No-bake chocolate cheesecake

Name: No-bake chocolate cheesecake
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: Cookies 12.5 oz; Unsweetened cocoa powder 1.1 oz; Butter 9 tbsp; Cream cheese 13.1 oz; Fresh liquid cream ½ cup; Dark chocolate 50% 5.5 oz; Powdered sugar 1.2 oz; Hazelnuts to taste; Dark chocolate to taste

Difficulty: Average
Prep time: 25 min
Serving: 8
Cost: Average
Note plus the resting time in the fridge (at least 2 hours)

PRESENTATION

No-bake chocolate cheesecake sounds like it should need gelatin to hold its shape — but it doesn't. The chocolate itself does the structural work: once the cream chills, it firms into something compact enough to slice cleanly while staying genuinely creamy inside. No oven, no gelatin, just the natural behavior of chocolate as it cools. That single detail changes what the dessert can be — indulgent and sliceable without any of the usual workarounds.

This cheesecake sits between two different desserts: a lighter, fruit-topped no-bake version and a richer baked chocolate one. It takes the ease of the first and the intense chocolate flavor of the second. The result is a chilled dessert that feels indulgent without being heavy — and serves well at a summer birthday table or any time the oven stays off. Because the chocolate flavor carries enough on its own, there's no need to wait for a special occasion to bring it out.

INGREDIENTS

for the crust (for an 8-inch pan): Cookies 12.5 oz (350 g); Unsweetened cocoa powder 1.1 oz (30 g); Butter 9 tbsp (130 g)

for the filling: Cream cheese 13.1 oz (370 g); Fresh liquid cream ½ cup (120 g); Dark chocolate 50% 5.5 oz (155 g); Powdered sugar 1.2 oz (35 g)

for decoration: Hazelnuts to taste; Dark chocolate to taste

Preparation

How to prepare No-bake chocolate cheesecake

To prepare the chocolate no-bake cheesecake, finely pulse the plain dry cookies in a food processor 1. Remove about 2 oz (50 g) and set them aside for the final decoration. Transfer the remaining 11 oz (300 g) to a bowl and mix them with the cocoa powder 2. Melt the butter and let it cool slightly, then pour it over the cookie mixture 3.

Mix thoroughly until you get a uniform mixture 4. Line a springform pan 8 in (20 cm) in diameter with parchment paper. Spread the cookie mixture evenly across the bottom of the pan 5, pressing and compacting it well 6.

Do the same on the sides 7 to create an even shell that will hold the filling. Finely chop the dark chocolate 8 and place it in a bowl. Heat the heavy cream and pour it over the chopped chocolate 9.

Stir 10 until you obtain a smooth, homogeneous ganache 11. In a bowl combine the cream cheese and the powdered sugar 12.

Whisk well 13 and pour in the chocolate mixture 14. Mix carefully until you achieve an even, creamy filling 15.

Pour the chocolate filling into the cookie base and level the surface carefully with a spatula 16. Transfer the cheesecake to the refrigerator and let it set for at least 2 hours 17. After resting, transfer the cheesecake to a serving plate and decorate it with the crumbled cookies set aside earlier 18.

Add the chopped hazelnuts 19 and some grated dark chocolate 20. Keep the cheesecake refrigerated until serving 21.

Storage

Store the chilled chocolate cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, preferably well covered or inside a cake container. It can be frozen whole or in slices.

Tip

To give the cheesecake a fresh, slightly tart note, you can decorate it with fresh raspberries just before serving. Their flavor pairs especially well with dark chocolate and also adds a nice color contrast to the cake's surface.

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.

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