Vanilla Hazelnut Cheesecake Recipes

VANILLA-HAZELNUT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Draining the Cheese.
• Set a strainer over a bowl and spoon the cottage cheese into it. Cover the set-up with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least all hour or until the excess moisture has drained out of the Cheese.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Making the Hazelnut Paste.
• While the cheese is draining, stir 3 tablespoons of - the sugar and the water together in a small saucepan. Cover the pan, set it over medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Remove the cover, dip a pastry brush into cold water, and wash down any sugar crystals that may have formed on the sides of the pan. Keep the pan uncovered and continue to cook the sugar until it turns very pale yellow--drop a little on a white plate to test the color. Add the chopped hazelnuts to the pan and stir gently with a small wooden spoon or a chopstick just until the nuts are coated with syrup. Swirl the pan carefully and continue to cook until the syrup tests medium amber on a white plate. Immediately turn out the caramelized nuts onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Set the caramel aside to cool and harden. Break the caramel into pieces and process to a paste in a food processor. Scrape the paste into a small bowl, cover, and set aside.
• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350ºF Line a 2-inch-high 8-inch round cake pan with a parchment paper circle and coat the sides of the pan lightly with vegetable oil spray. Put a kettle of water on to boil and set aside a roasting pan that will hold the cake pan and about an inch of boiling water.
• MAKING THE BATTER.
• Spoon the drained cottage cheese into the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process for 2 to 3 minutes scraping down the sides as needed. Don't try to cut the processing time short-you need this time to make the cottage cheese silken. Leave the cheese in the processor while you prepare the rest of the batter's ingredients.
• Soften the Neufchatel cheese by either warming it gently in the top of a double boiler or heating it in a microwave oven for about 30 seconds; stir until smooth. Put the Neufchatel cheese into the work bowl along with the soft, pulpy seeds from the vanilla bean (just scrape them out of the pod with the point of a small knife) or the vanilla extract. Add the eggs, the remaining I cup sugar, and the salt and Pulse just Until the mixture is smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl a couple times during the process. Don't overdo it, or you'll have a thin batter.
• Measure out 1 cup batter and gradually add it to the hazelnut paste, mixing well. Pour the remaining batter into the prepared pan. Drop 10 spoonfuls of the hazelnut batter randomly over the vanilla batter. Dip a table knife into tile pan and swirl the two batters to create a marbled pattern-take care not to overmix, or you'll end up blending, not marbleizing, the batters.
• Put the cake pan into the roasting pan, open the oven, slide out the lower rack, and place the pan on it. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes about 1 inch up the sides of the cake pan and then very carefully slide the oven rack back into position, taking care not to let any water slosh onto the cake. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the cake has risen slightly and is just beginning to come away from the sides of the pan. Remove tile cake from its water bath and put it on a rack to cool to room temperature. or for as long as 2 days.
• When completely cool, cover and chill for at least 24 hours, Or for as long as 2 days.
• UNMOLDING THE CAKE.
• To unmold the cake, run a thin metal spatula around the edges. Cover the pan tightly with plastic wrap, place a flat plate or a cardboard cake round against the plastic, and invert the cake and plate. Rap the pan lightly to release the cake-you'll feel it fall against the plate-then remove the pan and peel away the paper. Put a serving plate or cardboard cake circle on the cake and carefully turn the cake so that it is right side up on the circle. Remove the plastic wrap and press the crumbs around the sides of the cake. Cut the cake using a long sharp knife, dipping it into hot water and wiping it dry between cuts.
• STORING.
• The cake will keep for 2 days in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap.

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.

FROZEN CHOCOLATE-HAZELNUT CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Lightly grease your 23 x 33cm (9 x 13in) baking tin and line with a large single sheet of parchment paper that fully covers both base and sides.
• Add the cookies, hazelnuts and salt to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment and pulse until ground to fine crumbs. Pour in the melted butter and pulse until evenly mixed. Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and use the base of a glass or measuring cup to compact evenly. Set aside.
• For the cheesecake, put the cream and vanilla into a large bowl and whisk into soft peaks. Set aside.
• Put the cream cheese, icing sugar, chocolate spread and sea salt into another bowl and use an electric mixer to beat together until smooth and combined, about 2 minutes.
• Add the whipped vanilla cream to the cheesecake mixture and fold together until evenly combined. Scrape this into the tin and spread evenly. Cover and place in the freezer until the cheesecake is solid, about 4 hours.
• For the shell, melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a heatproof bowl in a microwave, using short bursts of heat to prevent it from burning, or over a pan of simmering water. Once melted, stir in the chopped hazelnuts, then set aside for at least 10 minutes before using.
• To serve, use the parchment paper to carefully lift the frozen cheesecake from the tin and transfer it to a board. Cut into squares, then dip them into the chocolate mixture or simply pour a little of it on top of them. I like to serve the rochers while still firm from the freezer, almost like ice cream, but if you prefer, you can leave them to soften so that the cheesecake has a more mousse-like texture.

