Monday, May 31, 2010

Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake

Chocolate Ferrero Rocher Cheesecake




I made a miniature cutesy professional looking dessert!!! Yayy :D




Cheesecake has been on my way too long to-bake list since forever, but I always put it off after hearing scary stories about cracks, and how hard it is to keep those away. One day when I was at the store, I just bought some cream cheese, and then decided not to put it off any longer. Cheesecake is my next favorite thing to order when out, after chocolate. Why not try making it at home, where I can play with the flavors exactly as I like?  Since I was already a little terrified of making it, I decided to go with the tried and trusted and much loved recipe used by the Daring Bakers last year. The result? Oh my. It was pure sin. I used the idea by one of the most creative food bloggers out there, Rita of Clumbsy Cookie.




She made a simple cheesecake totally sinful by adding Nutella, hazelnuts, and a chocolate crust. It was dreamy. The play of textures on your tongue leaves you vying for more. It's a perfect blend of creamy, chocolatey and crunchy! Look at the picture below, and I just know you'll be running out to the kitchen immediately!!


Sliced cheesecake




If you want to remove the cheesecakes from their pans, and don't have those nifty removable bottom individual pans, just lay on a piece of parchment as elow, it works almost as well!
Parchment circle






Ferrero Rocher Cheesecake
Adapted from Clumbsy Cookie


For the crust -


2 cups [180 g] graham cracker crumbs - I used chocolate cookie crumbs and omitted the cocoa powder
1 stick [113 g/ 4 oz] butter, melted
2 tbsp [25 g] sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract / half a vanilla bean
4 tbsp cocoa powder


For the cheesecake -


3 sticks [24 oz] of cream cheese
1 cup [220 g] sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup [8 oz/225 g] heavy cream
1 tbsp vanilla extract / half a vanilla bean
1 tbsp liqueur, optional - I didn't use
1/2 tsp salt
About 15 Ferrero Rocher Chocolates, one for each individual ramekin. Alternatively, if making in one large dish, you could cut these up into large chunks
3/4 cup Nutella
2 tbsp chopped roasted hazelnuts, for decoration - I chose to leave mine plain


Instructions -


  1. Preheat oven to 350 F [180 C]. Begin to boil a large pot of water for the water bath.
  2. Mix together all the ingredients for the crust and press into your preferred pan. You can press the crust just into the bottom, or up the sides of the pan. Set crust aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Add heavy cream, vanilla, and licquer and blend until smooth and creamy. Lastly add the chopped Ferrero Rocher, if using.
  4. Pour batter into prepared crust and tap the pan on the counter a few times to bring all air bubbles to the surface. Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan. If cheesecake pan is not airtight, cover bottom securely with foil before adding water. 5. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, until it is almost done - this can be hard to judge, but you're looking for the cake to hold together, but still have a lot of jiggle to it in the center. You don't want it to be completely firm at this stage.
  5. Close the oven door, turn the heat off, and let rest in the cooling oven for one hour. This lets the cake finish cooking and cool down gently enough so that it won't crack on the top. After one hour, remove cheesecake from oven and lift carefully out of water bath. Let it finish cooling on the counter, and then cover and put in the fridge to chill. Once fully chilled, layer on the Nutella, and serve.




Making the cheesecakes

    26 comments:

    1. It does look cutesy and professional Avanika..I am not such a big fan of cheesecakes,but the list of ingredients sounds quite tempting!!

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    2. That cheesecake looks delicious! Cheesecake is by far my favorite dessert. :)

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    3. That picture with the Ferrero Rocher Chocolate teasing itself through the cream cheese layer is just too much, I'm officially craving some cheesecake. It looks perfectly moist and sinful! Great work, Avanika. :)

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    4. Ooooh Yum, I've been reading your blog for a while, because you are young and so enthusiastic and fresh, kind of like your cheesecake above. I've been looking for a cake involving my ever loved cheesecake crust, cream cheese and Nutella for AGES!! Too bad my birthday pasted last month, I wanted one for it.
      Hazelnuts, nutella, cheesecake. Heaven on Earth!!!

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    5. That looks sinfully fantastic! (I love Rita, too!) ;)

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    6. Your presentation is beautiful! I love cheesecake and yours look delicious:)

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    7. Oh. My. Heck!!! This looks delicious!!!

      www.makingmemorieswithyourkids.blogspot.com

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    8. God!This looks absolutely sinful!!Well done Avanika:)

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    9. I NEED TO MAKE THIS SOON! It's 12 midnight here in Singapore and here I am torturing myself with food porn. How did the cheesecake look without the nutella glaze? I'm not that a huge fan of nutella and I was thinking if I could omit that...

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    10. It is great to see Ferrero Rocher being used in recipes....I make them.... :) as well as the nutella...
      Great photos...:)

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    11. Holy moly, Avanika--this looks incredible!!
      As a fellow chocolate and cheesecake lover, I think you have achieved something very special here. (I've never been to Clumbsy Cookie, though I plan to stop over there in a minute.) I, too, have been hesitant about making cheesecakes; they are a bit problematic, so I only make them rarely. But I must say I applaud your courage. You inspire me to make one soon!

      :) Jane

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    12. Ooh very pro! Great job and I love the surprise inside too! :D

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    13. Kudos for not only going out of your comfort zone but for also slammin' it! Your baby cheesecakes look terrific.
      ~ingrid

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    14. Yay! I'm so glad you tried this and I'm even more happy that you liked it!!!

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    15. This looks fantastic! A homemade version of my favorite store-bought treat. Love it.

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    16. DK - Thanks. I love cheesecakes!!

      Chitra - Thank you. Why don't you try it out?

      Jessica - Really? I would have thought brownies, considering how many you make :P

      Valerie - Well then my job is done! :P

      Sesi - You're way sweet. Maybe you can have a belated birthday celebration?

      Katrina - :) I remember that I came to you from her site!!

      Isabelle - Thanks so much <3

      Erin - Love your enthusiasm :)

      Bindiya - Thank you!!

      Puttingonmybakinghat - Lol. You could easily omit the Nutella glaze, or even try some other glaze instead.

      Priti - Thanks :)

      Jannett - You make Ferrero Rochers??

      Jane - The only reason they are problematic is because of the cracking on top. I don't even try to avoid it, it tastes just the same.

      Lorraine - Cheesecake surprise!

      Ingrid - Lol, you flatter me :D

      Rita - I'm so glad you posted it!!

      Malia - It tastes even better :P

      ApplesandOnions - You get such a cheesecake in a store. Where?

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    17. oh my sweet lord.... yes, it does make me run to the kitchen.... alas am at work....

      want to drop everything n make these cuties....

      u did a fab job...

      Cheers,
      The Variable, Crazy Over Desserts - Nachiketa
      Catch me on facebook @ Crazy Over Desserts

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    18. *RunningtothekitchenNOW* lol it looks soo good i'm so gonna bookmarked this!

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    19. Love cheesecake and with Nutella and the chocolate in there... heaven! Thanks for posting this recipe. I have to try it.

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    20. hey dts awesum...bt plz temme hw to undo frm da small dishes...will it cum out clean after cooling??

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    21. wowww!! dying for one of this!!
      loved your blog!!

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    22. It's 9:30 in the morning and I'm heading to work. Probably a good thing or I would be scrambling to make and eat this right now. It looks incredibly dangerous.

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