Also known by a more raunchy name, the Passion Fruit Martini is the most popular cocktail in the UK. It's a vanilla vodka cocktail with passion fruit juice, Passoa (a passion fruit liqueur), and lime juice. It's also commonly served with a shot of prosecco. I do love turning cocktails into desserts, and I've been planning this Passion Fruit Martini Cheesecake for a while! The cheesecake is infused with lime, passion fruit juice, vanilla and passoa. Then I've drenched it in a zingy and sweet passion fruit and passoa syrup - it really is the best part of this cheesecake! But what about the shot of prosecco? Well, I'm serving the Passion Fruit Martini Cheesecake with a sprinkle of popping candy for a bit of fizz!
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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.
- If you want to make this cheesecake alcohol free, just omit the Passoa.
- If you're not a fan of the seeds in passion fruit, you can strain them out of the syrup using a sieve.
- For a shortcut option, you could use a ready made passion fruit syrup or sauce to pour over the cheesecake!
- 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 Passion Fruit Martini Cheesecake
Passion fruits are best and sweetest when they go all wrinkly like in the photo above, this can take 3-5 days so buy them in advance. To make the passion fruit syrup, use the passion fruit flesh and seeds, sugar and water. If you don't like the seeds, you can strain them out. Put them into a pan and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool, then stir in the Passoa.
To make the cheesecale base, use a food processor to whizz up the biscuits into crumbs. Mix in the melted butter and press the mixture into the bottom of a 23cm springform tin. Put it in the fridge for 30 minutes. For the cheesecake filling, use an electric mixer to mix together the cream cheese and icing sugar. Once it is smooth with no lumps, add the passion fruit juice, vanilla extract, lime juice and zest and passoa. Then add the double cream and whisk until it is very thick and holds it’s shape. Then smooth the mixture into the tin on top of the biscuit base and put it in the fridge overnight to set. When ready to serve, pour over the syrup.
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. 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 juice a passion fruit?
To extract the juice from the passion fruits, cut the passion fruit in half and scoop the seeds and flesh out. Put into a fine sieve over a bowl and use a spoon to press on the seeds, the juice will seep out into the bowl. 1 passion fruit is about 1 tbsp juice.
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.
Troubleshooting
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 and Ingredients
- 23cm Springform tin
- Electric hand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Angled palette knife
- Kitchen scales
- Food processor
- Popping candy
- Passion fruit syrup
- Passoa
- Zester
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More Passion Fruit Martini recipes...
Passion Fruit Martini Cheesecake (No Bake)
Ingredients
For the syrup
- 150 ml Water
- 125 g Caster sugar
- 7 Passion fruits juice and seeds
- 2 tbsp Passoa optional
For the biscuit base
- 300 g Digestive biscuits
- 135 g Butter or baking spread melted
For the cheesecake
- 750 g Full fat cream cheese
- 125 g Icing sugar
- 1 ½ tsp Vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp Passoa
- 2 tbsp Passion fruit juice from 2 passion fruits
- 1 Lime zest and juice
- 300 ml Double cream
To serve (optional)
- Popping candy
Instructions
- To make the syrup, put the sugar, water and passion fruit seeds and juice into a pan
- Bring to a boil then simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Pour into a bowl and leave to cool completely. Once fully cool, mix in the passoa
- To make the base use a food processor to whizz up the biscuits into crumbs, or bash them with a rolling pin in a bowl
- Mix in the melted butter and 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, and icing sugar until smooth with no lumps
- Add the lime juice and zest, passion fruit juice, vanilla extract and passoa and whisk in
- Add the double cream and whisk until it is very thick and holds it's shape
- Smooth the mixture 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 from the tin and put on your serving plate. Smooth the sides with a butter knife to create a neater finish
- Pour the syrup over the cheesecake
- Serve immediately with extra syrup and popping candy, store any leftovers in the fridge and eat within 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.
- If you want to make this cheesecake alcohol free, just omit the Passoa.
- If you're not a fan of the seeds in passion fruit, you can strain them out of the syrup using a sieve.
- For a shortcut option, you could use a ready made passion fruit syrup or sauce to pour over the cheesecake!
- 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.
Monika Dabrowski
What a stunning cheesecake! I love passion fruit as well as no-bake cheesecakes so this cake is perfect!
Chloe Edges
I just love the idea of this - even my Dad looked a bit excited when I showed him - high praise indeed. He looked even more pleased when I pointed to the bottle of Passoa in the cocktail cabinet!
Cat | Curly's Cooking
As soon as I saw this I wanted a slice! I love passion fruit martinis but have never heard of Passoa! I will need to get some ASAP. This looks amazing.