Name: Easy Chocolate Orange Cheesecake - Printable Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 4 h 30 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: English
Ingredients: 1 x 157g (5.5 oz) Terry’s Milk Chocolate Orange; 1 x 157g (5.5 oz) Terry’s Dark Chocolate Orange; 250ml (1 Cup) Double Cream, cold; 400g (14 oz) Philadelphia Original Full Fat Cream Cheese, room temp; 100g (1/3 + 1/8 Cup) Caster Sugar; 20cm (8″) Springform Tin; Food Processor; Small Bowl; Metal Spoon; 3 x Large Mixing Bowls; Spatula; Whisk; Mini Meringue Nests; Extra Terry’s Chocolate Orange Segments; 30g (1 oz) Dark Chocolate (or Terry’s Chocolate Orange), melted; 200g (7 oz) Custard Creams; 65g (1/3 Cup) Unsalted Butter

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Need an impressive dessert with minimal effort? Short on time, so needs to be made in advance? This rich and luxurious chocolate orange cheesecake is everything you’ve been looking for and more! It’s no bake, easy to make and can be prepared ahead of time. Creating a seriously show stopping dessert that your guests will adore! Keep reading for the full recipe and tons of helpful tips…

Close up of a slice of Terry's chocolate orange cheesecake

My no bake chocolate orange cheesecake recipe

It’s no secret that I love chocolate orange. With recipes like Terry’s chocolate orange brownies and chocolate orange caramel shortbread in the bag, it’s easy to see why!

Such a masterful combination. Something special happens when the creamy richness of chocolate is cut through by the POW of citrusy orange. It’s marvellous!

We all know I’m a fan of cheesecakes too. That one is obvious. But honestly, I can’t believe I’ve never done a chocolate orange cheesecake recipe before!

So I set to recipe testing. A few frustrating evenings and A LOT of expensive ingredients later… I realised that orange zest and juice, should never go into a no bake cheesecake.

The way forward? Terry’s chocolate orange. Although it’s not the cheapest option, it seemed like the most stress free way of getting a gorgeous chocolate orange flavour into a cheesecake. And I wasn’t wrong!

I’m now proud to share this recipe with you. It yields the most wonderful flavour teamed up with a luxuriously thick and creamy texture. Trust me, you’re going to love it! (And so will your friends and family!)

3 slices of no bake chocolate orange cheesecake on plates

Do I need to cover cheesecake in the fridge?

Yes, you absolutely need to cover cheesecake in the fridge. For a couple of reasons.

Refrigeration draws out moisture and dries things out. If you cover your food, this protects it from that effect to a certain extent.

Covering your food also helps to prevent the absorption and spreading of strong smells. You don’t want your Terry’s chocolate orange cheesecake tasting of onion do you?!

Someone slicing a chocolate orange cheesecake

Why won’t my cheesecake set?

There are many reasons why your cheesecake might not have set. Let’s explore a few of them…

You didn’t use a stable enough cream cheese. In my experience, Philadelphia full fat original is the only cream cheese that is stable enough to guarantee a properly set cheesecake. Other brands, although saving you a few pennies, just aren’t good enough. You will likely waste more money in the long run. Try and buy Philadelphia when it’s on offer instead.
Did you use a ‘light’ cream cheese? These never work. Even if you use Philadelphia light cream cheese, it still won’t set properly. Trust me. I’ve made some expensive mistakes in my day! Original full fat is the best choice by far.
Maybe you haven’t chilled it for long enough. No bake cheesecakes need at minimum of 4 hours in the fridge, ideally overnight. These things can’t be rushed, so make sure you allow enough time.
You didn’t measure the ingredients correctly. No bake cheesecakes have a delicate balance of ingredients to ensure they set. Particularly the whipped cream to cream cheese ratio. Although the other ingredients can very much affect it too! Stick to the recipe. It’s always safer.
Have you substituted any ingredients? As I’ve said above, if you stray from the original recipe, things can go wrong very easily. And in an expensive way! If you really need to, ask the recipe creator if you can substitute. They may very well have tried it before and know the answer!

