Hello lovelies,
I began my Christmas blogposts for 2024 with a Black Forest desert recipe so it only seems right that I end my Christmas blogposts for 2024 with one… right?
Now if you’re wanting a showstopper to share with your loved ones this Christmas, look no further! Today’s recipe is the perfect show stopping desert which will leave everyone asking for more and is guaranteed to have you hooked.
If you’ve been around here a while, you’ll know that Black Forest deserts hold a very special place in my heart. Not only are they nostalgic as my mum has made one every single Christmas since I can remember, but they’re also my dad’s favourite desert. Therefore, there’s nothing I love more then creating new Black Forest recipes for him to try.
I’ve got to be honest with you, I wasn’t sure how a ‘Black Forest cheesecake’ would turn out, I was ever so slightly dubious you could say but man, I hadn’t of needed to be as boy oh boy oh boy, does this cheesecake hit the damn spot!
It’s rich, it’s creamy, it’s melt-in-the-mouth delicious and packed full of flavour. A very bold claim from me here but I think this could be my favourite cheesecake to date. Yup, I went there.
So, if this cheesecake has caught your attention and got you wanting to know more, you know the drill. Keep on scrolling below and you’ll find today’s recipe.
Category: Desert
Servings: 10-12 Slices
Prep Time: 1 Hour
Chill Time: 4+ Hours Or Overnight
Overall Time: 1 Day
Ingredients You Need For The Biscuit Base:
- 300g Of Digestive Biscuits, Crushed Into Crumbs
- 135g Of Butter / Baking Spread
Ingredients You Need For The Cheesecake Filling:
- 700g Of Full Fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese
- 125g Of Icing Sugar
- 40g Of Cocoa Powder
- 2tsp Of Vanilla Bean Paste / Extract
- 300ml Of Double Cream
- Black Cherries In Syrup, Syrup Drained
Ingredients You Need For The Ganache Topping:
- 75g Of Dark Chocolate, Chopped Into Small Pieces
- 75ml Of Double Cream
Ingredients You Need To Decorate:
- 150ml Of Double Cream
- 10g Of Milk Chocolate, Grated
- 20 Fresh Cherries
How To Make The Biscuit Base:
- Firstly, gather together your equipment and ingredients and line the base of a loose-bottomed 8” circle cake tin.
- Secondly, in a food processor, blitz the 300g of digestive biscuits until they resemble crumbs (the biscuits can also be crushed in a sandwich bag with a rolling pin if you don’t have a food processor).
- Next, empty the biscuit crumbs into a large bowl.
- In a microwaveable bowl, place 135g of butter and in 10 second blasts, blast the butter until it has completely melted into liquid.
- Add the melted butter into the large bowl with the biscuit crumbs and using a wooden spoon, mix the butter into the crumbs.
- Now, pour the butter biscuit mixture into your pre-lined cake tin and using a spatula, press the mixture down firmly into the base of the tin, making sure it is levelled and evenly spread.
- Place into the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
How To Make The Cheesecake Filling:
- In a large bowl, using a spatula, carefully mix together the 700g of full fat philadelphia cream cheese with 125g of icing sugar, 40g of cocoa powder and 2tsp of vanilla extract until smooth and combined.
- Next, in a separate large bowl, using an electric whisk, whisk the 300ml of double cream until stiff peaks form.
- Using the same spatula, carefully fold the double cream into the cream cheese mixture (at this point it should be relatively thick).
- Fold the black cherries (syrup completely drained) through the cheesecake filling.
- Smooth the cheesecake filling across the top of the chilled biscuit base.
- Now, place the cheesecake into the fridge to chill for minimum of 4+ hours or overnight.
- Once chilled, very carefully remove the cheesecake from the cake tin and place onto a serving plate.
- Using a butter knife, smooth the sides of the cheesecake to create a neater finish (if needed, this step is optional).
How To Make The Chocolate Ganache:
- Place the chopped dark chocolate into a small, heat proof bowl and set to one side.
- Next, in a small saucepan over a medium heat, bring the 75ml of double cream to the boil.
- Once at boiling point, remove from the heat and pour over the dark chocolate and allow to sit for 2 minutes before stirring together with a wooden spoon.
- At this point, you should have a thick, silky smooth chocolate ganache. Allow it to sit for a further 2 minutes to cool down slightly.
- When slightly cooled, pour the ganache over the top of the cheesecake and using a metal spoon or palette knife, smooth the ganache out until evenly spread.
- Place the cheesecake back into the fridge for 30 minutes to allow the ganache to set.
How To Decorate:
- When everything has set beautifully, it’s time to decorate.
- Sprinkle the grated milk chocolate across the top of the entire cheesecake, until no ganache can be seen.
- Next, in a large bowl using an electric mixer, whip up the 150ml of double cream until stiff peaks.
- Transfer the whipped up cream into a piping bag with a 2D piping nozzle attached and pipe swirls all around the edge of the cheesecake.
- Finally, top the cream swirls with fresh cherries.
That’s your Black Forest Cheesecake prepared, chilled and decorated, ready for you to enjoy this Christmas!
Notes:
- This cheesecake can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- It is really important that you use full fat cream cheese for the cheesecake filling. I personally prefer using Philadelphia cream cheese but ideally any cream cheese with a 48% fat content will work.
- If you fancy making this cheesecake a little boozy, you could soak the cherries in Kirsch. Kirsch is a colourless brandy from Germany, Switzerland and France and can be brought in UK supermarkets.
See, I told you it was a showstopper!
What more could you possibly want than a desert that has people gasping because of its looks and smacking their lips because of its taste.
My loved ones demolished today’s cheesecake pretty darn quickly and I think yours will too. I’m utterly obsessed with this recipe, it’s just so damn good.
Let me know in the comments below if you make this cheesecake yourself and if you do, what your thoughts are on it. Do you love the flavours of Black Forest? Did you enjoy them in this cheesecake?
I can’t believe I’m actually writing this but guys, this is my last Christmas recipe for 2024. I have throughly enjoyed making, baking, decorating and sharing each of these festive bakes with you and I truly hope you’ve enjoyed them as much as I have. I hope you’ve managed to find a festive recipe you love and it’s inspired you to get baking.
From me and my family to you and yours, Merry Christmas! I hope you all have the most magical day however you’re spending it.
Make sure to show love to those around you. Christmas isn’t an easy time for some and if that some is you reading this today, then I’m sending you the biggest hug and all my love. Remember, Christmas is just another day! Keep your chin up, you’ve got this.
Sending you all tons of love & hugs as always,
Elle xo
Anything that is no-bake is perfect for me! I have not eaten anything black forest in quite a while, so I will have to give this a try over the weekend!