White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake

With pleasure! The white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake is a fresh and indulgent dessert that combines the sweetness of the chocolate with the slightly tart raspberry flavor. Here is the recipe with an Italian twist.

Ingredients

• 200 g of dry biscuits (like Digestive)
• 100 g of melted butter
• 300 g of white chocolate
• 500 g of cream cheese (like Philadelphia)
• 100 g of powdered sugar
• 1 sachet of vanillin or vanilla extract
• 200 ml of fresh cream
• 150 g of fresh raspberries
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 sheets of gelatin (or agar-agar following the manufacturer’s instructions for quantities)

Preparation

1. Begin by finely chopping the biscuits and mix them with the melted butter until you get a homogeneous mixture. Press this mixture into the base of a springform pan (22-24 cm diameter) to create the cheesecake base. Refrigerate to firm up for about 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave, being careful not to burn it. Allow it to cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl, work the cream cheese with the sugar and vanillin until you obtain a smooth cream.
4. Whip the fresh cream and gently fold it into the cheese cream, then add the melted white chocolate and stir until the mixture is uniform.
5. Soak the gelatin sheets in cold water for 10 minutes, then squeeze them out and dissolve them in a saucepan with the warm lemon juice. Pour the obtained liquid into the cream cheese and chocolate, stirring well.
6. Pour the mixture over the biscuit base in the pan, leveling the surface. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, better if overnight.
7. Before serving, decorate the cheesecake with fresh raspberries and, if desired, drizzles of melted white chocolate or raspberry glaze.

Curiosity

The cheesecake is a dessert with ancient origins; it is thought that its first form was served already at the banquets of ancient Greece. Over time, it has been adopted and modified by different cultures, including the Italian one, which often makes it with additions of ricotta or mascarpone for an even richer taste and creamier consistency.