Praline Cheesecake With Hazelnut Crust Recipes

HAZELNUT PRALINE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Mix flour, butter and brown sugar in processor until moist clumps form. Press mixture onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake until crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Cool. Wrap outside of pan with double layer of heavy-duty foil.
• For filling:
• Reserve 1/2 cup praline for garnish. Grind remaining praline to powder in processor. Beat cream cheese and su gar in large bowl until smooth. Beat in flour, then cream and vanilla. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Fold in praline powder.
• Transfer filling to crust. Place springform pan in roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until center is just set, about 1 hour 20 minutes.
• Transfer cake to rack. Run small sharp knife around sides of cake to loosen. Cool completely. Remove foil from pan sides. Chill cake overnight. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Release pan sides. Transfer cake to platter. Mound reserved coarsely crushed praline atop center of cake and serve.

PRALINE CHEESECAKE WITH HAZELNUT CRUST

Steps:

• For Praline:
• Lightly butter cookie sheet. Stir chopped hazelnuts, corn syrup and brown sugar in heavy small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil mixture until candy thermometer registers 300°F., tilting pan if necessary to submerge end of thermometer, about 10 minutes. Pour praline mixture onto prepared cookie sheet. Let cool. Break praline into 1-inch pieces. Grind finely in food processor. (Praline can be prepared up to 1 week ahead. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil and refrigerate.)
• For Crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Finely grind graham crackers, hazelnuts and brown sugar in processor. Add butter and Frangelico and process until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press crumb mixture onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cool on rack. Maintain oven temperature.
• For Filling:
• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add yolks 1 at a time, beating after each addition until just blended. Add sour cream, flour, Frangelico and vanilla and beat just until mixture is smooth. Stir in ground praline. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold egg whites into cream cheese mixture in two additions. Pour filling into prepared crust.
• Bake cake until center is just set, about 50 minutes. Turn off oven and leave cake in oven 40 minutes longer.
• Transfer cheesecake to rack and cool to room temperature. Cut around pan sides with small sharp knife to loosen cheesecake. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Release pan sides. Beat whipping cream and 2 tablespoons sugar to firm peaks. Transfer to pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe rosettes of cream decoratively around edge of cake. Arrange 1 hazelnut atop each rosette. Dust top of cheesecake with cocoa powder. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead; refrigerate.)

HAZELNUT PRALINE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with rack in center. Spread nuts on a rimmed baking sheet, and toast them in the oven until they are fragrant, about 8 minutes. Transfer nuts to a clean kitchen towel, and rub nuts in towel vigorously between your hands to remove the brown skins. Lightly brush an 8-by-12-inch rimmed baking pan with the oil. Spread the peeled nuts in the pan.
• In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, brushing down sides of pan with a damp pastry brush to remove any sugar crystals that may form, until mixture is amber, about 9 minutes; do not stir. (Pan may be swirled gently about halfway through to incorporate any uncooked sugar.) Pour directly over nuts to create a thin layer. Set aside to cool, at least 30 minutes.
• Place half the praline in the bowl of a food processor; process until the praline is very fine with no sharp pieces. Cut the remaining praline into small pieces for decoration.

PRALINE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Combine cracker crumbs, sugar and butter. Press into the bottom of a 9-in. springform pan. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Set side., Meanwhile, beat cream cheese until smooth in a large bowl. Gradually add brown sugar and flour. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Stir in chopped pecans. Pour into crust; bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 20 minutes. Refrigerate overnight. Just before serving, garnish with whipped cream and pecans.

PRALINE-CRUSTED CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Cheesecake: Combine cookie crumbs and butter.
• Press into bottom and up sides of a greased 10-inch springform pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees for approx 8 minutes.
• Cool on a wire rack.
• Sprinkle coarsely crumbled pralines over crust.
• Beat cream cheese at medium speed with a heavy duty electric mixer until creamy.
• Gradually add 1 3/4 cups sugar, flour, and vanilla, beating until smooth.
• Add eggs and egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears.
• Stir in whipping cream and lemon rind.
• Pour in crust.
• Place on a foil-lined baking sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees on lower oven rack 10 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees, and bake 1 hour and 20 minutes or until almost set.
• Cool on wire rack 1 hour.
• Stir together sour cream and 1/3 cup sugar; spread over cheesecake.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes.
• Cool on wire rack.
• Cover and chill 8 hours.
• Remove sides of pan.
• Garnish, if desired with pralines.
• Pralines: Butter bottom of a heavy 3-quart saucepan.
• Cook brown sugar and next 3 ingredients in saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugars dissolve; stir in pecans.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 238 degrees (soft ball stage).
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in vanilla; let stand 3 minutes.
• Beat with a wooden spoon 3 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken.
• Working rapidly, drop by tablespoonfuls onto wax paper.
• Let stand until firm.

