Yes…you read that right…no harm done nutella and cheesecake combined into an amazing creamy delight perfect for entertaining and simply enjoying! Its a bit of work but totally worth it! I made this cake for a baby shower recently as I have been experimenting with flavours of cheesecake for the special events I have going on in my life (or some I make up…Happy Monday!) so watch out for a few new flavours! Before we really get started, you need to know that cashews are awesome and buttery and delicious but take an overnight soak to blend really smooth for this recipe!
Crust:
2 cups soaked almonds
1/2 cup roasted Hazelnuts
10-12 dates soaked if they aren’t soft
2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp cocoa powder (Please use fair trade)
1 tsp salt
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or a blender until things are wet-crumbly. Press hard into a 9″ round spring form pan and place into the freezer.
Nutella:
1 cup hazelnuts
1 tsp salt
3-4 tbsp maple syrup (depending on your sweet preference)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
Heat oven to 350 and roast hazelnuts for 10-12 minutes to release the wonderful oils inside. Allow to cool for a few minutes but they should still be warm when you put them in a blender. Blend on medium speed for 5-8 minutes (so long I know!) until it forms a butter like consistency. I have to confess that when I first did this, I had to add water so feel free to do so if your blender can’t quite make it. Add in the cocoa, syrup and salt. Blend for another minute. Ta-da! Nutella!
Cheesecake:
2 Cups cashew soaked overnight then rinsed
1 cup coconut milk
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 tbsp cocoa powder
2 TBSP lemon juice
2 TBSP Almond flour
Combine all the ingredients in the blender till smooth. Taste and adjust for your preference of sweetness.
Putting it all together:
Once the crust has been in the freezer for at least 10 minutes (it can be there for up to a week) Pour the cheesecake mixture in the pan over the crust until smooth. Swirl chunks of the nutella into the cheesecake. Put back in the freezer for 2 hours or overnight. Serve chilled and enjoy!
