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Lemon mascarpone cheesecake on a dark blue plate, decorated with lemon zest and edible flowers.

Lemon Mascarpone Cheesecake

Robyn
This 5 ingredient no bake lemon mascarpone cheesecake is packed full of zesty lemon flavour, is creamy and indulgent, and takes just 10 minutes to prepare!
5 from 4 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Chilling Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine International
Servings 12 people
Calories 388 kcal

Equipment

  • 20cm (8") springform tin

Ingredients
  

  • 200g (7 oz) Digestive biscuits or graham crackers
  • 100g (7 tablespoons) butter melted
  • 500g (2¼ c) mascarpone cheese
  • 2 lemons zested
  • 100ml (7 tablespoons) lemon juice (from approx 1½-2 lemons)
  • 200g (1 c) caster sugar

Instructions
 

  • Line the bottom of a 20cm ( 8") springform tin with baking paper, and lightly grease the sides with a little butter.

Make the cheesecake base:

  • Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat or in the microwave.
  • Finely crush the Digestive biscuits, either by placing them in a food processor or using a rolling pin.
  • Pour the melted butter in to the biscuit crumbs and mix well until they are all coated in the melted butter, then spoon in to the prepared tin.
  • Using a flat glass, or back of a spoon, firmly press the mixture down until it covers the base of the tin in an even layer. Place in the fridge to set whilst you make the cheesecake filling.

Make the lemon cheesecake filling:

  • In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese with the lemon zest and juice and caster sugar until just combined. Don't beat too much otherwise the mascarpone can split.
  • Spoon the filling on to the chilled base, spreading it out to the edges of the tin, then return to the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours. Cover with clingfilm / cling wrap to stop the cheesecake from absorbing any strong flavours from the fridge.
  • When ready to serve, carefully remove from the tin on to a serving plate. Decorate with extra lemon zest and edible flowers (optional) then serve straight away.
  • Leftovers will keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Notes

INGREDIENTS
  • Biscuits - I love the classic Digestive biscuit base with the lemon topping (substitute with graham crackers if you are in the US). However the lemon cheesecake topping would also work really with ginger nuts or shortbread biscuits.
  • Butter - I tend to use unsalted butter, but you can use salted butter if you prefer a more savoury hint to your cheesecake base.
  • Mascarpone - I recommend using full fat mascarpone in this recipe. Not only is it's flavour richer but lower fat versions tend to be more watery which can prevent the topping from setting.
  • Caster sugar - also known as superfine sugar. These finer grains of sugar dissolve more easily than regular sugar.
  • Lemon - fresh lemons are a must in this recipe! Both the zest and juice are used to give the maximum amount of lemon flavour.
TIPS
  • Crush the biscuits evenly – this makes the base less likely to crumble.
  • Don’t be tempted to add more lemon juice than the recipe states – otherwise the cheesecake may not set.
  • Don’t over mix the filling – the mascarpone can seperate if mixed too much. Stop when the ingredients are combined.
  • Tin – you don’t have to use a springform tin for this cheesecake (although it is the easiest type of tin to remove the cheesecake from!). I have made this recipe in a 20 cm / 8 inch lose bottomed tin and placed the tin over a glass to remove the side tin, then slid out the base and it worked perfectly.

Nutrition

Calories: 388kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 4gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 60mgSodium: 163mgPotassium: 56mgFiber: 1gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 796IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 78mgIron: 1mg
Keyword lemon cheesecake, lemon mascarpone cheesecake, no bake lemon cheesecake

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