Anne Morgan Delia Smith’s lemon cheesecake with frosted grapes is a no-bake mascarpone cheesecake that uses a jar of lemon curd as the sweetener instead of plain sugar. The filling is mascarpone, fromage frais, lemon curd, and fresh lemon juice on a digestive base, chilled for 4 hours, then piled with grapes dipped in egg white and caster sugar until they look frosted.
I made this lemon curd cheesecake for my sister’s birthday because this lemon cheesecake, frosted grapes and all, looks like something from a magazine cover, and nobody needs to know the filling took ten minutes. Delia’s trick is using lemon curd as the primary flavour, which gives the cheesecake a deeper, more buttery lemon taste than fresh juice alone could manage.
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Why Lemon Curd Instead of Sugar
Most lemon cheesecakes use sugar and fresh lemon juice for flavour, but Delia’s frosted grapes version leans on a 275g jar of good lemon curd instead. The curd brings butter, eggs, and concentrated lemon into the filling in one go, which is why this fromage frais cheesecake tastes richer and more lemony than the simpler no-bake lemon cheesecake that uses mascarpone and fresh juice only.
Delia says to use a “luxury” jar with butter and eggs listed in the ingredients, and I have learned why the hard way. Cheap curd made with starch and flavouring turns the filling gloopy instead of silky, so spend the extra pound on a good jar or make your own.
Lemon Cheesecake with Frosted Grapes Ingredients
For the base:
- 175g (6 oz) digestive biscuits, crushed
- 75g (3 oz) butter, melted
For the filling:
- 500g (1 lb 2 oz) mascarpone cheese
- 275g (10 oz) jar good quality lemon curd
- 200g (7 oz) fromage frais (or full-fat Greek yoghurt)
- Juice of 1 large lemon
- 1 tablespoon icing sugar (optional, to taste)
For the frosted grapes:
- Small bunches of green and black grapes
- 1 egg white, lightly beaten
- Caster sugar (superfine sugar) for dipping
How To Make Delia Smith Lemon Cheesecake with Frosted Grapes
- Crush the biscuits: Place the digestives in a food bag and bash with a rolling pin until fine.
- Make the base: Pour the melted butter over the crumbs, mix, and press firmly into the base of a 20cm (8 inch) springform tin. Chill for 20 minutes.
- Mix the filling: In a large bowl, whisk the mascarpone, fromage frais, lemon curd, and fresh lemon juice together until smooth and creamy. Taste it and sift in the icing sugar if you want it sweeter.
- Set the cheesecake: Pour the filling over the chilled base, smooth the top with a palette knife, cover with cling film (plastic wrap), and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Frost the grapes: Snip the grapes into small bunches, dip each bunch in lightly beaten egg white, shake off the excess, then dip in caster sugar to coat. Lay them on baking parchment to dry for 1 to 2 hours.
- Serve: Run a palette knife around the edge, remove the tin, and pile the frosted grapes on top.
What About a Ginger Mascarpone and Lemon Cheesecake?
Delia has a variation where she adds ground ginger and chopped stem ginger to the mascarpone filling, and it is one of her best ideas. The ginger mascarpone and lemon cheesecake uses the same base and the same setting method but the warmth of the ginger against the sharp lemon makes it feel like a completely different dessert.
I add half a teaspoon of ground ginger and two finely chopped stem ginger pieces to the filling before chilling. The stem ginger softens overnight and you get little pockets of heat through the smooth lemon filling. Skip the frosted grapes on this one and scatter candied ginger on top instead.
Can You Skip the Frosted Grapes?
Of course. The cheesecake underneath is the same whether you frost grapes or not. Fresh raspberries, blueberries, or a handful of passion fruit seeds all work on top. I sometimes just dust the surface with icing sugar when I cannot be bothered with the egg white and dipping.
But if you are making this for a special occasion, the frosted grapes are worth the 15 minutes. They look expensive and dramatic, and people always ask how you did them. The trick is letting them dry completely before putting them on the cheesecake, otherwise the sugar melts into a sticky mess.
Will It Last Until Tomorrow?
The cheesecake keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days covered, and the lemon curd flavour deepens overnight. For this lemon cheesecake frosted grapes should be made fresh on the day you serve because they go damp and lose their sugared look after about 8 hours.
You can freeze the cheesecake without the grapes for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and add fresh frosted grapes before serving.
Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Fat: 30g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fibre: 0g
- Protein: 5g
Nutrition is estimated per serving based on 8 servings.
FAQs
Can I use Greek yoghurt instead of fromage frais?
Yes, Delia mentions full-fat Greek yoghurt as a substitute. It gives a slightly thicker, tangier filling. Do not use low-fat or the cheesecake will not set properly.
Why does my frosting melt off the grapes?
Either the grapes were wet when you dipped them, or the egg white coat was too thick. Pat the grapes dry first, shake off excess egg white, and let them dry on parchment for the full 2 hours before placing them on the cheesecake.
Is this the same as the no-bake lemon cheesecake?
They are both no-bake and both use mascarpone, but this one has lemon curd and fromage frais in the filling, which makes it sweeter and lighter. The plain no-bake version uses only mascarpone, sugar, and fresh lemon, so it is sharper and denser.
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Delia Smith Lemon Cheesecake with Frosted Grapes Recipe
Course: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy8
servings20
minutes420
kcal4
hours20
minutesDelia Smith’s lemon cheesecake with frosted grapes is a no-bake mascarpone cheesecake that uses a jar of lemon curd as the sweetener instead of plain sugar. The filling is mascarpone, fromage frais, lemon curd, and fresh lemon juice on a digestive base, chilled for 4 hours, then piled with grapes dipped in egg white and caster sugar until they look frosted.
I made this lemon curd cheesecake for my sister’s birthday because the frosted grapes make it look like something from a magazine cover, and nobody needs to know the filling took ten minutes. Delia’s trick is using lemon curd as the primary flavour, which gives the cheesecake a deeper, more buttery lemon taste than fresh juice alone could manage.
Ingredients
- For the base:
175g (6 oz) digestive biscuits, crushed
75g (3 oz) butter, melted
- For the filling:
500g (1 lb 2 oz) mascarpone cheese
275g (10 oz) jar good quality lemon curd
200g (7 oz) fromage frais (or full-fat Greek yoghurt)
Juice of 1 large lemon
1 tablespoon icing sugar (optional, to taste)
- For the frosted grapes:
Small bunches of green and black grapes
1 egg white, lightly beaten
Caster sugar (superfine sugar) for dipping
Directions
- Crush the biscuits: Place the digestives in a food bag and bash with a rolling pin until fine.
- Make the base: Pour the melted butter over the crumbs, mix, and press firmly into the base of a 20cm (8 inch) springform tin. Chill for 20 minutes.
- Mix the filling: In a large bowl, whisk the mascarpone, fromage frais, lemon curd, and fresh lemon juice together until smooth and creamy. Taste it and sift in the icing sugar if you want it sweeter.
- Set the cheesecake: Pour the filling over the chilled base, smooth the top with a palette knife, cover with cling film (plastic wrap), and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Frost the grapes: Snip the grapes into small bunches, dip each bunch in lightly beaten egg white, shake off the excess, then dip in caster sugar to coat. Lay them on baking parchment to dry for 1 to 2 hours.
- Serve: Run a palette knife around the edge, remove the tin, and pile the frosted grapes on top.
Notes
- Use luxury lemon curd with butter and eggs. For ginger version, add ground ginger and chopped stem ginger to filling. Frost grapes on the day you serve.
