Baked chocolate cheesecake recipe

Intensely chocolatey, rich and smooth, this baked chocolate cheesecake ticks all the boxes for a seriously indulgent dessert.

What's more, it's super easy to make!

So, grab your trusty mixing bowl and let's make this simple baked chocolate cheesecake which is, if I do say so myself, absolutely delicious! It's also vegetarian - no gelatine needed.

Here's how to make it.

Instructions

Set the oven to 180C (160C fan). Crumble the biscuits with the sugar until sandy.

Pour in the melted butter and the sugar and mix well.

Empty the mixture into a 20cm loose-bottomed nonstick tin.

Press down with the back of a spoon until even and firm. Cook in the oven for just 5 minutes. Take it out of the oven and set it aside.

Combine the cream cheese, cream and sugar in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second blasts. Tip into the large bowl.

Beat until smooth. Taste - if you find it a little bitter, add another tablespoon of sugar.

Add the eggs and beat until smooth.

Add the flour and beat again.

Pour the mixture on top of the biscuit base and gently level off.

Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until firm but slightly wobbly.

Take out the oven, and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the cheesecake. This will ensure it doesn't stick, causing the cheesecake to come apart as it cools.

Allow to cool completely in the tin at room temperature.

Release from the tin and chill in the fridge for at least an hour, but ideally overnight (or as long as you can stand to wait).

Cut into slices and dig in!

I really think you'll love this rich chocolate cheesecake with a biscuit base and a perfectly creamy texture. It's heaven in every bite.

You can serve it a few ways. I like it plain with a glass of something fruity, or you might like it with a coffee or even dusted with icing sugar and served with lightly whipped double cream and raspberry sauce (made by heating one part water with one part seedless raspberry jam).

Enjoy!

Pointers, tricks and troubleshooting tips for the perfect Baked chocolate cheesecake

Is this Baked chocolate cheesecake easy to make?

This Baked chocolate cheesecake is super easy to make, as there are fewer ingredients compared to other recipes, and it uses no water bath! 

You can even let the kids help by putting them in charge of crushing the biscuits for the base. Once your biscuits are crushed, you’ll combine them with melted butter to form the base, in the lined cake tin. 

Then you’ll gently mix the filling ingredients together into a smooth filling mix. Once the ingredients are combined you’ll pour them on top of the biscuit base - then cook!

Finally you’ll leave your cheesecake to cool and set, then transfer it to the fridge overnight so it develops a creamy, decadent texture. 

This recipe is tested and designed so that it’s easy to replicate. So as long as you follow the recipe steps and check the step by step pictures you should be fine. 

If you have any questions, let me know in the comments below.

Happy cooking!

Will I need any special equipment for this Baked chocolate cheesecake?

The only equipment you might not have is a loose bottomed 8 inch cake tin. Luckily it's one of the most common sizes of cake tin. So you should be able to pick one up from a supermarket or Amazon.

There is a full list of suggested equipment on the recipe card below.

How can I tell if eggs have gone off?

It's always best to use fresh ingredients when baking, especially eggs. This is because they lose water content as they get older and become more unpredictable.

You should never eat or cook with a spoiled egg. So if your egg has any discolouration, odd appearance, or a strange or foul odour, it is most likely rotten.

If your egg has spoiled, you should immediately throw it away and thoroughly wash any pots and utensils that have come into contact with it.

How can I check if my egg is fresh?

If you aren't sure if your egg is fresh, you can drop it into a cup or bowl of cold water. If it floats it is spoiled, if it sinks it should be safe to eat. This is called a float test. 

However, it's important to note that some spoiled eggs can still sink. So to ensure you don't contaminate a recipe with a bad egg, crack your eggs into a separate bowl or cup before adding them to a recipe. This also lets you check the egg for any broken shell fragments.

Egg safety is crucial if you're cooking for someone in a vulnerable or at-risk group, such as older people, people living with health conditions, or a pregnant person.

A Mummy Too does not give medical advice. Please consult with your medical professional.

How can I tell if the butter has gone off?

In the UK, butter is sold with both a Best Before date and a Use By date. Butter should still be safe to use after the Best Before date, but it might not be at its best (hence the name). 

Unlike Best Before dates which are more to indicate quality, you should never use food beyond its Use By date.

This should give you a good indication as to whether the butter is still ok to use. However, these dates are void if you don’t store your butter according to the packet instructions. 

For example, many people keep their butter out of the fridge in a butter dish. This isn’t feasible in most modern homes, as central heating makes them too warm to keep butter at the advised safe temperature.

When butter spoils, it turns to a dark yellow, sometimes with translucent patches. Spoiled butter can also develop a layer of condensation on it as water escapes.

