This is a perfect ‘use it up’ chocolate recipe at Christmas. We love to use some of the mountain of chocolate that seems to be ever present in the house at Christmas to make desserts. Last Christmas we made a Galaxy chocolate cheesecake.
If your house is anything like mine, Christmas always seems to leave us with a mountain of chocolate. Selection boxes, chocolate bars, gift tins and festive treats somehow multiply overnight, and by Boxing Day there’s usually far more chocolate in the house than anyone can manage to eat.
Last Christmas, instead of letting it sit in the cupboard until Easter, I decided to turn some of it into this Galaxy Chocolate Cheesecake. It was one of those recipes that came together with what we already had at home, and it disappeared much faster than the leftover chocolates ever would have.
This is a rich, creamy no-bake cheesecake with a buttery digestive biscuit base, a smooth Galaxy chocolate filling and a simple chocolate topping that looks impressive without taking much effort. It’s the kind of dessert that feels special enough for Christmas Day, yet it’s just as welcome for a family birthday, Sunday dinner or any occasion that calls for chocolate.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Jump to RecipeOne of my favourite things about this cheesecake is that it helps use up Christmas chocolates without feeling like leftovers. You can decorate it however you like, making every cheesecake look a little different.
The filling is wonderfully creamy thanks to the combination of full-fat cream cheese, whipped double cream and melted Galaxy chocolate. It has a light texture that melts in your mouth while still holding its shape beautifully once chilled overnight.
Best of all, there’s no oven involved, making it an ideal dessert when the kitchen is already busy with Christmas dinner or other festive baking.
Decorating your cheesecake
This is where you can have a little fun.I used pieces from a Christmas selection box, arranging them in circles around the top before finishing with a generous grating of Galaxy chocolate. It creates a lovely festive finish without needing any piping skills or fancy equipment.
If you’re making this after Christmas, simply use whatever chocolates you have left.
Some lovely options include:
- chocolate bars
- chocolate buttons
- chocolate Santa’s or reindeer
- Chocolate curls or grated chocolate
Every cheesecake will look slightly different, and that’s part of the charm.
A few helpful tips
Crush the digestive biscuits into fine crumbs before mixing them with the melted butter. This helps create a firm base that’s easy to slice.
Allow plenty of chilling time. Although four hours is enough, I always think this cheesecake is at its best after spending the night in the fridge. The filling becomes beautifully firm while staying deliciously creamy.
When folding the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, use a gentle hand. It keeps the filling light and airy.
Storing leftovers
Cover the cheesecake and keep it in the fridge for up to three days.
Because the filling contains whipped cream, I don’t recommend freezing it, as the texture can become grainy once thawed.
A little Mrs Hawkins House note
Some of my favourite recipes begin with opening the cupboard and asking, “What can we use up today?”
This cheesecake is exactly that kind of recipe.
It turns leftover Christmas chocolate into something that looks like you’ve spent hours making it, yet it’s surprisingly simple to put together. Sometimes the best family recipes aren’t the ones with expensive ingredients or complicated methods. They’re the ones that help you make the most of what you already have.
If your house is anything like ours after Christmas, with chocolate appearing from every cupboard and gift bag, this Chocolate Cheesecake is a delicious way to put some of it to good use. It might even become part of your own Christmas tradition, just as it has started to become part of ours.
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Ingredients
Method
- Crush the biscuits finely.Mix with the melted butter.
- Press into the base of a lined tin.Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Beat the cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whip the double cream until it holds soft peaks.
- Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.
- Pour in the melted Galaxy chocolate and fold through gently.
- Spoon over the biscuit base and smooth the top.
- Chill for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Drizzle with extra melted chocolate before serving if desired.
- Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.Not suitable for freezing.
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