Cheesecake with mandarins and chocolate
After the holidays, I needed to make a dessert that didn’t resemble a traditional cake. I was in the mood for something refreshing and creamy, yet filling. I settled on a cheesecake with tangerines and chocolate because I had the ingredients on hand and wanted something that wouldn’t take all day in the kitchen. I’ve tried this recipe several times, including when I had guests or wanted to prepare something in advance for a special day.
Quick Info
Total Time: About 6 hours (including cooling)
Preparation Time: 40 minutes
Cooling Time: Minimum 5 hours (ideally overnight)
Servings: 10-12 slices (22-24 cm pan)
Difficulty: Medium
Recipe Type: Dessert, Special Occasion, Holidays
Ingredients
Base:
200 g plain or digestive biscuits
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
100 g melted butter
Cream:
450 g mascarpone
250 g Philadelphia cream cheese (for cheesecake)
500 ml liquid cream (minimum 30% fat)
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
15 g gelatin granules (or 10 g for a softer consistency)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon orange extract (optional)
1 can tangerines (200 g, without syrup)
Decoration:
1 can tangerines (200 g)
100 g dark chocolate (minimum 55% cocoa)
Instructions
1. Preparing the Base
1. Put the biscuits in a food processor and grind them finely, like a powder.
2. Mix the biscuits with powdered sugar in a bowl.
3. Melt the butter and add it over the biscuits. Mix by hand until you get a crumbly mixture that holds together easily.
4. Place a cake ring directly on a platter. Spread the biscuit mixture inside and press well with your hand or the bottom of a glass to make it even.
5. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes until the base firms up.
Note: If using a classic cake pan with a removable ring and want a firmer base, you can bake the base for 10 minutes at 170°C, then cool it.
2. Preparing the Gelatin
1. Soak the gelatin in the juice drained from the tangerine can, just enough to cover the gelatin (about a finger of liquid over the granules).
2. After it swells, dissolve the gelatin in the microwave (about 30 seconds) or in a double boiler. Be careful that it’s not hot when incorporating it into the cream, just slightly warm.
3. Cream Cheese
1. Whip the cream very well (it should hold its shape) and refrigerate while preparing the rest.
2. In another bowl, mix the Philadelphia cream cheese for a few seconds until it becomes creamy. It’s easier if it’s at room temperature, but it can also be used cold.
3. Add the mascarpone and mix until fully combined.
4. Gradually incorporate the powdered sugar, mixing briefly after each addition. Taste the cream – you can adjust the sugar to your preference.
5. Add the vanilla extract (and orange extract if using).
6. Gradually fold in the whipped cream, mixing just until combined – do not overmix to avoid the cream curdling or becoming too stiff.
7. Pour in the dissolved gelatin at room temperature and mix well.
4. Assembly
1. Take the base out of the fridge.
2. Pour half of the cream cheese over the base and level it out.
3. Arrange the drained tangerines over the entire surface of the cream. Press them gently into the cream to avoid gaps or air bubbles.
4. Pour the remaining cream on top and level it evenly.
5. Cover the cheesecake and refrigerate for at least 5 hours, but ideally overnight.
5. Decoration
1. Remove the cheesecake from the fridge. Run a thin knife around the edge of the ring to detach the cream without breaking it.
2. Grate the dark chocolate with a knife or vegetable peeler to obtain thin shavings.
3. Stick the chocolate pieces to the edge of the cake with your hand.
4. Place a smaller circle (from a cake mold or paper) in the center of the cheesecake and sprinkle chocolate on the upper edge. Remove the circle.
5. In the remaining center space, arrange the drained tangerines on a paper towel.
Why I Make This Recipe Often
I love it because it’s easy to prepare, can be made a day in advance, and doesn’t require baking. It’s quite refreshing but filling, and it keeps well in the fridge. It’s a suitable dessert when I have guests or for a special day.
Tips and Variations
Tips
- Do not add gelatin when it’s hot, to avoid ruining the cream’s texture.
- Do not overmix the whipped cream in the cream, as it will become too stiff.
- When removing the cheesecake from the mold, gently run a knife around the edge for a clean edge.
Substitutions
- Digestive biscuits can be replaced with plain biscuits.
- You can use another cream cheese if you don’t have Philadelphia, but it should be rich and creamy.
- If you don’t have orange extract, just go with vanilla.
Variations
- For a softer cream, reduce gelatin to 10 g.
- You can try other canned fruits (pineapple, peaches), but the taste will change.
- For decoration, you can also use white chocolate or combinations of chocolate types.
Serving Ideas
- Serve cold, straight from the fridge.
- You can add extra tangerines or a bit of whipped cream when serving.
- It also goes well with a thin chocolate sauce if you want an extra flavor boost.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I make the cheesecake without baking?
Yes, in the no-bake version, it just sets in the fridge. If you want a firmer base, you can bake it for 10 minutes at 170°C.
2. What do I do if the cream curdles?
If you overmix or add hot gelatin, the cream can become dense or grainy. Mix just enough to combine.
3. Can I use sheet gelatin instead of granules?
Yes, but the amount and method of soaking should be adjusted according to the package instructions.
4. What type of cream is suitable?
Use liquid cream with a minimum of 30% fat. Plant-based options do not provide the same taste and texture.
5. How long should it cool?
Minimum 5 hours, but it sets best overnight.
Nutritional Values
Approximately, a slice (out of 12) has about 350-400 kcal, depending on the cheese used and if extra chocolate is added. A slice has about 28 g carbohydrates, 28 g fats, and 6-7 g proteins. These values are indicative, for a standard portioning and the ingredients listed.
Storage and Reheating
The cheesecake can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. Freezing or reheating is not recommended. Serve cold, straight from the fridge. If there are leftovers, the edges can be leveled gently with a knife before each serving.
Base: We grind the biscuits in the food processor until they become a fine powder, then mix them with a tablespoon of powdered sugar. We melt the butter in the microwave (or on the stove) and then add it to the biscuit mixture, mixing with our hands until we obtain a crumbly dough. On a platter, we place a removable ring for cakes, and inside it, we will put the crumbly biscuit dough, which we will level and press lightly with our hands to make it even. We put the platter with the base in the fridge for about 10-15 minutes to set, and in the meantime, we make the cream. Note: I used a special cake ring that does not have a removable bottom; if you don't have one, I recommend putting the biscuit base in a cake pan with a removable bottom (like a non-stick one) and baking the base for 10 minutes in a preheated oven at 170°C. Cream: We hydrate the gelatin in the mandarin juice from the can. The juice should cover the gelatin by at least a finger's width. When we add it to the cream, we warm it in the microwave for 30 seconds or dissolve it in a double boiler. When adding it to the cream, it should not be hot; it should be at a tolerable temperature for your finger. We whip the cream until stiff and put it in the fridge while we mix the cheese. Philadelphia cheese is mixed for a few seconds until it becomes creamy (ideally, it should be at room temperature, but mine mixed well even like this). We add the mascarpone cheese and mix well until homogeneous. We add the sugar tablespoon by tablespoon and mix after each addition. If you think it is not sweet enough, you can add more sugar; I don't like it overly sweet, but it is still a rich dessert! We take the whipped cream out of the fridge and gradually incorporate it into the cheese cream. Do not mix too much, as it may curdle! (meaning the cream gets too firm and can curdle; mix just enough to incorporate it for a few seconds). If you want the cheesecake to be more aromatic, you can add a teaspoon of orange essence (which I didn't have available); if you don't have it, just add vanilla essence and the remaining juice from the mandarin can and homogenize. The vanilla essence can also be added earlier to the cream. Finally, we add the gelatin, which should be at room temperature. We take the platter with the base out of the fridge and put half of the cream inside the removable ring, leveling it with a spoon. We arrange the well-drained mandarins from the compote over the entire surface of the cream. We can gently press them with our fingers into the cream to avoid air bubbles when adding the cream on top. We put the other half of the cream on top and level it gently and evenly. We put the cheesecake in the fridge overnight (or at least 5 hours) to set perfectly. How to decorate: First of all, be very careful when removing the removable ring. The cheese cream might stick to the walls of the ring, but we can gently run a knife along the edge of the cheesecake before removing the ring. If it comes out uneven, it’s no problem; we can level it gently with a knife on the edges and then decorate with dark chocolate, which we slice thinly with a knife. We stick the chocolate pieces on the edges first with our hands, then wipe off the excess chocolate with a pastry brush. On top, I placed a circle from a smaller cake pan (if you don’t have a small pan, make a circle out of paper), then sprinkled chocolate on the edges above the cheesecake. I removed the circle, and in the remaining space, I arranged concentric slices of mandarins taken from the compote and drained of juice on a paper towel to avoid making a puddle on the cake. That was it; it is exceptionally fine, creamy, fragrant, and refreshing, perfect for a special day! Any day in our lives can be special, right? Happy holidays and much success in the coming year! Enjoy your meal! If you want it creamier, use only 10 grams of gelatin; if you want it firmer, use 15 grams!
Ingredients: diameter of the shape 22 cm -24 cm (you can choose) Base: 200 g plain biscuits (or digestive) 1 tablespoon powdered sugar 100 g melted butter Cream: 450 g mascarpone cheese 250 g Philadelphia cream cheese (special for cheesecake) 500 ml liquid cream (min. 30% fat) 15 g gelatin granules (hydrated and dissolved) 3 tablespoons powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla essence 1 can of mandarins (small 200 g) 1 teaspoon orange essence (optional) Decor: 1 can of mandarins (200 g) 100 g dark chocolate (55% cocoa content)