These changes occur when bacteria cause the fat, protein and liquid molecules to separate from each other. The lactic acid released during this process can also produce a sour smell and give the butter a fizzy quality.

Sometimes spoiled butter can look completely fine, so you should taste it before including it in a recipe. If it tastes/feels fizzy, it isn't safe to use.

You should also check that there are no crumbs in the butter as they can contain allergens and harbour bacteria.

How can I tell if my cream has gone off?

When double cream (heavy cream) spoils, it behaves similarly to butter and milk. Though with one key difference. 

Double cream sometimes has a slight amount of separation or thicker cream on top. This is often the fat rising to the top of the container. If your cream has been stored correctly and is within its use-by date, then some separation is fine. However, if your cream is old or has been opened and has excessive separation, you should discard it.

Spoiled cream will have a strong, sour smell like spoiled milk or butter. The separation will be much more than usual, and there may even be patches of clear liquid. This happens when bacteria break down the bonds between fat, protein and liquid. 

Finally, if your cream has any mould growing on it, that’s a clear sign it has gone off.

If your cream has spoiled you should immediately discard it and wash anything it came into contact with to avoid cross-contamination.

How can I tell if cream cheese has gone off?

When cream cheese spoils, it tends to dry out and develop cracks across the surface. Like butter, the liquid and the fat separate as it spoils. So it may have beads of sweat (gross!) or the liquid might even completely separate and pool at the bottom of the pack. 

Spoiled cream cheese will often develop mould, as it's a perfect environment for bacteria to grow.

If your cream cheese has any of these signs, you should immediately discard it and wash anything it came into contact with.

Is this Baked chocolate cheesecake suitable for vegetarians?

Yes, this recipe is totally vegetarian as there is no gelatine in the filling!

Double-check all of your ingredients labels to make sure to check that they are suitable for vegetarians. Don't forget to also check anything extra you intend to serve the recipe with.

Is this Baked chocolate cheesecake suitable for vegans?

This cheesecake recipe isn’t vegan as it contains dairy and egg. Normally I would recommend instructions for adapting the recipe for a vegan diet, but this recipe is reliant on the fat content of the dairy, and the eggs to get the texture. 

Vegan cheesecake recipes use different ingredients to get the same texture as dairy, so just swapping the ingredients for vegan counterparts and cooking according to the instructions for this recipe might not work.

However, if you want to give it a try, I’ll list some ingredients which I think would work best and you could try making the recipe with the substitutions.

Double-check all of your ingredients labels to make sure to check that they are suitable for vegans. Don't forget to also check anything extra you intend to serve the recipe with.

Potential vegan substitutions:

• Cream cheese: A few vegan baked cheesecake recipes use Tofutti cream cheese for the filling. I think vegan recipes recommend it because it has a relatively high-fat content compared to other vegan cream cheeses (8g fat per 30g). At the time of writing (April 2022), Tofutti brand isn't widely available in the UK. Luckily, this vegan cream cheese from Sainsbury's has a similar fat content of 8.4g per 30g. So it should work just as well. 
• Cream: For cream, you could use Alpro or Oatly plant-based double cream. I’ve noticed in vegan baking recipes using ½ a teaspoon of xanthan gum in plant-based double cream helps it thicken similarly to vegan cream so you could try that. 
• Butter: Many supermarkets sell dairy-free butter on refrigerated aisles with dairy butter. Flora and Naturli are fairly common brands in the UK and Western Europe. I find they work best as they have similar fat content to diary butter (80%). So if you use another brand, make sure it has that high-fat content.
• Eggs: Some vegan baked cheesecake recipes recommend using 4 teaspoons of cornflour instead of eggs. However, you can also find powdered vegan egg replacer in the baking aisle or on the Free From aisle of your local supermarket. Though I’m not sure which would work best as I haven’t tried a vegan version of this recipe.
• Biscuit base: Many digestive biscuits/ graham crackers are accidentally vegan. So check the labels and you may be able to use your regular brand. If not, the Free From section of your supermarket will have a brand you can use.
• Chocolate: For the melted chocolate you can try using a vegan plain or dark chocolate like these vegan Belgian plain chocolate buttons. 

Is this Baked chocolate cheesecake gluten-free?

This recipe contains gluten from the biscuits and the flour in the base and filling respectively. Luckily, gluten-free alternatives will work really well, so you can easily make this recipe gluten-free. 

For the biscuits, check the Free From aisle of your supermarket. You can use gluten-free digestive biscuits (graham crackers) in the same quantity as the digestive biscuits listed in the recipe. 

