Easter Egg Cheesecake (no-bake)

This Easter Egg Cheesecake recipe is quick and easy to make and gives impressive results. A decadent no-bake chocolate cheesecake filling sits on top of a dark Oreo cookie base and Easter treats such as mini eggs are used as the finishing touch.

I got swayed recently by the notion of no-bake cheesecakes, after years of not particularly rating them. However, I'm happy to report that I was wrong. I do actually relish them and this Easter egg cheesecake recipe has emerged as a result of my newfound love for them.

Of course, toppings can vary - turn it into a mini egg cheesecake or a creme egg cheesecake, depending on your preferences.

And don't overlook the fact that simply adapting the decorations away from the Easter theme transforms this no-bake chocolate cheesecake into a dessert suitable for any time of the year. Oh sweet joy.

What Makes this Cheesecake Great?

What I always missed in many a no-bake rendition was that notorious tang that a decent cheesecake should always possess. That's why I've always favoured baked cheesecakes - up until now.

With a little research and plenty of recipe testing I've been able to ensure that this mini egg cheesecake lives up to my taste expectations by encompassing this characteristic.

Had I not managed to achieve that tangy twang, I don't think I'd be publishing this recipe. It's this zesty edge that transports this no-bake Easter egg cheesecake to another level of irresistible decadence.

Aside from the mandatory tanginess, this recipe has a great many other merits too:

• It's 100% no-bake
• And takes less than 30 minutes to make
• It has a wickedly deep chocolate flavour
• There's an Oreo biscuit base
• And mini eggs on top (need I say more)
• But it can be customised according to the season (see variations below)
• It's large - this dessert can feed up to 12

If, however, you are a diehard baked cheesecake fan who cannot be tempted by this no-bake mini egg cheesecake then try out my blackberry or my Italian ricotta baked cheesecake recipes instead. They will both impress you.

Ingredients

The trick to incorporating the classic cheesecake tanginess into a no-bake version is two-fold:

• soured cream
• lemon juice

I include both of these in this Easter egg cheesecake recipe. Neither in vast quantities, but a smidge of each notches this no-bake chocolate cheesecake up to perfection.

I use full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese as it has a rich flavour and can be relied upon to have a thick consistency.

Other noteworthy ingredients are the Oreo cookies and the dark chocolate.

I selected Oreos because I wanted a dark coloured base to visually amplify the notion that this is a deeply decadent chocolate dessert. Of course alternative biscuits - such as Digestives, Chocolate Digestive or Graham Crackers - could be substituted in (use the same weights).

As far as the chocolate goes, use the best quality that you can. I selected chocolate with 70% cocoa solids for a rich taste and fantastic colour. I've sweetened the cheesecake batter based on this type of chocolate, so swapping for a different type of chocolate will affect the overall sweetness of this cheesecake.

Step by Step Instructions

There are three separate stages to making this Easter egg cheesecake:

1. Make the base
2. Mix the filling
3. Decorate it

The first 2 stages can be finished in around 20 minutes and decorating is no more than a five-minute job. So this mini egg cheesecake is yours for the taking in exchange for 25 minutes hands-on time.

Here are the details:

Step 1: Put the whole Oreos (creamy centre included) into the bowl of a food processor and blitz until they resemble fine breadcrumbs. Melt the butter and stir in the cookie crumbs

Step 2: Spoon the biscuit base into the tin. Spread it around and press it down firmly using the back of a spoon. Set aside

Step 3: Melt the chocolate using a bain-marie or in short bursts in a microwave. Once melted set aside to cool (for no more than 5 minutes)

Step 4: Meanwhile, in a medium bowl beat the cream cheese, caster sugar and salt together with electric beaters until smooth. Beat in the vanilla extract, lemon juice and soured cream

Step 5: Take a heaped spoonful of the cheesecake batter and briskly stir it into the melted chocolate until smooth. It will be quite thick once mixed

Step 6: Next, add this chocolate mixture into the remaining cheesecake batter and beat until smooth and well combined

Step 7: Pour the double cream into the batter and, using a large spoon or a handheld balloon whisk, stir or beat gently until the cream is mixed in. It should thicken well but if it seems loose continue to mix until it firms up

Step 8: Spoon ½ of the cheesecake filling onto the base and spread it out well, ensuring it reaches the sides of the pan (take your time to avoid leaving gaps close to the biscuit base). Level, using a palette knife, then repeat with the remaining filling

Step 9: Smooth the top, cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours

Step 10: Whip the cream to the soft peak stage, then put it into a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle and pipe rosettes around the edge of the cheesecake. Scatter the grated chocolate into the centre of the cheesecake (a little sprinkled over the cream looks good too).

