A really easy No Bake Chocolate Orange Cheesecake recipe – Packed with the flavour of Terry’s Chocolate Orange, perfect for Christmas dessert, holidays pudding or any time of the year! Made with cream cheese, without gelatine and easily made gluten free.
Oh my goodness, how is it NOVEMBER already?
We moved house a few weeks ago and the unpacking and chaos that has ensued (no heating or hot water – ARGH!) has left me mostly dreaming of Christmas to distract myself.
As a foodie, what we will eat is always top of my priority list and this year is no exception.
I’ve made and posted so many cheesecakes on this blog over the years, I cannot believe that I’ve never made a festive Christmas version. I decided to put that right and so, this is the first of three coming your way over the next couple of weeks.
This recipe is based on this really simple No Bake Cheesecake recipe of mine (which has proved very popular – 2 million recipe views and counting!)
I think the key to these cheesecake recipes is that they are all based on my basic recipe and they really are super simple. Anyone can make them.
I hope you like this one as much as we did!
How do you make a Chocolate Orange Cheesecake?
Make a simple biscuit base with crushed digestive biscuits and then top with the deliciously light and creamy filling. This Chocolate Orange Cheesecake uses whipped double cream, icing sugar, cream cheese and melted chocolate oranges.
When the cheesecake is set, decorate with with melted white chocolate coloured orange using gel colouring, more cream and chocolate orange segments. Super easy and so yummy. Everyone will love it.
What is the best tin to make the Chocolate Orange Cheesecake in?
This recipe is for a 7″ tin which is also DEEP (not a standard sandwich cake tin, it will overflow.)
You can use smaller or larger tin or a different shape, but your cheesecake will obviously be taller or shorter. I would DEFINITELY recommend this tin though as it is a great size and very easy to use.
How long do you need to chill a No Bake Chocolate Orange Cheesecake for?
A No Bake Cheesecake needs to be chilled in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight.
If you’re in a rush you can pop it into the freezer for 2 hours, and then allow 20 – 30 minutes to come to room temperature before serving. This is fine, but the consistency is a little less predictable than when chilled slowly.
How do I make a No Bake Chocolate Orange Cheesecake gluten free?
If you’d like to make this recipe gluten free, just substitute in gluten free digestive biscuits instead of standard ones. Terry’s chocolate oranges don’t contain gluten but they are made in a factory that uses gluten so there may be contamination. To avoid the risk altogether you could use your favourite gluten free chocolate brand and double the amount of orange essence used.
How do I colour the chocolate to top the No Bake Chocolate Orange Cheesecake?
Of all of my cheesecake recipes, any that use coloured white chocolate, this is the question I get asked most often.
Firstly, you don’t need to do this step if you don’t fancy it or don’t have the food colouring, it’s just decoration.
However, if you are going to do this step, PLEASE only use gel colouring like this one: Sugarflair Gel Food Colour in Tangerine shade on Amazon. Anything else always causes a disaster! This paste is so thick that you only need a little and it doesn’t cause too many problems with the chocolate.
Still, the chocolate can sometimes ‘seize‘ and go kind of super thick and lumpy. If it does this, just add a few drops of vegetable oil and beat well. Add more if needed, a little at a time, until the chocolate is smooth again.
TIPS FOR MAKING THIS NO BAKE CHOCOLATE ORANGE CHEESECAKE RECIPE:
- The consistency of this no bake cheesecake should be sliceable but not solid. Something like room temperature butter, it will give a little quiver if you wobble it gently.
- When whipping the double cream, be sure to watch it very carefully. It should be just forming soft floppy peaks, but still hold it’s shape. Too runny and the no bake cheesecake will be sloppy, too stiff and it will be too dense.
- Do sift the icing sugar, it will give a much smoother texture to the cheesecake. Don’t ignore this as I normally do!
- The recipe is for a 7″ tin which is also DEEP (not a standard sandwich cake tin, it will overflow! See the link below for the type of tin I use). You can use smaller or larger but your cheesecake will obviously be taller or shorter. I would DEFINITELY recommend this tin though as it is a great size and very easy to use.
- Chocolate Orange Cheesecake too runny and won’t set? It’s probably because your cream wasn’t whipped quite enough. No problem, pop it into the freezer for a few hours before serving.