CARAMEL-HAZELNUT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For crust:
• Wrap foil tightly around outside of 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Blend hazelnuts and sugar in food processor until nuts are finely ground. Add melted butter; blend until moist clumps form. Press nut mixture onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan.
• For filling:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Pour filling over crust. Bake until cheesecake puffs and is set around sides but center still moves slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 50 minutes. Transfer cheesecake to rack. Run small sharp knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Cool cake completely. Remove foil from pan. Cover with plastic and chill overnight.
• For caramel sauce:
• Stir sugar and 1/4 cup water in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat; add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Boil sauce until reduced to 2 cups, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Cool. Spoon 1/2 cup caramel sauce evenly over top of cheesecake, leaving 1/2-inch border around edge. Arrange additional hazelnuts decoratively around outside edge of cake. Cover and refrigerate cheesecake until topping sets, about 2 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep cheesecake refrigerated. Cover and refrigerate remaining sauce.) Release pan sides from cheesecake. Transfer cake to platter. Rewarm remaining sauce just until pourable but not warm. Slice cheesecake. Serve, passing sauce separately.

VANILLA CHEESECAKE WITH CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT CRUST AND RASPBERRIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Lightly grease a 24cm springform tin and line its base with baking paper (cut to fit).
• Combine the filling ingredients in a medium bowl and press mixture over the base of the prepared tin ensuring you don't miss and gaps.
• Refrigerate for 20 minutes and then bake base in the oven for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 150°C (130°C fan-forced).
• For the filling, beat 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 egg mixture into cheese mixture. Scatter chocolate over the cheesecake base and then pour filling over.
• To make the raspberry swirl combine raspberries and icing sugar in a small bowl whilst crushing raspberries with a fork. Press raspberry mixture though a fine sieve and then discard seeds. Drizzle raspberry sauce over filling in circles starting from the centre and increasing in size so that the top of the cheesecake looks like a target.
• Using a skewer, start from the outside and drag lines across the top of the cheesecake to the centre. Repeat from various intervals along the outside circle of raspberry sauce until the top of the looks like a spider web.
• Bake in a the preheated oven for about 45 minutes. Cool cheesecake in oven with door ajar for at least 2 hours and then refrigerate overnight.
• Serve with ice-cream if desired.

NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Spray a 10-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place all but 6 of the chocolate cookies in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse the cookies in the food processor until finely ground.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ground cookies and melted butter and mix to combine. Spread the crushed cookie mixture into the bottom of the prepared springform pan, using the bottom of a metal measuring cup to press into an even layer. Freeze for 30 minutes.
• In a stand mixer, whip the cream cheese until softened, about 1 minute. Add the chocolate hazelnut spread and confectioners' sugar and mix on medium-high speed, scraping the bowl occasionally, until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Fold in the whipped topping using a rubber spatula. Transfer to the springform pan. Use a spatula to smooth the mixture in the pan. Top with the chopped hazelnuts. Break 3 of the reserved cookies and press them into the center of the cake, cut-side down, in a starburst shape. Break the remaining cookies into chunks and sprinkle them over the cake. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, at least 6 hours or up to overnight. Unclasp and remove the side of the pan, then cut the cake with a knife dipped in hot water and serve.

GLUTEN-FREE HAZELNUT CHEESECAKE WITH SALTED CARAMEL GLAZE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 325. Make the crust: Combine all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until mixture looks like coarse pea-size crumbs, about 10 to 15 seconds.
• Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan. Transfer to the oven and bake for 15 minutes; set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile, combine all ingredients for the filling in the bowl of the food processor and purée until smooth. Pour the mixture into the cooled crust and bake for 1 hour, or until set in the center, up to 15 minutes longer. Let cool and then chill until fully set, preferably overnight.
• Make the glaze: put the sugar and the water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and allow the sugar to caramelize. When the mixture is a medium-amber color, about 8 minutes, pull the pot off the heat and add the heavy cream. When the bubbles subside, add the butter. Continue stirring until all the butter has been incorporated; add salt to season and let cool.
• Remove the cake from the refrigerator and release from the pan. Pour the warm glaze over it to serve.