Dubai Chocolate Strawberry Cups (Print Version)

Rich chocolate base and creamy filling topped with fresh strawberries in convenient chilled cups.

# What You'll Need:

→ Base

01 - 5.3 ounces chocolate digestive biscuits or chocolate graham crackers, crushed
02 - 3.5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

→ Cheesecake Filling

03 - 8.8 ounces cream cheese, softened
04 - 2.8 ounces powdered sugar
05 - 6.8 fluid ounces heavy cream, cold
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Strawberry Layer

07 - 7 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
08 - 1 tablespoon sugar, optional for macerating

→ Chocolate Ganache

09 - 2.8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
10 - 2.7 fluid ounces heavy cream

→ Garnish

11 - 6 whole strawberries
12 - Dark chocolate shavings, optional
13 - Crushed pistachios, optional

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a bowl, combine crushed chocolate biscuits with melted butter until evenly moistened. Divide mixture equally among six serving cups, pressing gently with the back of a spoon to form a compact base layer.
02 - Beat softened cream cheese and powdered sugar in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whip cold heavy cream with vanilla extract to soft peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture using a spatula until fully combined and creamy.
03 - Spoon or pipe the cheesecake filling evenly over the biscuit bases in each cup, smoothing the tops with a spatula to create an even surface.
04 - Toss sliced strawberries with 1 tablespoon sugar if using, and allow to macerate for 10 minutes. Distribute the macerated strawberries evenly over the cheesecake filling in each cup.
05 - Heat heavy cream in a small saucepan until it reaches a gentle simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chopped dark chocolate and let rest for 1 minute without stirring. Stir until the mixture becomes smooth and glossy. Allow to cool slightly, then spoon a thin layer of ganache over the strawberries in each cup.
06 - Refrigerate the assembled cups for a minimum of 2 hours until the cheesecake and ganache are firmly set.
07 - Top each cup with a whole strawberry, dark chocolate shavings, and crushed pistachios if desired before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • No oven required—just mix, chill, and watch people's faces light up when they taste that creamy middle layer.
  • Each cup is a complete dessert experience with chocolate, fruit, and that luxurious cheesecake texture all in one sip.
  • Make them the night before and forget about them until guests arrive, which means zero stress right before serving.
02 -
  • If your cheesecake filling breaks or looks separated, you folded too hard or your cream cheese was too cold—start over rather than trying to salvage it, because smooth is what makes this dessert special.
  • Don't skip the maceration step for strawberries; those 10 minutes of waiting actually transforms their flavor and keeps them from tasting bland against the rich chocolate and cream.
03 -
  • Whip your heavy cream by hand with a whisk if you're only making six servings—it's faster than pulling out the mixer and easier to stop at exactly soft peaks.
  • If your ganache is too thin, let it cool a bit longer before spooning it over; if it's already set, just gently reheat it with a few seconds in the microwave.
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