- This is the gel food colour I used to colour the chocolate: Sugarflair Paste Colour – Tangerine.
- Only ever use Gel Food Colour to colour the chocolate. Liquid food colour will make it too thin.
- If the melted white chocolate seizes (i.e. goes too thick) add a small amount of vegetable oil and keep stirring until it returns to the correct consistency.
- Allow the chocolate to cool slightly before drizzling to avoid ‘melting’ the cheesecake. You’ll also get neater lines as slightly cooled chocolate doesn’t spread so easily.
- For a neater chocolate drizzle, use disposable piping bags for each colour of chocolate. Just snip the end off to pipe. I use these: Savoy Disposable Icing Piping Bag I know, these are not great for the environment. But using reusable bags takes so much detergent to get them clean, I’m honestly not sure of the best option. You can make a simple little bag from baking paper but they are a little more tricky to handle.
Fancy some other easy cheesecake recipes? How about my No Bake Nutella Cheesecake or my No Bake Rocky Road Cheesecake?
Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do. I’d love to know how you got on and what you thought of it if you make this No Bake Chocolate Orange Cheesecake recipe. Please rate the recipe and leave me a comment below if you do.
Also, if you fancy showing me a photo by tagging me on Instagram (@tamingtwins) I LOVE to see your creations.
How to make the Chocolate Orange Cheesecake recipe:
No Bake Chocolate Orange Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the base
- 100 g Butter melted
- 200 g Digestive biscuits
For the cheesecake mixture
- 2 Whole Terry's Chocolate Orange 157g each
- 500 ml Double cream Whipped
- 560 g Cream cheese Full fat
- 100 g Icing sugar
- Half a Lemon Juice only
- 2 tsp Orange Extract If you have it and/or want a stronger flavour. This isn't vital, but it is delicious
For decoration
- 100 g White chocolate
- 100 ml Double cream Whipped
- 12 Terry's Chocolate Orange pieces About 1 whole Chocolate Orange
- Orange Gel Food Colouring Please see notes
Instructions
- Crush the biscuits until they look like lumpy sand. (I do mine in a food processor because I'm lazy!)
- Mix with the melted butter and press into your 7" tin.
- Gently melt the 2 Terry's Chocolate Oranges in a glass bowl over a pan of boiling water. Stir until smooth and then put to one side and allow to cool for 5 minutes while you get on with the next step.
- Combine the whipped double cream, cream cheese, icing sugar, lemon juice and orange essence (if using). Fold in gently until fully combined. Add the cooled melted Chocolate Oranges and stir thoroughly.
- Smooth on top of the biscuit base and flatten the top with the back of a spoon or a palette knife if you have one.
- Put into the freezer for 2 hours, fridge for four hours, or leave over night if you are not in a rush.
- Bring out of the fridge, remove from the tin.
- Melt your white chocolate in a glass bowl over a pan of boiling water, colour the white chocolate with a tiny amount of gel colouring and allow to cool very slightly before drizzling over the cake in zigzags.
- Pipe remaining whipped cream and decorate with Chocolate Orange segments.
- Share and enjoy!
victoria says
is that 2 boxes of the orange chocolate in the cake or 2 slices?
Sarah Barnes says
Hi Victoria, two whole chocolate oranges. I’ll make it cleared in the post. Thanks 🙂
Veronica says
The recipe calls for two chocolate oranges, and states to melt two choc oranges for cheesecake, but then states to decorate with orange slices. So is this 3 chocolate oranges, and not two?
Sarah Barnes says
Hi Veronia, in the ingredients there’s 2 chocolate oranges in the main recipe and 12 segments of another for decoration. Hope you enjoy the recipe 🙂
Doreen Denty says
What is double cream?
Sarah Barnes says
Hi Doreen, it depends where in the world you are, I think in the USA it’s called heavy cream. Hope that helps.
marion pratt says
you say easy to make gluten free. Terrys chocolate orange is not guaranteed to be gluten free due to manufacturing processes
Sarah Barnes says
Thanks for letting us know this Marion, we will change the post to reflect that.
Amanda says
So gutted to read this comment was going to attempt to make this. I thought they were gluten free 😥
Sarah Barnes says
Hi Amanda, you could use regular chocolate plus orange extract instead 🙂
Rachel says
Was so yum!
