Mary Berry's lemon and lime cheesecake recipe

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This lemon and lime cheesecake from Mary Berry is an indulgent treat perfect for your next party.

Mary Berry lemon and lime cheesecake
(Image credit: Getty)
Serves4–6
SkillEasy
Preparation Time30 mins plus setting time
Total Time30 mins
Cost RangeCheap
Nutrition Per PortionRDA
Calories708 Kcal35%
Sugar46.5 g52%
Fat49.6 g71%
Saturated Fat30.4 g152%
Salt0.85 gRow 4 - Cell 2
Protein9.1 g18%
Carbohydrates58 g22%
Salt0.85 gRow 7 - Cell 2

Mary Berry’s lemon and lime cheesecake is one of her easiest and tastiest recipes. It’s perfect for dinner parties because it can be made ahead. 

Cheesecakes make a fantastic dessert or alternative to birthday cake because they are easy to make but deliver lots of flavour. Of course, this recipe from Mary Berry is no exception and the baking legend says it's one of the simplest desserts to make from her book Mary Berry’s Cookery Course which was first published in 2013. This recipe certainly gives Mary Berry's lemon drizzle cake a run for its money with plenty of zest and zing from the lemon.

Ingredients

  • 10 digestive biscuits, crushed
  • 50g (13⁄4oz) butter, melted
  • 25g (scant 1oz) demerara sugar
  • 150ml (5fl oz) double cream
  • 397g can full-fat condensed milk
  • 175g (6oz) full-fat cream cheese (room temperature)
  • grated zest and juice of 2 large lemons
  • grated zest and juice of 11⁄2 limes

For the topping:

  • 150ml (5fl oz) double or whipping cream, to decorate
  • 1⁄2 lime, thinly sliced, to decorate

WEIGHT CONVERTER

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Method

  1. To make the crust: put the crushed biscuits in a medium bowl with the butter and sugar. Stir until evenly coated. Turn the crust mixture out into a 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed tart tin and press firmly and evenly over the bottom and up the sides using the back of a metal spoon. Chill for 30 minutes until set.
  2. To make the filling: put the double cream, condensed milk, and cream cheese in a bowl with the lemon and lime zests. Mix thoroughly. Using a balloon whisk, gradually whisk in the lemon and lime juices and continue whisking until the mixture thickens.
  3. Pour the lemon and lime filling into the crumb crust and spread it evenly. Cover and chill overnight.
  4. Up to 6 hours before serving, whip the cream until it just holds its shape. Decorate the top of the cheesecake with swirls of whipped cream and slices of lime, then return to the fridge until ready to slice and serve.

If you like this recipe try our lime and ginger cheesecake for a slightly different flavour variation. You might also like our lemon and ginger cheesecake which has a gingernut biscuit base and a crunchy topping. Those looking for another classic Mary Berry recipe should make her foolproof flapjacks recipe.

Top tips for making lemon and lime cheesecake

Mary Berry has decades of baking experience and she has some clever tips that will help make this recipe even easier to follow. 

How does Mary Berry crush biscuits?

Mary recommends placing the biscuits in a large, clear plastic bag. Lay the bag on a flat surface and firmly run a rolling pin back and forth over the biscuits. You will soon see the biscuits break into smaller crumbs. Shake the bag occasionally to bring the large pieces to the surface. 

How does Mary Berry whip cream?

Mary Berry recommends using an electric hand mixer on the lowest setting when whipping cream. Once it shows signs of thickening you can increase the speed a little faster. To check if the cream is ready, stop the mixer and lift the whisk above the bowl. If the cream holds a loose shape it is ready, if not continue whisking. 

Can I use low-fat cream cheese in cheesecake?

For this recipe Mary does not recommend using low or half fat ingredients. She explains: ‘You must use full-fat condensed milk and cream cheese for the recipe to work as the filling won’t set if you use low-fat substitutes.’  

Mary Berry Cookery Course: A step-by-step masterclass in home cookingView at Amazon

Mary Berry Cookery Course: A step-by-step masterclass in home cooking by Mary Berry - <a href="https://amazon.co.uk/Berry-Cookery-Course-Step-Step/dp/024120688X/ref=asc_df_024120688X/?linkCode=df0&hvadid=310873579424&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9356190669787708289&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045954&hvtargid=pla-561867556022&psc=1&tag=hawk-future-21&ascsubtag=hawk-custom-tracking-21" data-link-merchant="Amazon UK"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View at Amazon 

For more easy-to-follow recipes from the queen of cooking, this is a great book to add to your collection. With tips and tricks on the best equipment and recipes for mid-week meals to dinner party showstoppers, Mary has plenty of inspiring dishes to choose from. 

Not what you fancy making after all? Never fear, we have plenty of mouthwatering cheesecake recipes to inspire including our popular no-bake Bailey's cheesecake, deliciously sweet Maltesers cheesecake by Lorraine Pascale - we've even got a Custard Cream cheesecake, yes you read that right.

Mary Berry
Celebrity baker

Mary Berry CBE is one of the most loved celebrity chefs in the country. In her early 80s, she’s been on our screens showing us how to make the most delicious recipes and sweet treats for over 50 years! Mary is probably most famous for being one of the original judges on The Great British Bake Off, where she put contestants through their paces for nine years before leaving the show when it made its controversial move from the BBC to Channel Four. 

With contributions from