A no-bake Millionaire's Cheesecake with a shortbread biscuit base, delicious homemade caramel layer followed by a creamy caramel cheesecake filling and topped off with chocolate ganache.
No joke - this is THE DADDY of all cheesecakes. It's really no wonder it's hailed as a Millionaire's cheesecake. Just look at it! Any cheesecake that verges on a monstrosity is going down as a damn good dessert in my book.
Dig in, cheesecake lovers.
This is, of course, a Millionaire's shortbread in cheesecake form. If you love the shortbread, caramel and chocolate combo then you have to try my Cadbury Creme Egg Caramel Shortbread and also this Millionaire's Caramel Shortbread. They are both insanely good.
Cheesecake is probably one of the easiest desserts you can make, especially it's no-bake. This particular recipe is a little bit more involved than my other cheesecakes because you will need to set aside time for each layer to properly set before moving on to the next stage.
I promise it will be well worth the wait. This Millionaire's Cheesecake is like no other dessert I've ever made!
Make-ahead dessert
This is a great make-ahead dessert. In fact, I'd always urge you to make any cheesecake at least the day before you're going to serve it. They really do need several hours to set in the fridge otherwise you'll end up with a soupy mess. And no one wants that, do they?
As we all know, a classic Millionaire's shortbread will have a shortbread base, followed by a caramel layer and then topped off with chocolate. I've added a cheesecake layer to turn this into...you guessed it - Millionaire's Cheesecake!
Once you have all the layers made you can pipe some cream swirls onto the cheesecake and add squares of Millionaire's shortbread on top of the cream to give the extra wow factor.
Shortbread biscuit base
I thought about making some shortbread for the base of the cheesecake and then decided against it for time purposes. You can buy shortbread biscuits really cheaply and it just seemed like the easiest way to go with the least amount of hassle.
Homemade caramel layer
The caramel layer is a simple homemade caramel. I don't use a sugar thermometer to make my caramel as I rely on the colour and texture to know when it's reached the right temperature.
Don't worry if you've never made caramel before. I'll walk you through each step in the detailed recipe below.
Cheesecake filling
As this is a cheesecake version of Millionaire's shortbread we obviously need a cheesecake layer in there! I added a small amount of Carnation caramel to a simple cheesecake mixture to give an overall flavour of caramel.
Chocolate ganache topping
I used two ingredients for the chocolate ganache: dark chocolate and double cream. I know some people are put off by making ganache - probably thanks to its complicated-sounding name, but it's really easy.
The chocolate ganache used in this recipe is one part double cream to one part chocolate. If you can remember that, you'll make the perfect consistency ganache every time.
It's really just a case of pouring hot cream over chopped chocolate, and that's all there is to it.
How to make a Millionaire's Cheesecake
Step One: Use a food processor to blitz the shortbread biscuits to a fine crumb. If you don't have a food processor put the biscuits into a ziplock bag and bash them up with a rolling pin.
Step Two: Melt the butter in the microwave - this usually takes about 45 seconds. Pour the melted butter into the biscuit crumbs and mix well.
Step Three: Transfer the biscuits into a baking tin and press them down using your hands, or a spoon. Put the baking tin into the fridge while you make the caramel.
Step Four: Put the butter, sugar, golden syrup and condensed milk into a medium saucepan over a high heat. Stir continuously using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Let the caramel boil for 5-7 minutes, it's ready when it's a deep golden colour and has a fudge-like consistency. When it's ready take the pan off the heat and leave the caramel to cool for 20 minutes.
Step Five: Pour the cooled caramel over the biscuit base and put the baking tin back in the fridge while you make the filling.
Step Six: Put the cream cheese and caster sugar into a large mixing bowl and beat together using an electric handheld whisk. Add the lemon juice, vanilla extract and Carnation caramel and beat again.
Step Seven: In a separate bowl, whisk the double cream until it forms stiff peaks. Transfer the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and fold the mixture together.
Step Eight: Check the caramel layer has cooled and is set. Spoon the cheesecake filling on top of the caramel layer and smooth with the back of a spoon. Cover with clingfilm and chill for at least 12 hours.
Step Nine: Chop the chocolate into small pieces and put them into a heatproof bowl. Pour the double cream into a small saucepan and place it over a medium heat. Remove from the heat just before it reaches boiling point. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and leave it to sit for a few minutes.
Next, vigorously mix the cream and chocolate mixture using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. The ganache will look thick and glossy. Pour it on top of the cheesecake filling and then put the baking tin back into the fridge for about an hour to set.
Step Ten: When the ganache has set you can remove the cheesecake from the baking tin. Whip the double cream to soft peaks and put it into a piping bag fitted with an open star nozzle.
Pipe swirls of cream on top of the cheesecake and decorate each swirl with a square of Millionaire's shortbread. Add some gold sprinkles for a final flourish.
Top Tips
- You can make this recipe using a handheld electric whisk, a stand mixer with the paddle attachment fitted or with a good old fashioned wooden spoon!
- Don't press too hard when adding the biscuit crumbs into the baking tin otherwise you'll have trouble releasing the cheesecake from the bottom of the tin.
- When making the caramel it's really important to stir it continuously otherwise it will burn and/or crystallise.
- If the caramel layer isn't cool and set by the time you've made the cheesecake filling, put the bowl of cheesecake filling into the fridge until you're ready to add it to the caramel layer.
- Once the cheesecake filling has been added make sure it's refrigerated for at least 12 hours.
- The ganache layer will take about an hour to set but you can leave it overnight if you want to.
- To release the cheesecake from the base of your tin, run a sharp knife around the bottom edge of the cheesecake and ease it off the tin.
- To tidy up the edges of the cheesecake, smooth it with a sharp knife or a palette knife.