Either chill for later or proceed to garnish if serving this Easter egg cheesecake straight away.

Step 11: When ready to serve - and not before (see note below) - add the mini eggs: top each cream rosette with an egg then chop the rest roughly and pile into the centre. Serve straight away.

Note: Do not add mini eggs or other sweets with a crispy shell to the cheesecake ahead of time. The colours will bleed and, if refrigerated, the shells will soften. Add them at the point of serving to avoid this issue.

Tips and FAQs

Expert Tips

I've got plenty of tips to share with you when making this Easter egg cheesecake:

• There is no need to remove the cream from the Oreo cookies
• The easiest way to crumble these cream-filled cookies is in a food processor
• Use real butter for a fuller flavoured biscuit base
• Press the biscuits down firmly to create a well packed and firm base on which to spread the cheesecake
• This recipe has been created using full-fat Philadelphia cream cheese as it is reliably full-flavoured and it has a thick consistency. Sometimes own brand and reduced-fat versions can be much softer and due to this, I cannot recommend them as substitutions. Using them may mean that the cheesecake does not set sufficiently
• This recipe uses 70% cocoa chocolate, which, when mixed with the other ingredients creates a rich and full-flavoured dessert. For a slightly less intense chocolate flavour replace up to half of the 70% chocolate with milk chocolate, but expect the finished cheesecake to be a little sweeter and lighter in colour too
• I don't recommend using entirely milk chocolate - the end result will lack that deep chocolate taste and likely be very sweet - possibly too sweet
• Remember to mix a generous spoonful of cheesecake batter into the melted chocolate and then add this into the rest of the batter. The chocolate is less likely to seize if this step is taken
• Once the cream has been added take care not to overmix/ overbeat the batter. Keep on mixing until everything is well mixed and no longer runny, then transfer to the tin
• Use a deep-sided springform cake tin - it will be easy to remove the set cheesecake from this. There is no need to line or grease the tin
• If the base has a lip around the edge, flip it over and secure in place before using. A flat base makes unmoulding the cheesecake easier
• To get a well-filled tin without gaps around the edges add ½ of the cheesecake batter, smooth it down and press it to the edges of the tin. Then repeat with the remaining batter
• Give this no-bake chocolate cheesecake at least 6 hours to set fully
• To release the cheesecake run a sharp knife between the cheesecake and the edge of the tin before popping the springform mechanism open. Next use a knife to release the biscuit base from the tin - once inserted, run the knife around until you feel the entire cheesecake loosen
• Remember not to add the finishing touches such as mini eggs until the point of serving as some may bleed colour and soften if added ahead of time, especially when refrigerated

Frequently Asked Questions

Alternative Ideas for Decoration

It wasn't until one of my taste testers reported back with suggestions for alternative finishing touches that I realised this no-bake chocolate cheesecake really should be made at any time of the year:

• at Easter top with mini eggs, creme eggs, chocolate bunnies or whatever other seasonal chocolate and candy shapes you can lay your hands on
• for Christmas, garnish with miniature candy canes, foil-wrapped chocolate Brussels sprouts or any other festive treats you think would look good on top
• for Valentine's Day how about using Love Heart Sweets or foil-wrapped heart-shaped chocolates?
• and at any other time of the year think along the lines of Rolos, fudge pieces, mint Aero balls, Maltesers, honeycomb etc, etc...
• alternatively, an entire Oreo cookie pressed into the cream makes a particularly indulgent garnish that chimes with the biscuit base in perfect unison

My taste-tester suggested Cadbury's Flake, which I think would work a treat. Use 2-3 and chop them into pieces approx 1.5 cm long, which can then take the place of the whole mini eggs on the cream. Any leftover Flake can be crumbled and scattered over the top.

More Easter Recipes to Try

Have you tried this Easter egg cheesecake recipe? If so please leave a comment or rating below - I love to hear how you got along. Don’t forget to share your creations with me on Instagram too - use #littlesugarsnaps or tag me @jane_littlesugarsnaps.