No-Bake Raffaello Cheesecake

A delicate no-bake coconut and almond cheesecake inspired by the flavour of Raffaello, decorated with ready-made pralines and sprinkled generously with desiccated coconut. Wonderfully creamy, made with plenty of coconut cream, it has a light, subtle taste that isn’t at all overpowering. Beautifully presented in pure white, it makes an elegant centrepiece for any table. A raspberry sauce would pair with it perfectly, adding a fresh, slightly sharp contrast to the sweet coconut notes.

Note: The flavour of the cheesecake is gently coconut and almond. If you would prefer a more pronounced taste, replace the liqueurs with ½ teaspoon of coconut extract and ½ teaspoon of almond extract (not to be confused with flavouring or food essences), and make up the remaining 90 ml of liquid with coconut cream.

Ingredients for the base:

• 160 g coconut biscuits
• 40 g butter, melted

Place the biscuits and melted butter into a food processor and blitz until the biscuits are finely crushed and the mixture resembles damp sand. If you don’t have a food processor, place the biscuits in a sturdy freezer bag (for example, a zip-lock bag) and bash firmly with a rolling pin until finely crushed. Transfer to a bowl and mix thoroughly with the melted butter.

Line the base (bottom only) of a 23 cm round cake tin with baking parchment. Tip the biscuit mixture into the tin and press it firmly into the base, smoothing and levelling it with the back of a spoon or a spatula.

Ingredients for the coconut cheesecake filling:

• 250 g full-fat or semi-skimmed curd cheese (twaróg), minced three times, at room temperature
• 250 g mascarpone, at room temperature
• 80 g icing sugar
• 45 ml coconut liqueur
• 45 ml almond liqueur
• 250 ml coconut cream, well chilled*
• 14 g powdered gelatine + 75 ml cold water

Place the curd cheese, mascarpone, icing sugar and both liqueurs into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, beat until smooth and fully combined.

Sprinkle the powdered gelatine over 75 ml of cold water, stir and leave to stand for 10 minutes to bloom. Then place over a low heat, stirring gently, until the gelatine has completely dissolved, or heat briefly in the microwave. Do not allow it to boil. Remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly.

While the gelatine is still slightly warm, add one tablespoon of the cheesecake mixture and stir thoroughly to loosen it. Add two more tablespoons, mixing well each time and checking that no lumps form. Pour this tempered gelatine mixture into the cheesecake mixture and immediately beat until fully incorporated. In a separate bowl, whip the well-chilled coconut cream (it will not become as stiff as double cream). Fold it gently into the cheesecake mixture in two additions, taking care not to knock out too much air.

Spread the cheesecake mixture over the prepared biscuit base and level the top with a spatula. Chill briefly in the fridge, then press the Raffaello pralines into the gently setting mixture, pushing them in halfway. Refrigerate for several hours, preferably overnight, until fully set. Once chilled, dust generously with desiccated coconut.

Store the no-bake Raffaello cheesecake in the fridge.

To finish:

• raffaello pralines, for the top of the cheesecake
• desiccated coconut, for sprinkling

Enjoy!