Carly says
It says ‘remaining’ whipped cream for decoration but how much of the 500ml should be remaining? I can’t see where it says? Thanks 🙂
Alicia says
This was amazing! Very easy to make everyone at home enjoyed this cheesecake will definitely make again probably around Christmas time thanks for the recipe! X
Sarah Barnes says
So pleased you liked it Alicia!
Yvonne says
Could you swap the digestive biscuits for gingernuts? Some of the family don’t like digestives
Sarah Barnes says
Yes that would be fine Yvonne 🙂
Yvonne says
Sorry to be a pest asking another question. Should I line the tin or anything?
Jade Brook says
Great recipe! How long do you recommend it can be stored in the fridge for?
Sarah Barnes says
It should be fine for 2 – 3 days.
Dawn Rollins says
How long do you leave it to set before eating?
Sarah Barnes says
There’s a whole section explaining in the post above 🙂
Ali says
Any tips for removing it from the tin? I’m thinking it might get a bit messy as I dont have a loose bottom tin
Sarah Barnes says
I wouldn’t recommend making in a no loose bottom tin as it would be nearly impossible to get out!!
senga m chalmers says
Line a tin with baking paper and once it’s set lift it out and slide onto a plate.
Holly says
Hi,
Am I able to freeze the cheesecake and use for a different day?
Suzi says
Did you get an answer? I think I’ve ’ over made’ and could do with freezing it.
Sarah Barnes says
Yes it freezes fine as long as you don’t re-freeze it! Enjoy 🙂
Harriet says
I made this for my family and it didn’t last long, absolutely delicious and super easy! Thanks 😊
kellie conroy says
Which cream cheese should I use? Philadelphia or mascarpone?
Sarah Barnes says
Philadelphia!
Carol Sowerby says
Made this today for christmas tea , looks amazing , hope it tastes as good x
Karen says
Can this be frozen
Moira says
I used chocolate digestive. Also used one dark chocolate orange and one milk one for decoration looked lovely. Great recipe thank you.
Tracy says
This is the best cheesecake I have ever had, I’ve got to say I didn’t add the orange extract with using Terry chocolate orange in with the cream and soft cheese. I thought the the orange extract would be to much. I think i made the right choice it was delicious. and much better 6Jan the white chocolate Cheesecake. Can’t wait to try another flavour
Keeley says
My daughter and I made this and cannot wait until it’s ready to eat. Unfortunately we forgot to add the lemon but mixture tastes beautiful so fingers crossed it’s just as good. Thankyou
Chazzy says
Omg smells and tastes so good! I’ve made it twice, once with the orange extract and once without, I would definitely say it makes. HUGE difference.
Enjoy making!
Claire says
This was absolutely amazing. All your recipes have been fab!!
Nicole says
Delicious! Super easy to follow recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Joanne Ritson-Walton says
Easy to follow recipe and turned out a treat for Father’s day!
Moira says
Tip
If you don’t have a loose bottom tin my suggestion would be to tear off some baking paper twice the length of the pans width. If the pan is a 7 inch pan you’ll need about 14/15 inches of paper. Fold in half then in half again, it will then be about 2 inches by 14 inches. Lay across the base of the pan and up each side so that the ends can be used to lift the cheese cake out,
when it’s in place lay the Biscuit base as norma.
Anne roberts says
Can you freeze this if so for how long
Nikki Samani says
Hi there
I have one whole terrys choc orange in Dark would it be ok to use one dark TCO and one milk TCO?
Thanks,
Sarah Barnes says
Yes that would be lovely!
Carol says
I made this cheesecake last. This is the first cheesecake I have ever made. I can’t believe how well if turned out. I’m really pleased. Great recipe and great tips.
Carol says
I made this for Christmas. Found it easy to make. I didn’t use the orange extract and the cheesecake tasted lovely of orange. I froze a slice to have at New Year. It freezes beautifully.
Will definitely make this again.
Leslie squires says
Hi I was just asked to make one of these and they were wondering how well it would ship send from newfoundland to Ottawa , I told them I would ask to find out …….I did make this for my nieces birthday this week and everyone loved it my first time ever making cheesecake
George Moy says
Your orange cheese cake sounds good however I like to know what if you can’t get the chocolate orange candy like the recipe calls for, and for digestive biscuits the only thing that’s available is gram crackers so it would be nice if you have a orange cheese cake that is a little less on details too.