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE WITH HAZELNUT PRALINE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (nonfan)/375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the bottom of 2 (20-centimeter/8-inch) cake pans (tins) with a removable base with parchment paper and grease the sides. Alternatively, grease the bottoms and sides of 2 (20-centimeter/8-inch) regular cake pans, line with parchment, and grease the parchment.
• In a large bowl, whisk together cocoa, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugars. In a separate bowl, add the oil, eggs and kefir, and whisk just to combine. Add to the dry mixture and use a spatula to gently fold through. Add the 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons/220 grams hot coffee and mix gently to combine. It'll look very runny at first, but will soon come together into a glossy, pourable batter.
• Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans, about 21 ounces/600 grams per pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Set aside to cool for about 30 minutes, then slide a butter knife along the sides to help release the cake. Brush the tops lightly with the remaining 1 tablespoon/14 grams extra coffee (discard any extra).
• Invert one cake onto a board, remove the parchment, then invert it again onto a cake stand or the platter you intend to serve it on (domed side up now). Invert the other cake onto a board (don't remove the paper). Invert it again, onto a plate, so that it's paper side down. (This will help prevent it from sticking.) Set both cakes aside to cool completely.
• Make the praline: With the oven still at 200 degrees Celsius/375 degrees Fahrenheit, spread the hazelnuts onto a parchment-lined medium baking sheet (tray) and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until deeply golden, shaking the pan halfway through baking. Set aside, keeping the tray and parchment paper. You'll use them again later.
• Place a large saucepan over a medium-high heat and, once quite hot, sprinkle in a third of the caster sugar to cover the base. It should immediately start to melt at the sides but not brown too quickly. Swirl the sugar in the pan a little, then add another third of the sugar, allowing it to melt a little before adding the remaining third. Turn the heat down to medium and cook until the sugar is an amber caramel, stirring with a spatula just a couple times (but not much more). Add the hazelnuts and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring to coat, then quickly transfer the mixture to your parchment-lined tray and leave to cool completely.
• Once cool, roughly break apart the praline and add it to a food processor. Pulse a few times until you have very coarse crumbs, then measure out about 1/2 cup/75 grams of the mixture and transfer to a bowl. Blitz the remaining mixture in the food processor for about 5 minutes or until it turns into the consistency of a smooth nut butter, stopping to scrape the inside of the bowl as necessary. Transfer this to a separate bowl.
• Make the mascarpone cream: Add all the ingredients to a stand mixer and beat on medium-high speed for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, or until you have medium peaks. Refrigerate if not assembling right away (you want it nice and cold).
• When ready to assemble, top the cake on your cake stand with half the cream mixture. Spoon over about 2 tablespoons of the smooth praline and gently swirl it through the cream with your spatula. Top with another 2 tablespoons of the praline, this time without swirling. Sprinkle with half the praline crumble. Carefully invert the other cake on top now, removing the paper. Top with the remaining cream and repeat the same process with the smooth praline and praline crumble. Serve right away, or refrigerate overnight to firm up the cream before serving. (The cake will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

VANILLA BAKED CHEESECAKE WITH HAZELNUT AND CINNAMON CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Lightly grease a 24cm diametre springform cake tin and line its base with baking paper (cut to fit).
• Combine the top 7 ingredients in a medium bowl. Press mixture over the base of the prepared tin so that it covers the entire base without any gaps.
• Refrigerate for 20 minutes then bake base in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Remove from oven and spread evenly with jam. Reduce temperature to 150°C (130°C fan-forced).
• For the cheesecake filling, beat the cream cheese, ricotta, vanilla extract, half the sugar and juice in a large bowl with an electric mixer until just combined; do not over-beat.
• Combine the remaining sugar and eggs in a separate bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 5 minutes on high speed or until thick and creamy.
• Gently fold the egg mixture into cheese mixture and carefully pour over prepared base. Bake in preheated oven for about 45 minutes.
• Cool cheesecake in oven with door ajar for at least 2 hrs then refrigerate overnight.
• To serve, decorate the centre of the cheesecake with a pyramid of assorted prepared truffles or chocolate curls.