I love a chilled cheesecake and this Lemon and White Chocolate Cheesecake is my new favourite. It really is the perfect recipe for any occasion and is like eating super creamy lemon ice-cream. It is jam packed full of flavour so serve it plain or bling it out with all the magical decorations like I did.
I decorated my Keke Tīhi Rēmana me te Tiakarete Mā (Lemon and White Chocolate Cheesecake) with raupua tiakarete mā (white chocolate petals) and fresh hua (berries). However, you take this recipe wherever ever you want it to go.
Other tohutao rēmana (lemon recipes) to try:
Want the same creamy rēmana (lemon) vibe but in a slice version? Then you must try my Lemon Bars. How about this Lemon and White Chocolate Syrup Cake? It is an absolute stunner. While I'm there, these Lemon and Strawberry Jam Drops (Thumbprint Cookies) are a must try.
Videography and photography by Sarah Henderson.
Lemon and White Chocolate Cheesecake Ingredient Tips:
- White Chocolate Chit Chats: These are so delicious in this cheesecake but you can swap them with the same amount of any white chocolate cookie.
- Coconut: I use desiccated coconut as it keeps the base to a fine crumb however ground almonds would be a great substitute.
- White Chocolate Drops: Initially I used drops in the recipe as they were a bit cheaper, however use whatever tiakarete mā (white chocolate) you want.
Expert Advice:
Make sure the kirīmi tīhi (cream cheese) has been brought to room temperature before whipping it. This is achieved by leaving it on the bench for an hour and helps prevent lumps in the mixture.
Do not over whip the mixture because cream cheese can be prone to be splitting. Follow the timings I have stated in the recipe and you will be fine.
Step by Step Instructions for the Lemon and White Chocolate Cheesecake:
Note: The full recipe card with the full list of ingredients, instructions and step by step video are found at the bottom of this page.
1. Prepare the Cake Tin:
Grease a 19 cm or a 20 cm spring form cake tin with butter and line it with baking paper on the base and sides.
2. Make the Biscuit Base:
Crush the pihikete tiakarete mā (white chocolate biscuits) in a mortar and pestle, a food processor or with a rolling pin until you have a fine-ish crumb.
Add the kongakonga pihikete (biscuits crumbs), kokonati (coconut) and pata kua rewaina (melted butter) to a small bowl.
Whakaranuhia - stir until combined.
3. Press the Base in to the Cake Tin:
Add to the base of the prepared tin then press the kongakonga (crumb) firmly with the back of a spoon so it is flat.
Whakamātaohia (refrigerate) as you make the filling.
4. Bloom the Gelatine:
Add the wai (water) in to a small bowl. Add the paura tetepe (gelatine powder) and stir with a fork until combined.
Leave to bloom for 5 minutes.
5. Melt the White Chocolate:
Add the tiakarete mā (white chocolate) and ⅓ C kirīmi (cream) in to a medium, heat proof bowl.
Place it over a pot of barely simmering water (about 3 cm deep) and gently melt. Make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Remove from the heat and leave to the side to cool.
6. Melt the Gelatine Mixture:
Turn the heat off the pot of simmering water and place the ranunga tetepe (gelatine mixture) bowl in to the water to gently melt it. As an alternative, melt it in the microwave for 20 seconds.
Leave for 2 minutes to cool.
7. Combine the Gelatine and Chocolate:
In two additions, stir the melted gelatine mixture in to the tiakarete mā (white chocolate) until smooth. Leave aside.
8. Whip the Cream Cheese Mixture:
Add the room temperature kirīmi tīhi (cream cheese) in to a large bowl. Whip it with electric beaters for one minute until smooth.
8. Whip the Cream Cheese Mixture:
Add the puehu huka (icing sugar), kiri rēmana (lemon zest), wai rēmana (lemon juice) and wanira (vanilla) in to the kirīmi tīhi (cream cheese). Tāwhiuwhiua (whip it) on low speed for a minute until smooth.
Add a third of the white chocolate mixture at a time. Whip on low speed (for around 15-20 seconds) after each addition, until smooth.
