Made popular in America in the 1950s and 60s, the Grasshopper is a creamy after-dinner liqueur cocktail made with equal parts crème de menthe (mint liqueur), crème de cacao (chocolate liqueur) and fresh cream, shaken over ice and enjoyed rather like a dessert in a glass.
Inspired by the cocktail, this deep-filled cheesecake is bursting with mint and chocolate flavours, and after the Oreo crust has had its brief spin in the oven it's a no-bake filling for a super creamy result - the cheesecake is instead set with a generous dollop of marshmallow fluff, in honour of the cocktail's American origins.
It looks super impressive, especially with the delicately green filling hidden away under a blanket of chocolate until you cut the first slice, and as it needs to be made several hours ahead (a day ahead is even better), it's a great one to pull out when entertaining.
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Yields:
10 serving(s)
Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
40 mins
Cal/Serv:
627
Ingredients
FOR THE CRUST
100g
butter, melted, plus extra to grease
375g
oreos
FOR THE FILLING
100g
white chocolate, chopped
400g
full-fat cream cheese, we used Philadelphia
50g
icing sugar, sifted
75g
marshmallow fluff
6Tbsp.
crème de menthe (mint liqueur)
150ml
double cream
Green food colouring gel, optional
FOR THE CHOCOLATE TOPPING
100g
dark chocolate, chopped
25g
butter
Directions
Step 1Preheat oven to 170°C (150°C fan) mark 3. Lightly grease a 20.5cm round springform tin and line base and sides with baking parchment. Whizz biscuits in a food processor until finely crushed (alternatively bash in a food bag with a rolling pin). Add melted butter and pulse/mix until combined.
Step 2Press mixture firmly into base and 3cm up sides of lined tin with the back of a spoon. Bake for 10min, remove from oven and cool completely (if the sides have slumped slightly press gently with the back of a spoon whilst still warm until they’re 3cm high again).
Step 3Melt the white chocolate in a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water (make sure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water). When melted and smooth, remove bowl from pan and set aside to cool for 5min.
Step 4Meanwhile, in a large bowl using a handheld electric whisk, beat the cream cheese, icing sugar, marshmallow fluff and crème de menthe until smooth. Stir in the cooled melted chocolate and enough green food colouring, if using, to get a light green shade.
Step 5In a separate bowl, whip the cream until it just holds its shape, then gently fold cream it into the cream cheese bowl until combined. Scrape into the biscuit base (still in tin) and spread to an even layer. Chill for 1hr.
Step 6Heat dark chocolate and butter in a small pan over low heat, stirring until melted. Spread chocolate over the cheesecake filling and chill for at least 5hr, or ideally overnight.
Step 7To serve, carefully transfer cheesecake to a cake stand or plate and serve in slices.
Does it need the food colouring?
Depending on how garishly coloured your crème de menthe is you may not need to add any food colouring to get a delicate minty hue, and it will still taste just as minty and delicious if it's not green inside!
Where can I find crème de menthe?
Some larger supermarkets stock it in their spirits aisle (look for a bright green bottle), or it is widely available online.
Can I make this alcohol-free?
Swap the crème de menthe for an equal amount of non-alcoholic mint syrup, such as Monin or Teisseire. Don't swap it for an equivalent amount of mint extract or flavouring - it will be far too strong!
Per serving:
Calories: 627
Protein: 6g
Total fat: 42g
Saturates: 25g
Carbs: 52g
Total sugars: 39g
Fibre: 1g
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An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
Emma is Cookery Editor for Good Housekeeping and loves nothing more than sharing her bottomless enthusiasm for all things food and drink with anyone who wants to learn (and even those who don’t!). From super simple one pan suppers to showstopping wedding cakes and everything in between, there’s very little that doesn’t come out of her kitchen. When not developing recipes, writing features or styling food for photography she can be found hiding behind the mountain of cookery books that’s slowly overtaking her house, or exploring restaurants, food shops and festivals in search of the next big thing to share with readers. On the rare days when she’s not thinking about food, you’ll find her in a cosy pub at the end of a long walk with her dog and expert food taster, Angua.
