Ruby Chocolate Cheesecake

This luscious no-bake cheesecake is made using ruby chocolate, a new innovation in the culinary world! It is made from red cocoa beans which yields a naturally pink hued chocolate with mild red berry flavors.

Ruby Chocolate Cheesecake

I’ve been eager to work with ruby chocolate ever since it was introduced in 2017 by its inventors, the cocoa producers of Barry Callebaut. You may remember that I first mentioned this chocolate as a gift idea in this December post. It has been unavailable in the US for quite some time.

Just last month it arrived for purchase in meltable callets thanks to Trader Joe’s. Now that it’s becoming more widely available, I wanted to share one of my favorite kitchen experiments – this cheesecake recipe!

Ruby Chocolate Cheesecake

I procured my first batch of ruby chocolate callets last year from across the pond, so I’ve had a few months to experiment with its unique flavor.

So, what does ruby chocolate taste like?

I can best describe it as a light chocolate that recalls notes of white chocolate, but with the acidity and flavor of red berries. You will not mistake it for white chocolate tinted pink, though. It has its own unique flavors that are deeper, and much more complex than white chocolate. I passed out callets to my friends for sampling to gauge their reactions, and the most common descriptors were red berries, raspberry, strawberry, floral, and espresso.

Ruby Chocolate Cheesecake

When melted, the ruby chocolate turns to a pinkish taupe color, which is really beautiful to cast as homemade chocolate bars or to use as a truffle coating. Much as I’d like to claim the color of this cheesecake to be natural, it is only partially so. Ruby chocolate’s color will lighten considerably when mixed with cream cheese, so I helped the color along with a little deep pink gel food color. You could omit this, but I really wanted the color to reflect the unique flavor of the chocolate.

Ruby Chocolate Cheesecake

Getting Started

A shortbread crust is pressed into a standard 9 inch springform pan, and then the cheesecake mixture is poured on top.  Freezing the cheesecake will make it easy to unmold and remove from the base, so I recommend doing so.

I had piped a few ruby chocolate ganache truffles for snacks, but decided they would look pretty on top of this cheesecake. Use a 2:1 ratio of chocolate to heavy cream, just like most semisweet chocolate ganache recipes.

Ruby Chocolate Cheesecake

Edible Flowers

I couldn’t resist a few edible petals of  dried purple sea lavender (limonium sinuatum). It doesn’t offer much flavor or texture, but it looks beautiful. I also added a few whole red globe amaranth, which I added purely for decoration although they are also edible. You can find the dried flowers I used here, in a variety pack.

Ruby Chocolate Cheesecake

Don’t expect this to be a light cheesecake! It really packs a punch with 12 oz. of ruby chocolate. I added dollops of freshly whipped cream on top, which will cut the richness and contrast it nicely.

I crushed a few freeze-dried raspberries between my fingers and sprinkled them on top of the cheesecake, and added a few whole berries, too. This nicely underscored the berry flavors in the ruby chocolate.

Ruby Chocolate Cheesecake

I loved sharing this dessert. It was exciting to introduce something so new and different to my friends and family – and to also hear their reactions and responses to its flavor! You can expect to see more ruby chocolate here in the future. I may be its new biggest fan!

Ruby Chocolate Cheesecake

Heather Baird
Be sure to use the correct canned milk in this recipe. Sweetened condensed milk is thick and syrupy, and is the right ingredient for this recipe. Do not use evaporated milk, which is liquid and unsweet. If you are a Girl Scouts cookie-buyer (raises hand), this recipe uses one 9 oz. box of Trefoils.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 25 minutes
4 hours chill time 4 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 10

Equipment

  • 9-inch spring form pan

Ingredients
 
 

Cheesecake

  • 2 cups 255g, or 9 oz. cookies shortbread cookie crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 2 cups 343g/12 oz. ruby chocolate callets (or bars finely chopped)
  • 16 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
  • 14 oz. 1 can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup 240 ml heavy whipping cream
  • .25 oz. one envelope unflavored powdered gelatin
  • 1/2 cup 120 ml cold water
  • Deep pink gel food color optional

