- You can use either butter or baking spread for the biscuit base, I find that baking spread makes the cheesecake easier to remove from the tin as it doesn't make the base set as solidly.
- You can use any cocoa powder for the cheesecake, of course the better quality it is, the better flavour it will have. Do make sure you are using cocoa powder and not a hot chocolate powder.
- You can find lots of answers to common no bake cheesecake questions on my How To Make A No Bake Cheesecake guide. If you've never made a no bake cheesecake before, I highly recommend reading through my guide first!
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to make Black Forest Cheesecake
To make the biscuit base, whizz the biscuits in a food processor until they become crumbs. Stir in melted butter or baking spread, then stir in the chopped dark chocolate chunks. Press the mixture into the tin until compact and even. Put in the fridge to chill.
For the filling, mix the cream cheese, icing sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla extract together. Then mix in the double cream until the mixture is very thick and holds its shape. Gently mix in the strained kirsch soaked cherries, and the kirsch liquid. Spoon the filling into the tin over the biscuit base and smooth it out. Put in the fridge for at least 4 hours to set. Remove from the tin and place on your serving plate. Make the ganache by melting the dark chocolate and double cream together in the microwave, then smoothing it over the cheesecake. Whip up the double cream, vanilla extract and icing sugar, pipe it around the edge of the cheesecake and decorate with fresh cherries and dark chocolate curls.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
What cherries should you use?
For the filling I used a jar of kirsch soaked black cherries. I drained the liquid off into a bowl, then sliced the cherries in half and mixed them into the filling. I added some of the liquid to the cheesecake mixture too, but this is optional. I used the brand Opies, which is quite commonly available, but there are other brands too.
How do you make sure the cheesecake sets?
When you’re mixing the filling, you want it to get to a stage where you can scoop some up with your spatula or spoon and you have to give it a tap on the side of the bowl or slight flick of the wrist to get the mixture off the spoon. If it’s sloppy and slides right off the spoon without any encouragement needed, then you need to mix it more. Always use an electric mixer for best results. It’s also very important to use full fat cream cheese and double cream (heavy cream), as any low fat versions will affect the setting of the cheesecake. I always set my cheesecake overnight in the fridge, I’d suggest a minimum of 4 hours.
How long does the cheesecake last and can it be frozen?
The cheesecake should be stored in the fridge and will last for 3-4 days. You can freeze the undecorated cheesecake, however you do need to let it set in the fridge first. Setting it in the freezer will affect the texture and it won't be as nice. Once it's set in the fridge, you can remove it from the tin and put the cheesecake in a box or tupperware. You could also slice it up, and freeze in portions. Then you can easily defrost a few slices at a time depending on when you'd like some cheesecake!
How do you remove a no bake cheesecake from the tin?
To see step by step photos and a video showing you how to remove a no bake cheesecake from the tin, as well as the answers to lots of other common no bake cheesecake questions, check out my How to make a No Bake Cheesecake guide!
Can this cheesecake be made gluten free?
Yes! To make this recipe gluten free, swap the biscuits in the biscuit base for gluten free biscuits. I would also recommend that you check the packaging of everything you're using in the recipe in case of cross contamination. And especially if you're serving this to someone with an allergy or intolerance.
More tips for making the Black Forest Cheesecake:
- If fresh cherries aren't available, you could decorate the cheesecake with glace cherries instead.
- If you don't want to make the ganache, you could omit it, or drizzle the cheesecake with melted dark chocolate instead.
Troubleshooting
My number one tip for getting the best results is to read through this whole page of tips and recommendations before starting, and follow the recipe exactly. If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!
Recommended equipment & ingredients
- Mixing bowls
- 23cm Springform tin
- Measuring spoons
- Kitchen scales
- Electric hand mixer
- Piping bags
- Food processor
- Angled palette knife
- Dark chocolate
- Kirsch cherries
I earn a small amount of money if you buy the products after clicking on the links. You will not be charged anything extra for this. Thank you for supporting The Baking Explorer!
