This Pan di Stelle cheesecake was born for a very special occasion: my son’s birthday. I wanted to make a cake that was not only delicious, but also beautiful to look at, elegant and able to amaze at first glance… and I must say it won everyone over, young and old!
It’s a fresh, creamy and no-bake dessert, perfect when you want something indulgent without turning on the oven.
What makes this cheesecake even more special is the decoration: simple but striking, with piped whipped cream rosettes and cookies (9 to be exact!) that turn it into a show-stopping cake, perfect to bring to the table for important occasions.
This is an easy recipe to make, ideal even if you don’t have much kitchen experience, and it can be prepared in advance — always useful when organizing lunches or parties. Just allow a bit of resting time in the refrigerator and the result will be a compact, creamy and perfectly balanced cheesecake.
A cake that really fits any occasion: birthdays, special dates, dinners with friends or simply when you want to treat yourself to a special homemade dessert. One of those recipes that, once tried, you’ll make again and again!
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- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 6 Hours
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 8People
- Cooking methods: No-bake
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons, Spring, Summer
Ingredients
- cups Pan di Stelle cookies (Pan di Stelle)
- 7 tbsp butter (melted)
- 1 cup + 1 tbsp mascarpone
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp heavy cream (for whipping)
- 2/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 sheets gelatin (about 6 g total — roughly equivalent to 1 envelope powdered gelatin)
- 3 tbsp + 1 tsp milk (50 ml)
- 9 cookies (for decoration)
- 3.5 oz whipped cream (for decoration (about 100 g))
- to taste unsweetened cocoa powder (for decoration)
- to taste sprinkles (white stars for decoration)
Tools
- Whisks
- Springform pan
Steps
Let’s start with the base: finely crush the Pan di Stelle cookies and combine them with the melted butter. Mix well until you obtain a sandy, compact mixture. Press it into a springform pan and level with the back of a spoon. Chill in the refrigerator to set.
Meanwhile, soak the gelatin in cold water for about 10 minutes.
Prepare the filling: in a bowl work the mascarpone with the powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, whip the very cold cream and gently fold it into the mixture.
Heat the milk without bringing it to a boil, squeeze out the gelatin and dissolve it in the warm milk. Let it cool slightly and add it to the filling, stirring quickly to distribute it evenly.
Pour the filling over the now-cold base, level well and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (better overnight).
When the Pan di Stelle cheesecake is well set, move on to decoration: pipe rosettes of whipped cream around the edge and decorate with Pan di Stelle cookies, unsweetened cocoa and sprinkles for an elegant and indulgent finish.
Storage and tips …
The Pan di Stelle cheesecake keeps in the refrigerator, well covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container, for 2–3 days maximum.
It’s important to keep it chilled at all times to preserve the texture of the cream and the safety of the fresh ingredients.
Use very cold cream: it will whip better and make the filling more stable.
If you’d like a stronger flavor, add a thin layer of chocolate spread over the base.
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