Ruby chocolate ganache truffles

  • 1/2 cup 120 ml heavy cream
  • 1 cup 6 oz. ruby chocolate callets
  • Tiny drop of pink gel food color optional

Whipped cream and décors

  • 1/2 cup 120 ml heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Dried sea lavender petals and whole dried globe amaranth see post for links
  • 3-4 tablespoons freeze-dried raspberries

Instructions
 

  • Make the cheesecake: In a large bowl, mix the crumbs, and sugar. Add the butter and mix well. Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9 inch spring form pan.
  • In a nonstick skillet over low heat, or in the bowl of a double boiler, add the ruby chocolate and stir until melted. Add to the bowl of an electric mixer. With the mixer running add the cream cheese and mix until combined (this mixture may look lumpy/curdled at first, do not be alarmed). Add the sweetened condensed milk and beat until smooth.
  • In a small saucepan combine the water and gelatin. Let stand until bloomed, about 1 minute. Place over medium-low heat until melted. Mix the gelatin into the cream cheese mixture. With the mixer running on low speed, pour in the heavy cream. Beat on high speed until the mixture is well combined. Mix in the food color, if using. Pour the mixture over the shortbread crust and place in the freezer until solid, about 4 hours or overnight.
  • Make the ruby ganache: Heat 1/2 cup of heavy cream over medium-low heat until hot but not boiling. Remove from the heat and add the callets. Let stand 1 minute. Beat the ingredients together using a small whisk. Whisk in food color, if using. Pour the ganache into a shallow dish and refrigerate until the mixture is piping consistency, about 10 minutes (mixture should be firm enough to hold its shape, but lax enough to easily press through a piping bag with a small star decorator tip). When the mixture is the correct consistency, place it in a piping bag fitted with a small open star decorator tip. Pipe ganache into dollops (or kisses) on a plate, and transfer to the freezer to firm.
  • Make the whipped cream: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in the vanilla extract. Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a jumbo open star piping tip.
  • Assemble the cake: Remove the frozen cheesecake from the freezer. Wet a tea towel with hot tap water and wring dry: place around the outside of the spring form pan to loosen the edges. Remove the spring form collar. Wet the towel again and place on the base of the cheesecake. Separate the base from the shortbread crust and place the cheesecake on a serving plate or cake stand.
  • Remove the truffles from the freezer. Use a small offset spatula to pick up each truffle and place them randomly on top of the cheesecake. Add stars of whipped cream in the same fashion. Scatter petals of sea lavender across the surface of the cake, and place 3-4 whole red globe amaranth in the arrangement that pleases your eye. Crush freeze dried raspberries between your fingers and sprinkle over the entire cake. Place whole red raspberries here and there between the peaks and valleys of the ganache and whipped cream.
  • Let the cheesecake stand until it is on longer frozen (you can let it thaw in the refrigerator if you like). Serve chilled slices of Ruby Chocolate Cheesecake to delighted guests, and be sure to tell them of all the virtues of this latest innovation in chocolate!
Keyword champagne ganache, edible flowers, no bake cheesecake, ruby chocolate
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Julie
Julie
5 years ago

Looks fantastic! Ruby chocolate sounds really good??

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
5 years ago
Reply to  Julie

Thanks, Julie! It's unique and very tasty! I hope you get a chance to try it!

Natalie
Natalie
5 years ago

This cheesecake is absolutely stunning! I never had ruby chocolate before ♥

AnaEatsEverything
AnaEatsEverything
5 years ago

Trader Joe's has ruby callets available finally! They really do taste AMAZINGLY berry forward and quite tart, although I think I did see a small amount of citric acid on the ingredients label so TJ is trying to play up that flavor. I'll be trying to turn them into a ruby ganache or buttercream this weekend to go on a pistachio cake (the watercake cake with impeachment frosting, a retro cake described in Vintage Cakes by Julie Richardson – that name, right?!). Thanks for the inspiration!!

Brooke
Brooke
4 years ago

This looks amazing…somewhat of a silly question, but how long could it be kept frozen? I'd like to bake it this weekend, but keep it frozen for a few weeks.