Cakes & Bakes: No-bake Nutella cheesecake

I’ve been pining for my stove and oven; there’s been no home-made bread, cakes or biscuits for almost 2 months.

Consequently, when I came across Nigella’s no-bake Nutella cheesecake recipe, I knew it was the one to make for this week’s Cakes & Bakes recipe.

I’ve not unpacked many of my kitchen appliances – just the yoghurt maker, toaster, microwave and slow-cooker. I had to grind my digestive biscuits with a pestle & mortar; they did a ‘fine’ job!

Surprisingly, Nutella is something that, we only discovered today, neither of us remembers ever buying or tasting before. What’s wrong with us? What a treat we’ve been missing out on!

Even without the aid of electrical appliances to do all the hard work, this recipe was quick and simple to prepare. And it’s just so delicious and morish… definitely one that will be made again & again.

Click here to save the recipe to Pinterest

No-bake Nutella cheesecake

2019-09-18 14:34:45

Ingredients

250g/8¾oz digestive biscuits
75g/2⅔oz soft unsalted butter
1 x 400g jar Nutella (at room temperature)
100g/3½oz chopped toasted hazelnuts
500g/17⅔oz cream cheese (at room temperature)
60g/2oz icing sugar (sifted)

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Instructions

Break the digestive biscuits into the bowl of a processor, add the butter and a 15ml tablespoon of Nutella and blitz until it begins to clump
Add 25g/3 tablespoons of the hazelnuts and continue to pulse until you have a damp, sandy mixture
Tip into a 23cm/9" round spring-form cake tin and press into the base either using your hands or the back of a spoon. Place in the fridge to chill.
Beat the cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth and then add the remaining Nutella to the cream cheese mixture. Continue beating until combined
Take the spring-form out of the fridge and carefully smooth the Nutella mixture over the base
Scatter the remaining chopped hazelnuts on top to cover and place the tin in the fridge for at least four hours or overnight
Serve straight from the fridge for best results

By Nigella Lawson

Adapted from Nigellissima: Instant Italian Inspiration

H is for Home Harbinger https://hisforhomeblog.com/

Cakes & Bakes: Keto baked vanilla cheesecake

I’m still on my keto mission to find the most awesome no-carb or low-carb dessert. One of my favourite things to make (and eat) is this Gordon Ramsay cheesecake recipe. So I took that as a starting point to convert it into a keto baked cheesecake.

The usual digestive biscuit base has been swapped for one made from ground almonds, butter and a tiny bit of sweetener.

I also used a teaspoon of xanthan gum in place of the cornflour in the cheesecake mixture. If you don’t have any in your cupboard I wouldn’t worry, I don’t think it’s necessary and will probably leave it out next time I make it.

I’m beginning to get used to less sweetness and sugar in my meals – just like I haven’t been able stand sugar in my tea or coffee since I first gave it up 20 years ago!

If you’d like to try my recipe at a later date, you can post it to Pinterest by clicking here

Keto baked vanilla cheesecake

2018-08-15 12:48:34

Serves 8

Cook Time

1 hr

Cook Time

1 hr

For the base

150g ground almonds
1 smidgen scoop 100% pure Stevia powder
40g salted butter, melted

For the filling

280g full fat cream cheese at room temperature
1 large egg at room temperature
½tsp xanthan gum
2 smidgen scoops 100% pure Stevia powder
½tsp vanilla extract
150g full fat sour cream at room temperature

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For the base

Preheat the oven to 150ºC/300ºF/Gas mark 2
Put the ground almonds into a medium-sized mixing bowl, sprinkle over the Stevia and stir in the melted butter until fully combined and the contents come together
Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of an 18cm/7-in spring-form cake tin using the back of a dessert spoon
Refrigerate while you prepare the filling