Someone decorating a no bake chocolate orange cheesecake on a cake stand

What’s the best cream cheese to use in a no bake cheesecake?

This, I am very passionate about. Having made many mistakes in the past, I’ve very much learned learnt from them. (The hard way!)

The only cream cheese that is guaranteed to give a fully set no bake cheesecake, is Philadelphia full fat original.

No, it’s not cheap. I understand that. But other brands simply aren’t stable enough. Believe me, I’ve tried! And my bank balance wept.

Instead, keep an eye out for when it’s on offer and stock up. They usually have long dates on them.

A slice of Terry's chocolate orange cheesecake on a plate with a fork

How long is cheesecake good for out of the fridge?

This completely depends on the weather. It will hold much better and longer in the Winter when it’s cold.

Take a cheesecake out the fridge in the sweltering heat of Summer? It will begin to lose it’s shape much more rapidly.

No bake cheesecakes are less stable than baked cheesecakes though. So baked would keep longer out the fridge.

It’s always best to keep it refrigerated right up until serving if you can. And pop any leftovers back into the fridge once you’re finished. It will keep better and for longer.

Side view of someone forking a slice of chocolate orange cheesecake

Chocolate orange cheesecake ingredients and substitutions

Confused about what ingredients to buy? Not sure about a substitution? Here’s what you need to know…

The biscuit base

Custard Creams – Fillings and all, custard creams make a lovely sweet base to contrast the rich creamy filling. You could also use Golden Oreos, although these are more expensive.
Butter – Unsalted butter all the way in (no) baking! You wont really taste it all that much in this recipe though. So no need to buy premium/expensive butter.

For the filling and decoration

Terry’s chocolate orange – I combine both milk and dark chocolate oranges to give a wonderful balance of bitter sweet. If you prefer a sweeter cheesecake, use 2 x milk chocolate oranges instead.
Cream – Double cream (heavy cream in the US) is needed, as it needs to be whippable. In Australia? Use as close to 48% fat cream as you can.
Cream cheese – I’ve said it time and time again. Only use Philadelphia full fat original cream cheese. No substitutes, no imitations! Others don’t set properly and that will make you sad. (I speak from experience.)
Sugar – I like to use golden caster sugar but regular caster sugar (or superfine in the US) will work perfectly too.
Mini meringue nests – My favourite decorating cheat! They look like perfect whipped cream swirls, but with NONE of the effort. You can of course, decorate with whatever you like though. It’s entirely your choice.

Terry's chocolate orange cheesecake on a cake stand

Easy chocolate orange cheesecake recipe tips

Here are a few tips you’ll find helpful when making this no bake chocolate orange cheesecake.

Always use Philadelphia full fat original cream cheese. Other brands and lighter versions don’t set properly. Trust me, it’s really not worth it. Keep an eye out for when it’s on offer instead.
Prefer a sweeter cheesecake? Use 2 x milk chocolate oranges instead of 1 x milk 1 x dark.
Whip the cream by hand. It can over whip and turn grainy SO easily (especially in a warm climate).
When melting the chocolate and cream together, ensure your chocolate is broken into small pieces. You can’t heat this mixture too much or it will split. So you must make sure the chocolate will melt quickly by being as small as possible.
Read through the whole recipe before you begin. You’re less likely to rush in and make unnecessary mistakes this way.
Cast your eyes over the ingredients list a day or 2 before. Do any need to be at room temperature? Or have to be cold? It’s good to know these things in advance so you can prepare.
Decorate your cheesecakes with mini meringue nests. It’s so much easier than piping swirls, and looks fantastic!
Take the time to line your tin properly. Cheesecakes can be expensive. And you don’t want your time and money to result in a cheesecake you can’t even get out the tin!

Front view of a decorated chocolate orange cheesecake

Time management

Have limited time? Struggle with recipe timings? Or juggling around other things? Here’s some time managing info to make your life easier.

