With a dark chocolate base, tangy cream cheese filling and a topping of raspberries in a jewel-like jelly, Raspberry Jelly Cheesecake is a showstopper of a dessert and the perfect way to make the most of in-season raspberries.
Prep Time 30 minutesmins
Cook Time 15 minutesmins
Setting Time 6 hourshrs
Total Time 6 hourshrs45 minutesmins
Serves 8
Ingredients
for the base:
125gplain flour
75gunsalted butter
50ggranulated sugar
25gunsweetened cocoa
1large eggbeaten
for the filling:
4sheets gelatine
500gfull-fat cream cheeseroom temperature (important!)
150ggranulated sugar
25mllemon juice
2tspvanilla extract
zest of one lemon
200mlheavy whipping cream
for the jelly topping:
3sheets gelatine
100mlcranberry juice
50ggranulated sugar
200gfresh raspberries
Scan the QR Code to view the online recipe with detailed instructions, photos, hints, tips and more at daysofjay.com
Instructions
PREPARE: Heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F Gas4. Line the bottom a 20cm / 8 in. round springform tin with baking paper. Set aside while you prepare the chocolate biscuit base.
MAKE THE BASE: In the bowl of a food processor, process the flour, butter, sugar and cocoa until they resemble fine crumbs. Add the egg and pulse until the mixture is dark and crumbly. Pour the crumbs into the prepared springform, spreading them evenly across the base. Press them down firmly, then bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
SOFTEN THE GELATINE: Place the gelatine sheets in a shallow bowl, cover with cold water and allow to soften for 5 minutes. Heat 50ml water in a small saucepan, pick up the gelatine sheets one by one, giving them a good squeeze to get rid of excess water, then stir them into the hot water until dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside until cool.
MAKE THE FILLING: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the room-temperature cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla extract and lemon zest until smooth. Quickly whisk in the gelatine mixture, ensuring it is evenly distributed. In a separate bowl, whisk the cream to soft peaks, then use a spatula to fold the cream under the cheese mixture, gently but thoroughly, keeping as much air in the mixture as possible. Pour the mixture over the cooled base, smooth over the surface, then chill for at least 2-3 hours until set and firm.
MAKE THE JELLY TOPPING: To make the jelly, soak the gelatine sheets in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the cranberry juice with 150ml water and the sugar in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Squeeze the liquid out of the gelatine sheets and stir into the juice until dissolved then remove from the heat and allow to cool. (see notes).
ASSEMBLE THE TOPPING: While the jelly is cooling, slice the raspberries in half and press gently onto the top of the cheesecake. When the jelly mixture is cool, pour half of it very carefully over the cheesecake - you may find it useful to pour onto a back of a spoon so as not to disturb the surface of the cake. Return to the fridge for 10 minutes, then pour the remainder of the jelly mixture evenly over the top.
ALLOW TO SET: Allow the cheesecake to set for a minimum of 6-8 hours in the fridge (this includes the initial setting time). Depending on how cold your fridge is, it may need longer to properly firm up, so leaving it in there overnight is ideal.
Notes
If you can only get powdered gelatine sprinkle 3 level teaspoons over 50ml of cold water in a small saucepan. Allow to bloom 5 minutes, then heat gently, stirring until dissolved, before continuing with the recipe. If it is particularly hot where you are, or the cheesecake will sit around in the warm for a while before eating, consider adding an additional sheet or spoon of gelatine to the cheese mixture, the top jelly should be fine.
If you’d like the jelly to set faster (and I often do), pour the jelly mixture into a heatproof bowl, then place it in a sink full of cold or iced water, stirring occasionally until it has begun to thicken and chill. It will set much faster when poured onto the chilled cake.