Aperol Spritz Cheesecake; the delicious bittersweet flavour of the classic drink captured in a creamy cheesecake.
Ok Kelly, everyone gets it now. You went to Italy, congratulations.
Seriously though, an Aperol Spritz should not be the reserve of wealthy middle aged women in over-priced cocktail bars. This drink is crisp, refreshing, and a great excuse to publicly tear an orange slice apart with your teeth in a way that a George A. Romero era zombie would be proud of.
Northern Italians appear to be mad for this in the summertime, or any time that a salty snack can be consumed alongside it. I am here today to (likely insult an entire region in an attempt to) honour that culture by turning it into a cheesecake, I guess. It seemed like a good idea, ok?
Buttery biscuits, lightly salted, offering crunch and gentle savouriness. Smooth cheesecake scented with orange zest and lightened effortlessly with whipped cream. Bittersweet orange jelly spiked with Aperol.
A glorious balance of textures and flavours, punching you in the eyeballs with that cartoon orange colour and just begging to be eaten.
This Aperol Spritz Cheesecake might not be the epitome of wintertime or festivity in this decadent season we find ourselves in. However, for those who tire of the same traditional desserts year in and year out, it might just be a welcome treat. This clean-flavoured, chilled sweet might be a much-needed break from the spices and dried fruit (which as a mince pie fanatic, I must admit I cannot comprehend).
While you’ll need to wait a little bit for the Aperol Spritz Cheesecake and its three layers to set, it requires very little hands-on time. This makes it the perfect make-ahead dessert for a party or gathering that calls for a dessert, allowing you proper time to get yourself ready too.
To make this Aperol Spritz Cheesecake, simply follow the recipe below!
Aperol Spritz Cheesecake
Notes
BE A MAVERICK: Swap out 50ml of the Aperol for 50ml of Campari for an extra Italian flavour!
Ingredients
For the orange Aperol jelly:
- 150ml Aperol
- 100ml orange juice
- 100ml water
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 3 leaves/sheets of gelatine
For the biscuit base:
- 200g digestive biscuits
- 90g salted butter
For the cheesecake:
- 500g cream cheese
- 120g icing sugar
- Zest of 1 orange
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 200ml double or whipping cream
Instructions
For the orange Aperol jelly:
- Place your gelatine leaves/sheets into a small bowl filled with cold water and allow to steep for 10 minutes. This softens them and makes them easier to melt!
- Meanwhile, pour your Aperol, orange juice, water and sugar into a small saucepan set over a medium heat.
- Allow the mixture to heat and bubble gently until the 10 minutes of steeping time have passed.
- Use your hands to grab the gelatine and squeeze out as much water as you can.
- Stir the squidgy gelatine pile into your hot Aperol mixture until it melts and disappears.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to cool while you prepare the rest of the cheesecake.
For the biscuit base:
- Look out a regular springform tin (23cm or 8in) and line its base with a circle of greaseproof paper.
- If using a food processor, blitz your biscuits into crumbs. If you don’t have a food processor, simply place your biscuits into a freezer bag and bash them with a rolling pin until you reach a coarse crumb consistency.
- Meanwhile, melt your butter in a small saucepan over a low heat, or in the microwave.
- Once melted, add the butter to your biscuit crumbs and mix together to combine.
- Tip this mixture into your springform tin and press it down into a neat, flat circle. Pop this in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up while you prepare your cheesecake mix.
For the cheesecake:
- Place your cream cheese, sugar, orange zest and lemon juice into a large bowl and stir together until smooth.
- Whip the 200ml of cream until it forms stiff peaks and then fold it very gently into the cheese mixture until combined.
- Remove your tin from the fridge and top your biscuit base with the cheesecake mixture, smooth it out as neatly as you can.
- Pop the cheesecake in the fridge until your jelly mixture is cool.
- Once your jelly mixture is completely cooled, carefully pour it over the cheesecake.
- Place the cheesecake back into the fridge and allow it to chill and set for at least 3 hours.
- Top your finished cheesecake with some orange slices.
- Slice up and enjoy!