For the flour, you could use any kind of plain gluten-free flour. Again, the Free From aisle is the best place to find this. Doves Farm is a popular brand available in the UK, but any gluten-free flour with a neutral taste and no raising agent will work just fine.

You should also check that the chocolate doesn’t contain gluten trace elements or a cross-contamination warning on the label.

The cooking time should remain the same if you use gluten-free ingredients.

Double-check all of your ingredients labels to make sure that they are gluten-free. Don't forget to also check anything extra you intend to serve the recipe with.

Is this Baked chocolate cheesecake keto-friendly?

This recipe contains a lot of sugar and carbohydrates, so unfortunately it isn't suitable for a ketogenic diet.

Is this Baked chocolate cheesecake healthy?

This decadent chocolate cheesecake is best as a treat on special occasions. As it contains a considerable amount of fat and sugar so it isn’t suitable for every day.

Is this Baked chocolate cheesecake safe to eat while pregnant?

There’s nothing in this recipe that would pose a risk to a pregnant person. However, it contains a lot of sugar so a smaller portion would be best, as pregnancy can make you more sensitive to changes in your blood sugar.

Make sure all the ingredients are in good condition and you prepare your cheesecake safely and hygienically.

A Mummy Too does not offer medical advice. Please seek help from a medical professional if you need further information or have any concerns.

Is this Baked chocolate cheesecake suitable for babies and toddlers?

No, this recipe contains sugar and NHS advice says you shouldn’t feed sugar to babies and toddlers.

The NHS has some fantastic resources on their website on what to feed babies and young children.

A Mummy Too does not give medical advice. If you have any questions or concerns please speak to a health professional.

What goes well with this Baked chocolate cheesecake?

This cheesecake would go well with a fruit sauce. Raspberry would give a little sweet and a sharp contrast to the creamy cheesecake filling. So you could make a raspberry coulis to drizzle over the top. 

Toasted nuts scattered across the top would also add some extra crunch.

Can I use single cream instead of double cream?

No, single cream has a much lower fat content than double (heavy) cream, so it won’t work for this recipe. It will most likely cause your cheesecake filling to curdle while cooking. So stick to double cream for this recipe.

Can I add extra chocolate to this Baked chocolate cheesecake?

If you want to add some extra chocolate to this recipe, the best way to do it is to drizzle some melted chocolate over the top once the cheesecake has set. Though bear in mind that it will cover the beautiful baked cheesecake top.

How should I prepare my cheesecake for serving?

Once your cheesecake is cooked and cooled, it’s important that you then chill it in the fridge. This will let the fat in the cream/ cream cheese set properly and give you a lovely dense and unctuous chocolate cheesecake. 

You should also wait until the cheesecake has been chilled before you remove it from the tin and slice it. Otherwise, your cheesecake might be too soft and spread out once sliced.

So it’s best to let it chill overnight or for at least 8 hours before you slice and serve.

How should I store this Baked chocolate cheesecake?

The best place to store your cheesecake is in the fridge. Make sure to keep it in a sealed container to protect it from any contaminants or absorbing fridge smells.

How long does this Baked chocolate cheesecake keep?

Your Baked chocolate cheesecake will keep, covered, in the fridge for a total of 4 days. 

Can I leave this Baked chocolate cheesecake out on the counter?

No, the dairy in the cheesecake will spoil if you leave it out on the counter. It will also become soft and may start to spread out.

Can I make this Baked chocolate cheesecake ahead?

Yes, it’s actually better to make your Baked chocolate cheesecake ahead by at least 8 hours or at least overnight. This will give your cheesecake plenty of time to set in the fridge. 

Once your cheesecake is cooked and cooled, you can keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Though obviously, it will be best if you eat it when it is fresh.

Can I keep this Baked chocolate cheesecake in the refrigerator?

Yes, the best place to keep your cheesecake is in the freezer in a sealed container. It should keep for up to 4 days as long as you keep it in a sealed container.

Can I freeze this Baked chocolate cheesecake?

Baked cheesecakes freeze better than no-bake cheesecakes as they have more fat and less water content. This means they're less likely to split once defrosted. 

Dairy tends to split when it defrosts as the water molecules defrost into liquid before the fat and protein defrost, meaning they are no longer bound together. So a baked cheesecake, which has lost water content during cooking, is less likely to split as there is less water.

So if you make sure to use full-fat cream cheese, your cheesecake should freeze really well

The best way to freeze your cheesecake is to let it cool completely after cooking. Then wrap it in cling film and place it into a sealed container like a lunchbox. Don’t worry, once the cheesecake is frozen it should be easy to remove the cling film without damaging the surface too much.

