You can't get more festive than a peppermint bark cheesecake, can you?
But this isn't just any cheesecake, the rich and smooth peppermint cheesecake filling is topped with the most sublime white chocolate and peppermint mousse. Finished off with sweet, sticky, chewy peppermint bark that looks as impressive as it tastes.
It's a match made in cheesecake heaven! Will you be able to stop at just one slice?
A Christmas Cheesecake Centrepiece
Cheesecake is always bound to be a crowd pleaser. It's quick and simple to make, freezes well and looks impressive in the centre of any Christmas dinner table.
It has the perfect combination of crunchy base-meets-silky filling-meets tiny chunks of minty candy cane. The peppermint bark on the top is good enough to eat on its own, so you could go ahead and make extra of that if you have the time.
If you love peppermint then you will adore this.
White Chocolate and Peppermint Mousse
As I mentioned earlier, I've topped the cheesecake filling with a white chocolate and peppermint mousse and added the peppermint bark on top for a final hit of irresistible peppermint.
Making the mousse does double the effort (it's worth it!) if you're time poor you could skip the mousse part altogether.
In that case, I'd recommend doubling the cheesecake filling ingredients to ensure you get a really deep and impressive looking cheesecake.
Ingredients Peppermint Bark Cheesecake
For the base
- 180g oat biscuits such as Oaties or Hobnobs
- 60g butter, melted
For the filling
- 100g white chocolate, melted
- 250g mascarpone cheese
- 250ml creme fraiche
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the mousse
- 250ml double cream
- 2 tablespoons of icing sugar
- 110g cream cheese (make sure it's full fat)
- 100g white chocolate, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 peppermint candy canes, crushed
For the peppermint bark
- 150g white chocolate, melted
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 5 peppermint candy canes, crushed
You will need:- a greased 20 inch loose based cake pan. A baking sheet lined with baking paper. An electric hand whisk or KitchenAid (or similar).
1-Minute Peppermint Bark Cheesecake Step-By-Step Video
Instructions Peppermint Bark Cheesecake
Begin by making the cheesecake base. Crush the biscuits to a fine crumb by using a food processor or putting them in a ziplock bag and bashing them up with a rolling pin.
Add the crushed biscuits to a bowl and stir in the melted butter until all the crumbs are coated.
Press the biscuit crumbs into the cake pan. Use the back of a spoon to press them in and get a compacted even layer. You want to press hard - but not too hard or the cheesecake will be very difficult to turn out and cut. Refrigerate until needed.
For the filling, melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the mascarpone and creme fraiche until smooth and combined. Fold in the melted white chocolate (make sure it's cool to the touch or it will crystalise) next, add the peppermint extract and vanilla extract and fold until combined.
Spoon the mixture into the cake pan smoothing out the top with a spatula. Refrigerate so it can set while you make the chocolate mousse.
For the white chocolate and peppermint mousse, melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the double cream, icing sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese to the bowl and beat until really smooth and silky.
Fold in the (cooled) white chocolate and crushed peppermint candy canes and gently mix until just combined. The mixture will look creamy and loose, but don't worry it will set! Pour the mousse on top of the cheesecake and put it in the freezer for two hours.
Meanwhile, make the peppermint bark. Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. There's no need to wait for it to cool, go ahead and spread it on the tray with baking paper. Sprinkle the crushed candy canes over the top and put the tray in the fridge to set.
Once the cheesecake has been in the freezer for two hours, turn it out from the cake pan and decorate the top with the peppermint bark, breaking it into shards and covering the top of the cheesecake.
Leave the peppermint bark cheesecake to stand for 30 minutes and then serve. If you're making ahead you can refreeze the cheesecake, but remember to take it out to defrost 30 mins before serving.
More Peppermint recipes I think you'll love...
- Candy Cane Hearts With White Chocolate Centres
- Layered Candy Cane Dessert
- Candy Cane Brownie Cookie
- Candy Cane Cloud Dessert
Peppermint Bark Cheesecake
Delicious peppermint bark cheesecake topped with a white chocolate and peppermint mousse. A perfect centrepiece for the Christmas dinner table.
Ingredients
For the base
- 180 g oat biscuits such as Oaties or Hobnobs
- 60 g butter, melted
For the filling
- 100 g white chocolate, melted
- 250 g mascarpone cheese
- 250 ml creme fraiche
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the mousse
- 250 ml double cream
- 2 tablespoons of icing sugar
- 110 g cream cheese, make sure it's full fat
- 100 g white chocolate, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 peppermint candy canes, crushed
For the peppermint bark
- 150 g white chocolate, melted
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 5 peppermint candy canes, crushed
Instructions
- Begin by making the cheesecake base. Crush the biscuits to a fine crumb by using a food processor or putting them in a ziplock bag and bashing them up with a rolling pin.
- Add the crushed biscuits to a bowl and stir in the melted butter until all the crumbs are coated.
- Press the biscuit crumbs into the cake pan. Use the back of a spoon to press them in and get a compacted even layer. You want to press hard - but not too hard or the cheesecake will be very difficult to turn out and cut. Refrigerate until needed.
- For the filling, melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the mascarpone and creme fraiche until smooth and combined. Fold in the melted white chocolate (make sure it's cool to the touch or it will crystalise) next, add the peppermint extract and vanilla extract and fold until combined.
- Spoon the mixture into the cake pan smoothing out the top with a spatula. Refrigerate so it can set while you make the chocolate mousse.
- For the white chocolate and peppermint mousse, melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the double cream, icing sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese to the bowl and beat until really smooth and silky.
- Fold in the (cooled) white chocolate and crushed peppermint candy canes and gently mix until just combined. The mixture will look creamy and loose, but don't worry it will set! Pour the mousse on top of the cheesecake and put it in the freezer for two hours.
- Meanwhile, make the peppermint bark. Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. There's no need to wait for it to cool, go ahead and spread it on the tray with baking paper. Sprinkle the crushed candy canes over the top and put the tray in the fridge to set.
- Once the cheesecake has been in the freezer for two hours, turn it out from the cake pan and decorate the top with the peppermint bark, breaking it into shards and covering the top of the cheesecake.
Notes
Leave the peppermint bark cheesecake to stand for 30 minutes and then serve. If you're making ahead you can refreeze the cheesecake, but remember to take it out to defrost 30 mins before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 637Total Fat: 40gSaturated Fat: 24gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 133mgCarbohydrates: 35gSugar: 31gProtein: 5g
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