Make sure you allow enough time for your cheesecake to set. A minimum of 4 hours is needed, but overnight is always best. On a positive note, this does mean that you can make it in advance and decorate just before. Woohoo!
Note that the cream cheese needs to be at room temperature and the double cream needs to be cold. Bear this in mind at least a couple of hours before you begin.
Don’t worry about the biscuit base setting. The time it takes for you to make the filling is plenty long enough for this.

Someone forking a chocolate orange cheesecake slice

If you like this recipe…

…you might also like:

Chocolate Orange Cheesecake – Step by Step Picture Recipe

(For a printer friendly version, see the recipe card at the end of this post)

Ingredients

Here is what you will need to serve 10

For the biscuit base

200g (7 oz) Custard Creams
65g (1/3 Cup) Unsalted Butter

For the filling

1 x 157g (5.5 oz) Terry’s Milk Chocolate Orange
1 x 157g (5.5 oz) Terry’s Dark Chocolate Orange
250ml (1 Cup) Double Cream, cold
400g (14 oz) Philadelphia Original Full Fat Cream Cheese, room temp
100g (1/3 + 1/8 Cup) Caster Sugar

To decorate

Mini Meringue Nests
Extra Terry’s Chocolate Orange Segments
30g (1 oz) Dark Chocolate (or Terry’s Chocolate Orange), melted

Essential equipment

20cm (8″) Springform Tin
Food Processor
Small Bowl
Metal Spoon
3 x Large Mixing Bowls
Spatula
Whisk

Biscuit base instructions

First, lightly grease and line the base and sides of your tin. Don’t skip doing this part or it will end in heartache later!

Next, blitz the custard creams – fillings and all, (200g | 7 oz) into fine crumbs using a food processor.

Then melt the butter (65g | 1/3 Cup) in a small bowl in the microwave in 10 second intervals. Pour it into the processor and blitz briefly until it begins to clump together.

Tip the mixture into the base of your lined tin and smooth out/press in firmly with the back of a metal spoon. Chill in the fridge while you make the filling.

A lined springform pan with a biscuit base pressed into the bottom

Chocolate orange cheesecake filling instructions

Break or chop both Terry’s Chocolate Oranges (1 x 157g | 5.5 oz dark, 1 x 157g | 5.5 oz milk) into very small pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. Then add in 8 tbsp of the double cream (120ml | 1/2 Cup of the 250ml | 1 Cup). Heat in the microwave in 10 second intervals, stirring well each time.

It’s really important not to overheat this. So once it’s mostly melted, don’t heat again. Stir with a spatula until completely melted. Then set to one side.

In another bowl, whip the remaining cream (130ml | 1/2 Cup) to soft peaks. Be very careful not to over whip. (This is why I recommend doing it by hand.)

Now gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture in thirds. Take care not to beat out the air you put in earlier.

Partial chocolate orange cheesecake filling in a glass bowl

In the 3rd bowl, beat together the cream cheese (400g | 14 oz) and caster sugar (100g | 1/3 + 1/8 Cup). Continue beating until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture looks shiny and smooth.

Cream cheese and sugar mixed together in a bowl

Finally, fold the chocolate mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Again, be gentle and take care not to beat out the air. Keep going just until there are no more streaks left. It should be thick, smooth and almost holding it’s own shape.

Chocolate orange cheesecake filling in a large bowl

Pour the filling into your prepared base and smooth out. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours. Overnight is best if you have the time.

A no bake chocolate orange cheesecake in the tin ready to be chilled

Decoration instructions (optional)

You can, of course, leave the top of your cheesecake plain. But, if you want a seriously show stopping dessert, decorate using my super easy cheats!

Carefully remove your cheesecake from the tin and place on a cake stand or serving plate.

Then top with some mini meringue nests and Terry’s Chocolate Orange segments. I like to keep some whole and have some broken up.

Finally, drizzle with a little melted dark chocolate (or Terry’s Chocolate Orange) and voila! You have yourself a properly stunning chocolate orange cheesecake. YAY YOU!

Top down view of an easy chocolate orange cheesecake on a stand

How to store no bake chocolate orange cheesecake

Cover any uneaten cheesecake and keep refrigerated. Consume within 3-4 days.

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