 You can follow the same method if you’re only freezing a slice of cheesecake too. 

Once frozen, the cheesecake should keep for up to 1 month before the quality starts to decline. Though there are some baked cheesecake recipes which give a 2 month freezing period, so it may last a little longer.

Extra tips for freezing: 

• Wrap in cling film to protect it from freezer burn.
• If you have the room in your freezer use a tin to protect your cheesecake from damage. I like to use an upside-down biscuit tin or Quality Street tin, with the lid as the base and the tin as the lid for your cheesecake.

How can I defrost a frozen baked cheesecake?

To thaw the cheesecake, take it out of the freezer and place it into an airtight container. You should remove the cling film while it is still frozen. Then seal up the container and place it into the fridge and leave it overnight or for at least 8 hours. Once thawed, eat within 2 days.

Can I make this Baked chocolate cheesecake in a different quantity?

If you want to make a different sized cheesecake go ahead. You can use an online recipe calculator to work out a different yield size. 

However, the timing for this recipe wouldn’t work for a different sized cheesecake. So I would advise looking at the timings and temperatures for a cheesecake of similar size you plan to make and use that. 

Good luck!

Can I make Baked chocolate cheesecake in a different tin/tray?

For this recipe, I used a loose-bottomed 8-inch cake tin. Feel free to use a square (or other shaped)  tin of a similar size. 

Just make sure that your alternative tin will give your cheesecake a similar depth and surface area. Otherwise, it will affect the way the cheesecake cooks. 

For example, a very narrow and deep tin will mean the cheesecake centre will take longer to cook, and the top could burn before the centre cooks. Alternatively, a very wide and shallow tin will cause the cheesecake to cook very quickly and burn or dry out more easily.

Can I make Baked chocolate cheesecake in a stand mixer such as a KitchenAid or Kenwood Mixer?

You could use a stand mixer to combine the filling ingredients for your Baked chocolate cheesecake. However, take care not to whip up the cream and cream cheese or they could split. You only want to combine the ingredients into a smooth filling. 

Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl each time you add an ingredient. This will help you mix everything thoroughly with no lumps. 

Can I make Baked chocolate cheesecake with a food processor?

Yes, you could use a food processor to break up your biscuits for the base. If you have a smaller power blender like a Nutribullet or Nutri Ninja you can blitz a few at a time. Be careful not to blitz the biscuit too much, you want a sandy texture, not a very fine powder.

Can I make this Baked chocolate cheesecake in the slow cooker?

No, you would end up with a cream of chocolate and biscuit soup or a strange solid cream sandcastle!

How can I make sure I cook my Baked chocolate cheesecake perfectly?

• Ingredients: Measure out your ingredients before you begin cooking and place them in bowls in front of your cooking station. This will help you avoid any mix-ups with measuring while cooking, and ensures you don't forget to add anything.
• Oven temperature: If you think your oven runs hotter than the dial states, you should get an oven thermometer before cooking your cheesecake. Temperature is key to getting the cheesecake to turn outright. If the oven is too hot it can cause the cheesecake to crack excessively or even burn on top.
• Use room temperature cream cheese. Room temperature cream cheese will be easier to mix and give you a nice smooth filling mixture without any lumps.
• Full fat. Use full-fat cream cheese for the best results. Full fat cream cheese will give you a creamy and dense cheesecake filling. Light or low-fat versions tend to have a higher water content, which may affect the cooking time and result in a wetter, or even loose cheesecake.
• Don’t over mix the filling. Make sure you don’t over mix your cheesecake filling. You aren't aiming to whip the cream/cream cheese until it thickens, you only need to mix briefly until combined. 
• Is it cooked? Make sure your cheesecake isn’t too wet once the cooking time is over. It should be set on top and darker or slightly golden on top, though it should still wobble a little. The cheesecake edges should be golden and maybe slightly coming away from the edge of the tin. If it isn't cooked, give it an extra 5-10 minutes and check it again. Don't worry if it wobbles slightly, it will firm up as it cools down.
• Let your cheesecake cool in the oven. To reduce the chance of cracking, you should leave your cheesecake to cool in the oven. Leaving it in the oven helps it cool slowly, which stops the cheesecake from contracting and pulling away from the tin quickly. You can leave cheesecake in the oven for an hour or more with the oven door ajar slightly. Then let it cool completely at room temperature and transfer it to the fridge.
• Chill before slicing. Once your cheesecake has cooled down from the oven, you still need to chill it in the fridge. This helps the fat in the dairy set and gives your cheesecake a lovely, dense texture which won’t spread once sliced.

Why did my cheesecake turn out cracked?