- Storage: leftovers should be stored in the fridge and will keep for 3-4 days. Millionaire's Cheesecake freezes well (without any decoration) for up to 3 months.
Millionaire's Cheesecake FAQ
My favourite tin for making cheesecake is the (affiliate link) Paul Hollywood 20cm (8 inch) loose bottomed tin.
I like to use a loose bottom tin because the sides are higher, this means you can make really deep cheesecakes with lots of filling. Using a springform tin usually gives a larger diameter but flatter cheesecake If all you have is a springform this recipe will still work.
If your caramel has started to crystalise remove it from the heat and beat in a teaspoon of cold water until the sauce is smooth again. Very burnt caramel is unfortunately unsalvageable.
Yes! Just make sure you use gluten-free shortbread biscuits for the base and check the Millionaire's squares you use to decorate are gluten-free.
If your cheesecake didn't set it might be because the caramel layer wasn't cool and set before you spooned over the cheesecake mixture. You may also get a problem with the cheesecake not setting if the double cream wasn't whisked to stiff peaks. The cheesecake needs at least 12 hours to set in the fridge.
You can put the cheesecake into the freezer for a couple of hours if it hasn't set.
This cheesecake can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can make it 2-3 days in advance of serving.
Yes, you can freeze the cheesecake (undecorated) for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before serving.
More Tempting No-Bake Cheesecake Recipes
- Oreo Cheesecake
- Bounty Cheesecake
- Malteser Cheesecake
- Lemon Cheesecake
- Galaxy Caramel Cheesecake
- Biscoff Cheesecake
Millionaire's Cheesecake
A Millionaire's Cheesecake with a shortbread biscuit base a delicious homemade caramel layer followed by a creamy caramel cheesecake filling and topped off with chocolate ganache.
Ingredients
For the biscuit base
- 250 g shortbread biscuits
- 75 g unsalted butter, melted
For the caramel layer
- 175 g unsalted butter
- 75 g caster sugar
- 3 tbsp golden syrup
- 300 g condensed milk
For the cheesecake filling
- 340 g full fat cream cheese
- 50 g caster sugar
- juice of half a lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 50 g carnation caramel
- 125 ml double cream
For the chocolate ganache topping
- 150 g 70% cocoa dark chocolate
- 150 ml double cream
For the decoration
- 150 ml double cream
- 10 squares Millionaire's shortbread
- gold sprinkles
Instructions
- Use a food processor to blitz the shortbread biscuits to a fine crumb. If you don't have a food processor put the biscuits into a ziplock bag and bash them up with a rolling pin.
- Melt the butter in the microwave - this usually takes about 45 seconds. Pour the melted butter into the biscuit crumbs and mix well.
- Transfer the biscuits into a baking tin and press them down using your hands, or a spoon. Put the baking tin into the fridge while you make the caramel.
- Put the butter, sugar, golden syrup and condensed milk into a medium saucepan over a high heat. Stir continuously using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Let the caramel boil for 5-7 minutes, it's ready when it's a deep golden colour and has a fudge-like consistency. When it's ready take the pan off the heat and leave the caramel to cool for 20 minutes.
- Pour the cooled caramel over the biscuit base and put the baking tin back in the fridge while you make the filling.
- Put the cream cheese and caster sugar into a large mixing bowl and beat together using an electric handheld whisk. Add the lemon juice, vanilla extract and Carnation caramel and beat again.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the double cream until it forms stiff peaks. Transfer the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture and fold the mixture together.
- Check the caramel layer has cooled and is set. Spoon the cheesecake filling on top of the caramel layer and smooth with the back of a spoon. Cover with clingfilm and chill for at least 12 hours.
- Chop the chocolate into small pieces and put them into a heatproof bowl. Pour the double cream into a small saucepan and place it over a medium heat. Remove from the heat just before it reaches boiling point. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and leave it to sit for a few minutes.
- Next, vigorously mix the cream and chocolate mixture using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. The ganache will look thick and glossy. Pour it on top of the cheesecake filling and then put the baking tin back into the fridge for about an hour to set.
- When the ganache has set you can remove the cheesecake from the baking tin. Whip the double cream to soft peaks and put it into a piping bag fitted with an open star nozzle.
- Pipe swirls of cream on top of the cheesecake and decorate each swirl with a square of Millionaire's shortbread. Add some gold sprinkles for a final flourish.
Notes
- This recipe is gluten free, nut free, egg free and suitable for vegetarians.
- You can make this recipe using a handheld electric whisk, a stand mixer with the paddle attachment fitted or with a good old fashioned wooden spoon!
- Don't press too hard when adding the biscuit crumbs into the baking tin otherwise you'll have trouble releasing the cheesecake from the bottom of the tin.
- When making the caramel it's really important to stir it continuously otherwise it will burn and/or crystallise.
- If the caramel layer isn't cool and set by the time you've made the cheesecake filling, put the bowl of cheesecake filling into the fridge until you're ready to add it to the caramel layer.
- Once the cheesecake filling has been added make sure it's refrigerated for at least 12 hours.
- The ganache layer will take about an hour to set but you can leave it overnight if you want to.
- To release the cheesecake from the base of your tin, run a sharp knife around the bottom edge of the cheesecake and ease it off the tin.
- To tidy up the edges of the cheesecake, smooth it with a sharp knife or a palette knife.
- Storage: leftovers should be stored in the fridge and will keep for 3-4 days. Millionaire's Cheesecake freezes well (without any decoration) for up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 895Total Fat: 56gSaturated Fat: 32gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 165mgSodium: 297mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 1gSugar: 39gProtein: 7g
All That I'm Eating
Well this looks absolutely brilliant! Cheesecake and millionaire's in one, two of my favourites. Love that you have added extra biscuits to the top too!
Amy Treasure
Thank you!