This no-bake Negroni cheesecake captures the soul of the classic cocktail in every creamy slice. A caramelised speculoos base supports a rich orange-infused cream cheese filling spiked with gin, sweet vermouth and Campari. Topped with a glossy Campari glaze, it is a sophisticated, boozy dessert perfect for dinner parties.
Prep: less than 30 minutes (plus chilling)
Cook: 10 to 30 minutes
Serves: Serves 8–12
Dietary: Contains dairy, gluten, alcohol. Not suitable for vegetarians.
By Matt Tebbutt
Equipment
Ingredients
For the biscuit base
- 250g speculoos biscuits
- 100g unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 orange, zest only
- pinch salt
For the filling
- 5 gelatine leaves
- 500g full-fat cream cheese
- 100g icing sugar
- 1 orange, zest only
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 250ml double cream
- 60ml gin
- 40ml sweet vermouth
- 40ml Campari
- ½ orange, juice only
For the Campari glaze
- 3 gelatine leaves
- 100ml Campari
- 75ml gin
- 50ml sweet vermouth
- 75ml fresh orange juice
- 50g caster sugar
- pinch salt
Customise
- Speculoos biscuits → Use digestive biscuits or graham crackers for a simpler biscuit base, though speculoos adds a lovely caramel spice
- Gin → A London dry gin works best, but feel free to use an orange-infused gin to amplify the citrus notes in the Negroni cheesecake
- Campari → Aperol makes a sweeter, less bitter glaze, though it changes the classic Negroni flavour profile
- Gelatine leaves → Use powdered gelatine if you prefer, dissolving it in the warm liquid instead of blooming leaves
- Orange zest → Add a little lemon zest too for a brighter citrus kick in the cream cheese filling
- Double cream → Mascarpone can replace some of the cream cheese for an even richer, denser texture
Method
Stage 1: Make the Biscuit Base (15 minutes, plus 30 minutes chilling)
- Blitz the biscuits. Tip the speculoos biscuits into your food processor and blitz them until they resemble fine crumbs. You want a sandy texture so the biscuit base binds together tightly without large chunks.
- Mix in the butter and zest. Pour the crumbs into a mixing bowl and stir in the melted butter, caster sugar, orange zest and a pinch of salt. Mix until it looks like wet sand and holds together when you squeeze a handful.
- Press into the tin. Tip the mixture into a 20cm springform tin and press it down firmly into the base using the back of a spoon or a flat-bottomed glass. Really compact it down so the base does not crumble when you slice the Negroni cheesecake later.
- Chill to set. Pop the tin into the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up while you prepare the filling. A cold base helps the filling set evenly on top.
Stage 2: Prepare the Filling (20 minutes, plus overnight chilling)
- Bloom the gelatine. Soak the 5 gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for a few minutes until they feel soft and floppy. This blooming step ensures they dissolve smoothly without lumps in your creamy filling.
- Beat the cheese mixture. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, icing sugar, orange zest and vanilla extract until completely smooth. You want no lumps here, so take your time to get it silky.
- Whip the cream. In a separate bowl, whip the double cream to soft peaks. It should hold its shape but still look creamy, not stiff like butter, so it folds into the cheese mixture easily.
- Warm the Negroni mix. Put the gin, sweet vermouth, Campari and orange juice in a small saucepan and warm it gently over a low heat. Do not let it boil, or you will cook off the alcohol flavour that defines this Negroni cheesecake.
- Dissolve the gelatine. Squeeze the excess water from the softened gelatine leaves and whisk them into the warm Negroni mixture until completely dissolved. Leave it to cool for a few minutes so it does not melt the cream cheese when you add it.
- Combine and fold. Gradually whisk the cooled Negroni mixture into the cream cheese mixture until smooth. Then gently fold in the whipped cream using a spatula, keeping as much air in the mixture as possible for a light texture.
- Chill overnight. Pour the filling over the chilled biscuit base and smooth the top. Chill the Negroni cheesecake overnight, or for at least 8 hours, until completely set. Patience here is key to clean slices.
Stage 3: Make the Campari Glaze and Finish (15 minutes, plus few hours chilling)
- Bloom the glaze gelatine. Soak the 3 gelatine leaves for the glaze in cold water until softened, just like you did for the filling.
- Simmer the glaze ingredients. Put the Campari, gin, sweet vermouth, orange juice and caster sugar in a small saucepan. Bring it just to a simmer and cook for about 1 minute to dissolve the sugar completely.
- Dissolve gelatine into glaze. Remove the pan from the heat. Squeeze the excess water from the gelatine and whisk it into the hot mixture until dissolved. Leave the glaze to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally to ensure it remains liquid and does not set before pouring.
- Pour the glaze. Once the cheesecake is set, pour the glaze very gently over the top, pouring it over the back of a spoon to distribute it evenly without damaging the surface. This creates that beautiful glossy finish.
- Set and serve. Chill for a few hours, or until the glaze is completely set. Run a warm knife around the edge of the tin, release the springform clamp, and slice the Negroni cheesecake to serve.
Tips for the Best Negroni Cheesecake
- Use room temperature cream cheese to avoid lumps in the filling.
- Do not boil the Negroni mixture, or you will lose the delicate alcohol aromas.
- Press the biscuit base down very firmly to prevent it from crumbling when sliced.
- Let the glaze cool sufficiently before pouring, or it might melt the top layer of the cheesecake.
- Run a warm knife under hot water and wipe it dry between each slice for clean cuts.
- Garnish with orange zest or a twist of orange peel to highlight the citrus notes.
- Store covered in the fridge and consume within 3 days for the best texture.
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