No-Bake Mimosa Cheesecake
Make No-Bake Mimosa Cheesecake: a silky, champagne-kissed cheesecake with orange zest and a crisp graham crust. Serve chilled.
Ingredients
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 10 ounces white chocolate bar
- 1 1/4 cups +5 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 16 ounces full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup champagne
- zest 1 large orange
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the crust and pan
Lightly grease the edges of a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment. Grind graham crackers into a fine, even crumb in a processor, then pour the melted unsalted butter over the crumbs and stir until every particle looks glossy and evenly coated. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of the springform to form a compact golden-brown base. Pop the crust into the refrigerator or freezer while you move on — chilling the crust keeps it crisp and sets the shape for the creamy filling.
Step 2: Melt the white chocolate and cool
Chop or break the white chocolate into uniform pieces and place them in a microwave-safe bowl with the measured 5 tablespoons of heavy cream. Heat gently at reduced power in short bursts, stirring between each interval, until the chocolate softens and you can whisk it smooth into a glossy, satin emulsion. Set this warm ganache aside to cool to near room temperature so it won’t melt the whipped cream when combined.
Step 3: Whip the cream for folding
Chill a metal mixing bowl and whisk briefly, then whip 1 1/4 cups of heavy cream with the powdered sugar until you reach stiff, airy peaks — glossy, billowy, and able to hold shape. The whipped cream should feel pillowy and light, with fine bead-like texture where the whisk lifted through it. Set this whipped cream aside gently so it keeps its volume for folding into the cheese base.
Step 4: Build the flavored cheesecake base
Beat the room-temperature cream cheese until completely smooth and without lumps, scraping the bowl frequently. Add the cooled white chocolate emulsion and the bright orange zest, beating until fully combined into a silky, ivory mixture streaked with tiny orange specks. Pour in the champagne and continue to beat just until homogeneous — the alcohol adds subtle lift and a faint shimmer but the texture remains dense and velvety.
Step 5: Fold, fill, and smooth
Gently fold the prepared whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in two additions, using broad, deliberate strokes to retain air; the goal is an airy yet stable mousse-like filling with soft peaks and a satin surface. Transfer and pour the pale, peach-tinged filling into the chilled graham crust in the springform pan, then smooth the top with an offset spatula so the surface is even and slightly domed. Refrigerate the assembled cheesecake for at least four hours, until set and sliceable.
Step 6: Chill until set
Leave the filled springform undisturbed in the fridge for the minimum setting time, allowing the emulsion and whipped network to knit into a spoonable, sliceable mass. The filling should transition from soft and jiggly to a resilient, barely springy cream that holds clean knife edges when sliced.
Step 7: Finish with a whipped cream border and orange zest
Make a second batch of whipped cream using the same chilling and whipping technique, sweetening to taste. Remove the cheesecake from the springform, place it on your serving plate, and pipe a neat border using a large open star tip to create defined, ridged rosettes. Sprinkle fine threads of orange zest over the border and a few delicate flakes onto the center for aroma and a bright visual pop.
Notes
- Chill the crust before filling to keep it crisp.
- Use room-temperature cream cheese for a lump-free base.
- Cool the white chocolate ganache to near room temperature before folding into whipped cream.
- Whip cream to stiff peaks and fold gently to retain airiness.
- Chill the assembled cheesecake at least 4 hours or overnight for best texture.