Personally, I don't mind cracks in my cheesecake as I think it gives it a bit of a rustic look. However, if your cheesecake has huge cracks it can affect the quality and the way the slices hold.

So if you want to avoid cracks in your cheesecake, there are a few possible points to watch out for:

• Overmixed: First, you may have overmixed your cream cheese and double cream. If you overmix your dairy like this, it can result in a very dense or a very sloppy cheesecake filling depending on how the cream was affected during mixing. A dry cheesecake will crack more easily when cooking and a wet cheesecake will take longer to cook. So make sure that you only mix your filling ingredients enough to combine them. 
• Overbaked. When your cheesecake is overcooked, it will dry out and crack like a dried-out lake in Summer. So set a timer to avoid cooking it for too long and use an oven thermometer if you think your oven runs too hot.
• Contracting. If your cheesecake is taken from the oven and left to cool in a cool room, the cold temperature will cause it to quickly contract which causes cracks. So it's best to let it gradually cool for 1-2 hours in the oven with the door ajar. Then you can let it cool at room temperature and chill.

Why did my cheesecake turn out burned/overcooked?

If your cheesecake is burned or overcooked then it sounds like you cooked it for too long or on a very high heat. So make sure you check your oven is at the correct temperature before you add your cheesecake. You should also make sure you set a timer rather than using the clock, time can get away from even the most disciplined!

Remember, the top should still be a little wobbly. So don’t cook it for longer to get it to set completely. The cheesecake should firm up and set as it cools.

Why did my cheesecake turn out wet/soft/undercooked?

• Can you fix it? Yes! If your Baked chocolate cheesecake is wet or undercooked, then you’ll need to put it back in the oven to cook it for a little longer.
• Why is it undercooked? If your cheesecake is undercooked it may be because you didn't cook it for long enough, or the oven isn't hot enough. To avoid undercooking your food in future it’s best to use a timer so you take out any guesswork from cooking. If you’re sure you cooked it for the right amount of time, and your food often undercooks, it may be that your oven is running lower than the dial states. This is common in domestic ovens, but luckily you can get around this with an oven thermometer. 
• Oven thermometer: An oven thermometer is a thermometer you can leave in the oven while it is on, so you can get an accurate read of the internal temperature of your oven. You can sometimes find oven thermometers in the baking aisle of your supermarket, but as with most things, you can easily find them on Amazon too.

What does double cream/ heavy cream do in cheesecake?

The double cream and cream cheese add moisture and fat to this baked chocolate cheesecake recipe to give it a moist yet dense texture.

As dairy with a high-fat content cools down, the fat creates a firmer texture which helps the cheesecake retain its shape after slicing. 

Using something like yoghurt or single cream wouldn't work for this recipe, as the water content would be too high and they would most likely cause the filling to curdle as it cooks.

So using ingredients like double cream or cream cheese with the balance of fat, water and dairy molecules reduces the chance of curdling.

How do I make my cheesecake firmer?

A cheesecake filling is similar to a thick custard, only it uses cream cheese instead of milk. So if you want to make a super firm cheesecake, you could take inspiration from custard and try adding 1 teaspoon of cornflour to the filling. 

The cornflour helps to reduce the chance of your filling curdling, however, it does affect the texture. For example, adding too much cornflour can make your cheesecake filling rubbery.

How can I add/change the flavours in this Baked chocolate cheesecake?

If you want to change the flavours of your cheesecake, you could try adding some flavour essence to the filling. 

A few drops of orange essence could turn this recipe into a beautiful chocolate orange cheesecake. Or you could even use orange zest, though the change in acidity may impact the cooking or cause the filling to curdle. 

Or you could swap the dark chocolate for milk chocolate. However, white chocolate will have a higher cocoa butter content which could affect the balance of the recipe. 

How can I convert this Baked chocolate cheesecake into cups?

The easiest way to convert cups to grams is to use an online calculator or converter tool. This free online converter tool is one of the best, as it allows you to choose the ingredient you’re converting. 

You can’t just use a generic converter, as each ingredient has a different density. For example, converting a cup of butter to grams will give you a different outcome weight than converting a cup of sugar to grams.

Where is the origin of cheesecake?

The earliest record of a dish like a cheesecake is from Ancient Greece, where a baked crust with a creamy cheese topping was documented. (Weird fact: it was called ‘placenta cake’ and the organ was named after it - I really don’t want to know why.)

There are records of similar dishes, using sweetened curds, from Europe during the Middle Ages. However, it wasn't until the 1800s, when a dairy producer in New York accidentally invented cream cheese, that cheesecakes started including cream cheese. The biscuit base was also an American addition to the recipe.

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