More black forest recipes...
Black Forest Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the biscuit base
- 300 g Digestive biscuits crushed
- 135 g Butter or baking spread melted
- 100 g Dark chocolate chopped up
For the cheesecake filling
- 750 g Full fat cream cheese I use Philadelphia
- 125 g Icing sugar
- 40 g Cocoa powder
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 300 ml Double cream
- 230 g Kirsch soaked cherries I used Opies, with the liquid drained and the cherries cut in half
- 2-3 tbsp Kirsch liquid optional, from the cherry jar
For the ganache topping
- 65 g Dark chocolate chopped up
- 65 ml Double cream
For decoration
- 200 ml Double cream
- 1 tbsp Icing sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 16 Fresh cherries
- 3-4 tbsp Dark chocolate curls
Instructions
- To make the base use a food processor to whizz up the biscuits into crumbs, if you don't have a food processor, bash the biscuits gently with a rolling pin in a bowl or freezer bag
- Mix the melted butter into the biscuit crumbs, then stir in the chopped up dark chocolate pieces, press the mixture into the bottom of a 23cm springform tin. Put it in the fridge for 30 minutes to set
- For the cheesecake filling use a food mixer with a whisk attachment or an electric hand whisk to mix together the cream cheese, icing sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla extract until smooth with no lumps
- Add the double cream and whisk until it is very thick and holds it's shape, You want it to get to a stage where you can scoop some up with your spatula or spoon and you have to give it a tap on the side of the bowl or slight flick of the wrist to get the mixture off the spoon. If it’s sloppy and slides right off the spoon without any encouragement needed, then you need to mix it more
- Gently fold in the chopped up kirsch cherries, and the liquid, using a spatula or a spoon
- Smooth the filling into the tin on top of the biscuit base, then put it in the fridge overnight, or for at least 4 hours, to set
- Remove the cheesecake from the tin and put on your serving plate. Smooth the sides with a butter knife to create a neater finish if needed
- Make the ganache by putting the ingredients into a bowl and microwaving for 30 seconds, stir well, then microwave in 10 second blasts, stirring between each one, until it is fully melted and smooth. Pour it over the cheesecake and smooth out if needed. Put the cheesecake back into the fridge for 30 minutes for the ganache to set
- Whip up the double cream with the icing sugar and vanilla, ideally using an electric whisk, and pipe swirls all around the edge of the cheesecake. Decorate with the fresh cherries and dark chocolate curls. To make the chocolate curls I used a vegetable peeler to peel curls from a bar of chocolate
- Serve immediately, store any leftovers in the fridge and eat within 2-3 days
Notes
- It is really important to stick to the ingredients and use full fat cream cheese and double cream (a cream with a 48% fat content), both of these ingredients are essential to ensure the no bake cheesecake sets. If you want to make a low fat version, I suggest doing this in small dessert glasses or ramekins as they will not set well enough to be sliced.
- I am based in the UK and I find that Philadelphia cream cheese is the thickest and best quality cream cheese to use for no bake cheesecakes. I have made many cheesecakes with supermarket own brand cream cheeses too, and they have worked great. If you can though, I think it is worth spending a little more for Philadelphia (and no they haven't paid me to say this!)
- I like to use digestive biscuits (Graham crackers if you're in the US) for the base, but you could substitute if for another similar biscuit like Hobnobs.
- You can use either butter or baking spread for the biscuit base, I find that baking spread makes the cheesecake easier to remove from the tin as it doesn't make the base set as solidly.
- You can use any cocoa powder for the cheesecake, of course the better quality it is, the better flavour it will have. Do make sure you are using cocoa powder and not a hot chocolate powder.
- You can find lots of answers to common no bake cheesecake questions on my How To Make A No Bake Cheesecake guide. If you've never made a no bake cheesecake before, I highly recommend reading through my guide first!
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
Jenny Pearson
Can cherry pie filling be used instead of Kirsh soaked cherries?
thebakingexplorer
You could use tinned cherries, drained of their liquid.