Merry Christmas white chocolate and cranberry cheesecake
Serves: 10
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
Recipe by Katy Greenwood. / Photograph by Dan Jones.
Merry Christmas white chocolate and cranberry cheesecake
Serves: 10
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
See more recipes
Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
532Kcal
Fat
38gr
Saturates
22gr
Carbs
36gr
Sugars
26gr
Fibre
2gr
Protein
9gr
Salt
0.8gr
Sainsbury's magazine
Our team of trained chefs and skilled food writers love cooking up everything from innovative seasonal recipes or clever shortcuts, to step-by-step guides and classic recipes for friends and readers alike.
Sainsbury's magazine
Our team of trained chefs and skilled food writers love cooking up everything from innovative seasonal recipes or clever shortcuts, to step-by-step guides and classic recipes for friends and readers alike.
Ingredients
- 200g fresh or frozen and defrosted cranberries
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 2 tbsp cranberry jelly
For the base:
- 200g Sainsbury's sweetmeal digestive biscuits
- 85g unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
- 300g white chocolate
- 700g Philadelphia cream cheese
- 3 large eggs, white and yolk of 2 and just the yolk of 1
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 x tube red gel food colouring
Step by step
Get ahead
Make the cheesecake up to 2 days ahead; chill. The cheesecake can also be frozen.
- Put the cranberries, sugar and cranberry jelly in a pan and heat gently until the sugar and jelly have dissolved. Bring to the boil and bubble for 2 minutes, then turn down the heat and continue to cook, stirring, for another 2-3 minutes, until the mixture has thickened and the cranberries have broken down. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Whiz the biscuits in a food processor to fine crumbs, then pour in the butter and pulse to mix. Line the base of a 23cm springform cake tin with baking paper and cover the outside with a layer of clingfilm, followed by a double layer of extra-strong foil. Pour the buttery biscuit mixture into the base of the tin and smooth with the back of a spoon. Bake for 10 minutes. Leave to cool a little then spoon the cooled cranberry sauce in the centre, spreading the mixture evenly but not right to the edge, leave a 1cm border. Reduce the oven to 140°C, fan 120°C, gas 1.
- Break the chocolate into a bowl set over a pan of hot water and melt gently, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese to soften, then whisk in the two eggs and the extra egg yolk and vanilla paste. Fold in the cooled chocolate until completely combined. Remove 2 tablespoons of the mixture to a small bowl and add enough gel colouring to give a bright red colour. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle, or a plastic food bag with the end snipped off.
- Pour the uncoloured cheesecake mixture into the tin and smooth the surface. Pipe 'Merry Christmas' (or design of your choice) on top, with the red mixture. Put the cake tin into a large deep roasting tin and put in the oven. Pour boiling water into the roasting tin to come halfway up the sides of the cheesecake. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes, then turn off the oven and leave the door ajar (pop oven gloves or a wooden spoon between the door and the oven) for 1 hour, then remove the cheesecake and leave to cool completely in the roasting tin. Once chilled, chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight, before serving.
