I don’t like plain cheesecake at all, but Nutella makes all the difference. This is one of my favourite recipes to make because it’s easy and it seems to taste better the longer it’s left in the fridge, so leftovers don’t go to waste. Also, if it’s super hot outside, this cheesecake is perfect because there’s no need to heat up the kitchen using the oven. For this particular recipe I prefer a relatively thin cheesecake because it’s super rich, so if there’s too much filling it’s overwhelmingly heavy. Also, I personally always make this with light cream cheese because I can’t tell the difference, so if you’re watching your diet, it’s worth giving it a try, but any cream cheese will work.
A springform tin normally used for cheesecakes is ideal, but if you don’t own one I hope you won’t let that discourage you from trying this recipe. It’s just as good in a cake tin even though the presentation might not be as tidy and neat. However you make this, it’s a delicious, indulgent dessert that’s so easy to prepare that you’ll want to make it time and again. Finally, if you want something to serve for dinner that you can make in advance, this is it – you can prepare it the night before, pop it in the fridge covered with cling film and it’s perfect for serving the following day or even two days later if need be.
Ingredients
- 250g digestive biscuits (or graham crackers)
- 75g unsalted butter, softened
- 1x 350g jar Nutella
- 100g chopped hazelnuts
- 340g cream cheese (at room temperature)
- 40g icings is the g sugar (aka powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar)
Method
- Crumble the biscuits into the bowl of a food processor. Add the butter, about 1/4 of the hazelnuts and a tablespoon of the Nutella. Pulse until everything is combined and all the biscuits are finely crushed.
- Add the biscuit mixture to a springform tin or cake pan and press it down with your hands, compacting it to the bottom of the pan to form a flat crust. Put the pan in the fridge to set for 10-20 minutes while you make the filling.
- In a mixing bowl, use a hand mixer (or a stand mixer if you have one) to beat together the cream cheese and icing sugar until combined. Add the rest of the Nutella and beat until it’s completely combined.
- Once the crust has set in the fridge for at least 10 minutes, take it out and pour the filling into the pan. Spread it with a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon to even it out. Top the cheesecake by sprinkling the remaining hazelnuts over the top. Pop it back into the fridge to set until you’re ready to serve it (at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight).