9. Whip the Cream and Sour Cream:
To a seperate medium bowl add the kirīmi (cream). Whip until it starts to thicken. Add the kirīmi kawa (sour cream) and continue to whip until thick.
10. Fold the Cream in to the Cream Cheese:
Fold the ranunga kirīmi (cream mixture) in to the cream cheese mixture in two parts, folding after each addition.
Then pour it on top of the paparanga pihikete (biscuit layer) and smooth it out.
11. Refrigerate:
Refrigerate for 5 hours until set. I however prefer to leave it overnight to develop in flavour but do what works. If you are making it ahead, cover it with a plate or bowl cover. This will last in the fridge for up to five days.
12. Serve:
This can be served as it is with some fresh or canned fruit drizzled on top.
If you want to follow me and decorate it a little bit further, whai mai i ahau (follow me)!
13. Make the White Chocolate Decorations:
Make the raupua tiakarete mā (white chocolate petals) at least an hour before you want to serve it.
Gently peel the white chocolate decorations off the baking paper. Then stick them on around the set cheesecake until all the gaps are filled.
14. Add the Fruit:
Slice two cheeks off the mango, working around the stone. While the skin is still on, slice the mango in to thin strips.
Remove the skin and arrange on to the set keke tīhi (cheesecake).
Remove the skin off half a hua tarākona (dragon fruit) and slice in to small rectangles.
Add them around the mango.
14. Add the Fruit:
Sprinkle the tūrutu (blueberries) in to the gaps and drizzle over the wairanu kōhia (passionfruit syrup).
Finish with the lavender flowers.
15. Serve:
Serve to your manuhiri (guests) and be proud of your mahi (work) because all that effort and time was worth it.
This will last in the fridge for up to three days with the fruit on top.
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DID YOU ENJOY THIS RECIPE?
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I love seeing you all make my creations, so send a whakaahua (photo) or kiriata (video) to my Instagram and show me what you made. Let me know if you have any pātai (questions) too, I would love to help.
Chilled Lemon and White Chocolate Cheesecake - Keke Tīhi Rēmama me te Tiakarete Mā
Equipment
- 1 x 19 cm or 20 cm spring-form cake tin
Ingredients
The Biscuit Layer - Te Paparanga Pihikete
- 180 g pihikete tiakarete mā (white chocolate biscuits, I used the Chit Chat caramelised white chocolate version)
- ⅓ C (25 g) kokonati pūtī (desiccated coconut)
- 55 g pata kua rewaina (melted butter)
The Lemon Cream Layer - Te Paparanga Kirīmi Rēmana
- 3 tablespoon (45 ml) wai mātao (cold water)
- 2 teaspoon paura tetepe (gelatine powder)
- 200 g tiakarete mā (white chocolate, I used white chocolate drops)
- ⅓ C (85 ml) kirīmi (cream)
- 250 g kirīmi tīhi (cream cheese, allow an hour to come to room temperature before creating the recipe, this helps the mixture stay smooth)
- ⅓ C (50 g) puehu huka (icing sugar)
- Kiri rēmana (lemon zest, of 2 ½ small lemons)
- ⅓ (85 ml) C wai rēmana (lemon juice)
- 1 tablespoon wanira (vanilla)
- 1 C (250 ml) kirīmi (cream, chilled)
- 200 g kirīmi kawa (sour cream, chilled)
The Decorations - Ngā Whakarākei (all optional)
- 1 quantity raupua tiakarete mā (white chocolate petals)
- ⅔ mango
- ½ hua tarākona (dragon fruit)
- 60 g tūrutu (blueberries)
- 3 tablespoon wairanu kōhia (passionfruit syrup)
- small lavender flowers
Instructions
Prepare the Cake Tin:
- Grease a 19 cm or a 20 cm spring form cake tin with butter and line it with baking paper on the base and sides.
Make the Biscuit Base:
- Crush the pihikete tiakarete mā (white chocolate biscuits) in a mortar and pestle, a food processor or with a rolling pin. You should have a fine-ish crumb.
- Add the kongakonga pihikete (biscuits crumbs), kokonati (coconut) and pata (butter) to a small bowl. Whakaranuhia - stir until combined.
