When it comes to putting together your Christmas meal plan, this has GOT to be one to consider for cheesecake fans out there. But let’s face it, we don’t have to just save this Chocolate Orange Cheesecake for Christmas at all. Whether you want an impressive dessert for guests or need a make-ahead offering for a big meal, this is a safe bet. Anyone can follow any of my foolproof and comprehensive no-bake cheesecake recipes. You don’t have to be a baking expert one bit. I have figured out all the necessary shortcuts and tricks for you. I love to play around with flavours and themes, and after much testing (and sampling!) I can safely say that this Terry’s Chocolate Orange one is easy and divine. I hope you and your diners love it too!
Why you’ll love this Chocolate Orange Cheesecake recipe
⭐️ Simple ingredients and easy no-bake method ⭐️ Make ahead for convenience ⭐️ Delicious and impressive enough for a special occasion When I think about feeding loved ones over the festive period, dessert is obviously very important at the most indulgent time of year. The issue often is that time and energy are stretched, which is why I usually come back to my no-bake cheesecakes when thinking about what to serve. I just love being able to whip one up then keep it in the fridge until it’s needed. While I realise Terry’s Chocolate Oranges are not only eaten at Christmas, for me the distinct flavour does remind me of it, which is why I love to serve it then. If Christmas chocolate cheesecake is right up your street, you could also consider making my Baileys Cheesecake too!
Chocolate Orange Cheesecake Ingredients
For the base:
Butter – Unsalted is best if you have it. You can melt it quickly in a mug in the microwave Digestive biscuits – These crush up well
For the cheesecake:
Terry’s Chocolate Oranges – You’ll need 2 for this recipe Double cream – See tips below on the required whipping consistency Cream cheese – I like to use Philadelphia. You can use other brands but I find they are slightly more difficult to combine. Always use full fat and drain before use Icing sugar – This will need sifting Lemon – Juice only Orange extract – If you have it in or really want that stronger flavour
For decoration:
White chocolate – I use this kind of chocolate to bake with Double cream – Whipped Terry’s Chocolate Orange segments – You’ll need about a whole one orange Orange gel food colouring – Optional. I use this one. Please see tips below
You can store the cheesecake in the fridge (without the topping) for a MINIMUM of 4 hours and up to 3 days from preparation. The results will be much better if it’s had time to chill overnight. Leave it in the tin in the fridge and cover with a dinner plate of cling film (but make sure it doesn’t touch the surface of your beautiful cheesecake!) Can cheesecake be frozen? You can also put the undecorated cheesecake in the freezer in the tin if you want to make it further in advance. Just make sure you defrost it properly in the fridge (again, in the tin) for 24 hours or until completely thawed, then decorate. Firstly, you don’t need to do this step if you don’t fancy it or don’t have the food colouring. It’s just decoration. However, if you are going to do this step, PLEASE only use gel colouring like this one: Sugarflair Gel Food Colour in Tangerine. Anything else always causes a disaster! This paste is so thick that you only need a little and it doesn’t cause too many problems with the chocolate. Still, the chocolate can sometimes ‘seize‘ and go kind of thick and lumpy. If it does this, just add a few drops of vegetable oil and beat well. Add more if needed, a little at a time, until the chocolate is smooth again. One more thing! Only ever use GEL food colour to colour the chocolate. Liquid food colour will make it too thin. Allow the chocolate to cool slightly before drizzling to avoid ‘melting’ the cheesecake. You’ll also get neater lines as slightly cooled chocolate doesn’t spread so easily. For a neater chocolate drizzle, use disposable piping bags. Just snip the end of the pipe. I use these: Savoy Disposable Icing Piping Bag. (I know these are not great for the environment, but using reusable bags takes so much detergent to get them clean, I’m honestly not sure of the best option. You can make a simple little bag from baking paper but they are a little more tricky to handle.) It should be sliceable but not solid (something like room temperature butter), and it should quiver but not wobble. This will depend on how you’ve whipped your cream. See notes below. When whipping the double cream, be sure to watch it very carefully. It should be just forming soft floppy peaks, but still hold its shape. Too runny and the cheesecake will be sloppy, too stiff and it will be too dense. Do sift the icing sugar. It will give a much smoother texture to the cheesecake. (Don’t ignore this as I normally do!) The recipe is for a 7″ tin which is also DEEP (not a standard sandwich cake tin, it will overflow!) You can use smaller or larger but your cheesecake will obviously be taller or shorter. I would DEFINITELY recommend this tin as it is a great size and very easy to use. Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
