You are in for a showstopping treat with this no bake Chocolate Fingers Cheesecake! It's a creamy vanilla no bake cheesecake surrounded by chocolate fingers biscuits. Underneath is a buttery biscuit base, and on top is a divine milk chocolate ganache, whipped cream and more chocolate fingers to decorate. This is such a fun and crowd pleasing dessert, it's simple to make, plus it can be made in advance.
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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.
- I used milk chocolate for the ganache topping, dark chocolate will also work very well.
- 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 Chocolate Fingers Cheesecake
To make the biscuit base, whizz the digestive biscuits in a food processor until they become crumbs. Add the melted butter or baking spread and mix it in, arrange the chocolate fingers around the edge of the tin, using the biscuit mixture to assist you if needed. Once all of the chocolate fingers are around the edge, press the biscuit mixture down until compact and even. Put in the fridge to set.
For the filling, mix the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla extract together. Then mix in the double cream until the mixture is very thick and holds its shape.
Spoon the filling into the tin over the biscuit base and smooth it out. Put in the fridge for 4 hours to set. Remove from the tin and set onto a serving plate. To make the ganache, put the milk chocolate and double cream into a bowl and melt together, pour over the cheesecake and put in the fridge to set. Whip up the double cream, vanilla extract and icing sugar, pipe it around the edge of the cheesecake and decorate with broken up chocolate fingers and grated chocolate.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
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. This should only take a couple of minutes, so do be careful not to over mix. Always use an electric mixer for best results. If you have issues with this method, you can whip the double cream up separately and fold it into the other ingredients. 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! It is a little trickier with the chocolate fingers around the edge, a cake lifter helps a lot, and don't worry if a chocolate finger or two fall off, you can easily stick them back on.
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. You will also need to use gluten free chocolate fingers, such as Schar's Chocolate Fingers. 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.
Can you use mascarpone instead of cream cheese?
Yes, you can swap the full fat cream cheese for full fat mascarpone cheese. I prefer using cream cheese as it has that slight 'tang' that you expect from a cheesecake. I find mascarpone to be much creamier and a little too rich. But, if you prefer it then you can absolutely use it instead!
More tips for making the Chocolate Fingers Cheesecake:
- If you'd prefer a chocolate cheesecake filling, add 40g cocoa powder to the cheesecake mixture.
- You can use any of the Cadbury Chocolate Fingers varieties for this recipe, such as the white chocolate or orange ones.
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
- Measuring spoons
- 23cm Springform tin
- Kitchen scales
- Electric hand mixer
- Food processor
- Piping bags
- Angled palette knife
- Cake lifter
- Cadbury Chocolate Fingers
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Chocolate Fingers Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the biscuit base and edges
- 300 g Digestive biscuits crushed
- 135 g Butter or baking spread melted
- 366 g Chocolate fingers I used 61 Cadbury Chocolate Fingers
For the cheesecake filling
- 750 g Full fat cream cheese I used Philadelphia
- 125 g Icing sugar
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 300 ml Double cream
For the ganache
- 100 g Milk chocolate
- 80 g Double cream
For decoration
- 200 ml Double cream
- ½ tbsp Icing sugar
- ½ tsp Vanilla extract
- 4 Cadbury Chocolate Fingers broken in half
- Milk 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 (or baking spread) into the biscuit crumbs. Arrange the chocolate fingers around the edge of a 23cm springform tin. You can use the biscuit base to help keep them in place as you go. Once all the chocolate fingers are in place, press the biscuit base down until it is compact and even. 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, vanilla extract and icing sugar 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
- Smooth the filling into the tin on top of the biscuit base, ideally using a palette knife, 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. 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 halved chocolate fingers and the 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.
- I used milk chocolate for the ganache topping, dark chocolate will also work very well.
- 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.
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