Press the Base in to the Cake Tin:
- Add to the base of the prepared tin. Press the kongakonga (crumb) firmly with the back of a spoon so it is flat. Whakamātaohia (refrigerate) as you make the filling.
Bloom the Gelatine:
- Add the wai (water) in to a small bowl. Add the paura tetepe (gelatine powder) and stir with a fork until combined. Leave to bloom for 5 minutes.
Melt the White Chocolate:
- Add the tiakarete mā (white chocolate) and ⅓ C kirīmi (cream) in to a medium, heat proof bowl.
- Place it over a pot of barely simmering water (about 3 cm deep) and gently melt. Make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Remove from the heat and leave to the side to cool.
Melt the Gelatine Mixture:
- Turn the heat off the pot of simmering water and place the ranunga tetepe (gelatine mixture) bowl in to the water to gently melt it. As an alternative, melt it in the microwave for 20 seconds.
- Leave for 2 minutes to cool.
Combine the Gelatine and Chocolate:
- In two additions, stir the melted gelatine mixture in to the tiakarete mā (white chocolate). Leave aside.
Whip the Cream Cheese Mixture:
- Add the room temperature kirīmi tīhi (cream cheese) in to a large bowl. Whip it with electric beaters for one minute until smooth.
- Add the puehu huka (icing sugar), kiri rēmana (lemon zest), wai rēmana (lemon juice) and wanira (vanilla) in to the kirīmi tīhi (cream cheese).
- Tāwhiuwhiua (whip it) on low speed for a minute until smooth.
- Add a third of the white chocolate mixture at a time. Whip on low speed (for around 15-20 seconds) after each addition, until smooth.
Whip the Cream and Sour Cream:
- To a medium bowl add the kirīmi (cream). Whip until it starts to thicken. Add the kirīmi kawa (sour cream) and continue to whip until thick.
Fold the Cream in to the Cream Cheese:
- Fold the ranunga kirīmi (cream mixture) in to the cream cheese mixture in two parts, folding after each addition.
- Pour it on top of the paparanga pihikete (biscuit layer) and smooth it out.
Refrigerate:
- Refrigerate for 5 hours. I prefer to leave it overnight to develop in flavour. If you are making it ahead, cover it with a plate or bowl cover. This will last in the fridge for up to five days.
Serve:
- This can be served as it is with some fresh or canned fruit drizzled on top.
- If you want to follow me and decorate it a little bit further, whai mai I ahau (follow me)!
Make the White Chocolate Decorations:
- Make the raupua tiakarete mā (white chocolate petals) at least an hour before you want to serve it.
- Gently peel the white chocolate decorations off the baking paper and stick them on around the set cheesecake.
Add the Fruit:
- Slice two cheeks off the mango, working around the stone. While the skin is still on, slice the mango in to thin strips. Remove the skin and arrange on to the set keke tīhi (cheesecake).
- Remove the skin off half a hua tarākona (dragon fruit) and slice in to small rectangles. Add them around the mango.
- Sprinkle the tūrutu (blueberries) in to the gaps and drizzle over the wairanu kōhia (passionfruit syrup). Finish with the lavender flowers.
- Serve to your manuhiri (guests) and be proud of your mahi (work)!
Catherine
Fabulous recipe. A light and delicious cheese cake. Easy to follow instructions and I even managed the chocolate petals which just made it look next level. The whanau were suitably impressed. This will be my go to cheesecake recipe from now on. Thank you!
Naomi Toilalo WhānauKai
That is just so awesome to hear Catherine! How cool that you did the chocolate petals as well, I think they are totally worth it. So cool to hear that it will be your go to from now on! Woo hoo!
Louise Evans
Another banging recipe. Switched up Christmas treats this year for this instead of trifle. Was holding my breath but zero complaints. And plenty of praise. Naomi you make me look good! This cheesecake was light and delicious and far easier than I thought. I chose lavender, blueberries and lemon curd on top - beautiful and tasty.
Naomi Toilalo WhānauKai
Kia ora Louise, what a wonderful message to read! So awesome to hear and I love your combination of lemon curd, lavender and blueberries-that sounds perfect! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!