Salted Caramel White Chocolate Mascarpone Cheesecake Recipe

They say it’s your birthday. Well, happy birthday to you!

This post is part of a small, intimate virtual surprise party for my friend Brandy, who many of you know as Nutmeg Nanny. I was invited to contribute a course and, given the choice, I always pick dessert. I love making them and even more, I love sharing them.

I’d been wanting to adapt flavors from one of my favorite cakes into a cheesecake for a while — white chocolate and mascarpone are a delicious pairing. I also considered adding a splash of liquor to the final caramel for a grown-up touch. In the end, the chocolate liqueur I had on hand made a perfect match with the caramel and the rest of the cake.

Originally I toyed with the idea of using pomegranate arils and even experimented with pomegranate liqueur in caramel. The flavor was fine but not spectacular, and pomegranate felt too seasonal. I wanted this cheesecake to work any time of year, so I dropped that idea and focused on what the cake did best: a nutty, almond-based crust, a smooth white chocolate–mascarpone filling, and a buttery salted caramel with just a hint of chocolate liqueur.

The crust uses toasted ground almonds for a tender, aromatic base. The filling blends cream cheese, mascarpone, and melted white chocolate for a lush, silky texture. After baking in a water bath so it sets evenly, the cheesecake is topped with a lightly sweetened sour cream layer, then finished with a thin spread of salted caramel — enriched with a touch of chocolate liqueur — and a scattering of flaky sea salt.

Make this dessert for someone you love, or make it just for yourself. I made it for Brandy and only wish she could have shared it with me. Happy birthday, sweetie.

White Chocolate Mascarpone Cheesecake with Salted Caramel and Chocolate Topping

Creative Culinary

A rich cheesecake topped with a lightly salted caramel and a touch of chocolate liqueur.

4.63 from many votes

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Prep Time
25 mins

Cook Time
1 hr 15 mins

Total Time
1 hr 40 mins

Servings
10 -12

Calories

Ingredients

  

For the Crust:

• ¾ cup toasted ground almonds
• ¾ cup graham cracker crumbs
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup butter, melted

For the Cheesecake Filling:

• 6 ounces good-quality white chocolate, chopped
• 2 – 8 oz packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 16 oz mascarpone cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• Boiling water for baking

For the Sour Cream Topping:

• 16 oz sour cream
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

For the Caramel Sauce:

• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup water
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 oz butter
• 3–4 Tbsp chocolate liqueur (optional)

To Finish:

• Maldon sea salt flakes

Instructions

 

To Make the Crust:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Tightly wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with three layers of heavy-duty foil.
• Process the almonds, graham cracker crumbs, and brown sugar until finely ground. Add melted butter and process until the mixture holds together as moist crumbs.
• Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan (do not press up the sides).
• Bake until set and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. Cool, then reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

To Make the Cheesecake:

• Gently melt the white chocolate over simmering water or in short bursts in the microwave.
• Beat the cream cheese, mascarpone, melted white chocolate, sugar, and salt until smooth, scraping the bowl as needed.
• Beat in the vanilla.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating just until combined after each addition.
• Pour the batter over the cooled crust in the springform pan.
• Place the springform pan in a larger roasting pan and pour hot water into the roasting pan so it reaches halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
• Bake until the center jiggles slightly when the pan is shaken, about 55 minutes. The cake will firm up as it cools.
• Remove from the oven, spread the sour cream topping over the cheesecake, and return to the oven for 12 minutes.
• Transfer the cheesecake to a rack and cool for 1 hour.

The Caramel Sauce:

• In a small, heavy-bottomed pot, combine the sugar and water and cook over high heat without stirring until the mixture turns deep amber.
• Remove from heat and carefully whisk in the cream (the mixture will bubble vigorously). Whisk in the butter until smooth, reheating briefly on low if needed to melt the butter.
• Stir in chocolate liqueur to taste, let the caramel cool to room temperature, then spread a thin layer over the top of the cheesecake.

To finish:

• Lightly sprinkle Maldon sea salt flakes over the caramel.
• Refrigerate the cheesecake until chilled, at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.

Notes

For clean slices, warm a knife under hot water, dry it, then slice. Repeat between slices for neat pieces.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

I hope you enjoy our virtual birthday party. Below are the other courses contributed by my friends: