This simple recipe for Champagne Cheesecake is perfect for ringing in the New Year. Serve it in footed dessert glasses or stemware for an elegant touch.Be sure to use real white chocolate in this recipe. If you use white chocolate chips, make sure the ingredients list cocoa butter as an ingredient. Incorporating the cream cheese mixture into the champagne/chocolate mixture may take a little while to get all of the lumps out. You can speed this by using an immersion blender or pouring the mixture into a regular pitcher blender and blending on high speed until lightened.
8tablespoonsdigestive biscuit crumbsor graham cracker crumbs
12oz.white chocolatechopped
1/2cup heavy cream
3/4cupchampagne or prosecco
1 1/4teaspoonspowdered unflavored gelatin
1 1/2tablespoonscold water
8 oz.cream cheeseat room temperature
1/4cupfreeze-dried raspberries
8piecesrose water Turkish delight
8white chocolate ringsor 8 squares of bar chocolate
Instructions
Divide the cookie crumbs between 8 dessert cups (4 oz. capacity) or sixteen shot glasses (2 oz. capacity). This will be 1 tablespoon per glass, or 1/2 tablespoon per shot glass. Tamp down lightly and set aside.
Place the chopped white chocolate and heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk occasionally until the chips are melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in the champagne. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan. While the mixture cools, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a small cup. Let stand until absorbed and thick.
Pour the champagne mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whip attachment. Gradually add the cream cheese with the mixer running on medium-high, and beat until no lumps remain. If you have trouble getting the lumps out, pour the mixture into a blender, or use an immersion blender and process on liquify (high). Mixture should be fairly liquid.
Heat the bloomed gelatin in the microwave for 10 seconds or until liquid. With the mixer or blender running, add the melted gelatin to the cheesecake mixture. Beat on high speed for about 3 minutes ,or blend well in the blender, until the mixture is lightened in color slightly. It will still be fairly liquid and pourable.
Immediately pour the mixture on top of the crust in the glasses.
Cover and refrigerate cups about 1 hour, or until firm. Top glasses with freeze-dried raspberries. Add Turkish delight and white chocolate pieces for garnish.
Notes
Use bar white chocolate such as Baker's brand white chocolate for best results. Or, you can use white chocolate chips. Just make sure they contain cocoa butter as an ingredient. Some baking chips are labeled "white baking chips" but they contain no cocoa butter. Instead, they are vanilla-flavored chips. This recipe was updated 12/2023 to reflect the importance of using real white chocolate that contains cocoa butter. Recipe adapted from Simplemost.