For the filling

In a stand mixer, using the K-beater attachment, beat cream cheese on the lowest speed until it’s light and fluffy
In a measuring jug, whisk together the egg and vanilla extract
In a little ramekin or bowl, mix the Stevia with the xanthan gum (I use a little skewer)
Sprinkle the powder mixture on to the beaten egg ensuring that you get rid of any lumps before slowly adding the mixture a bit at a time - with the mixer going on low - to the cream cheese
Add the soured cream and mix until just combined
Pour the mixture into the chilled crust and bake for an hour
Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in there with door ajar for another hour
Remove from the oven and transfer the tin to a wire rack to cool completely
Chill overnight prior to serving

Notes

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh berries

H is for Home Harbinger https://hisforhomeblog.com/

Cakes & Bakes: New York maple-walnut cheesecake

Baked cheesecake is both Justin’s and my favourite kind of cake. I often make it for special occasions such as when we’re having people over to visit. The last time friends came to stay, I made a New York maple-walnut cheesecake. It was such a hit – with us and them – that I’ve been looking forward to making it again and sharing the recipe on here.

I found the recipe on the New York Times website. It’s pretty similar to the one that I make using a Gordon Ramsay recipe, with one… or should I say two great additions. Including maple syrup in cheesecake is delicious; Tossing and coating walnuts in hot maple syrup and then sprinkling them over the top is candied heaven on earth!

I made a few little adjustments to the NYT’s original New York maple-walnut cheesecake recipe. For a start, I cut down on the quantities; much as I love cheesecake, 12 portions is too much for just the two of us. I also swapped the Graham cracker base for the more usual British version of digestive biscuit crumbs. Lastly, I doubled the amount of maple syrup in the actual cheesecake mixture as I thought the flavour was a little too subtle.

Also, the original method included an initial hot bake at 260ºC/500ºF for 15 minutes. This, I think, is to give the top of the cake a nice golden brown colour. It would have completely burnt my first attempt if I hadn’t been keeping an eye on it. This time around, I lowered the temperature and duration of this stage… it turned out perfectly!

The walnuts can be substituted for other nuts, I’d think that pecans or Brazil nuts – or both – would be wonderful.

Click here to save the recipe for later!

New York maple-walnut cheesecake

2017-12-19 12:52:09

Serves 8

For the base

200g/7oz digestive biscuits (about 14 biscuits)
50g/1¾oz unsalted butter, melted

For the cheesecake

600g/21oz cream cheese
2tsp cornflour
200g/7oz caster sugar
120ml/4fl oz maple syrup
2 eggs + 1 egg yolk
60ml/2fl oz double cream

To finish

60ml/2fl oz maple syrup
1tsp cornflour
115g/4oz walnut halves

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 175ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4

For the base

In a bowl, grind the digestive biscuits to fine crumbs (I use the end of a rolling pin)
Add the melted butter to the bowl and toss with a fork until the butter has moistened the crumb mixture
Grease the sides of a 23cm/9-inch, spring-form cake tin and scatter the crumbs evenly over the pan bottom, pressing it down using the bottom of a straight-sided glass or back of a spoon
Bake for 10 minutes and allow it to cool

For the cheesecake

Raise the oven temperature to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas mark 6
With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until soft and fluffy (about 2 minutes)
Combine the flour and the sugar and add this mixture and half of the maple syrup to the cheese in thirds, mixing after each addition
Add the eggs and the yolk to the mixture, one by one, beating after each addition
Add the heavy cream and mix again
Pour the batter on to the cooled base and bake for 5 minutes
Lower the oven to 90ºC/200ºF/Gas mark ½ and bake for a further hour
Switch off the oven, leave the door ajar and allow the cheesecake cool in the oven for ½ hour
Chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours but no more than 24

To serve

In a small saucepan, heat the remaining maple syrup over a low heat until it bubbles. Allow to simmer gently for 1 minute until it has thickened slightly
Whisk in the cornstarch and turn off the heat
Add the walnuts and turn to coat
Spread them out on a piece of parchment paper to cool and harden into praline
Sprinkle over the cheesecake

By Matt Lee & Ted Lee

Adapted from New York Times

H is for Home Harbinger https://hisforhomeblog.com/

Cakes & Bakes: Peanut butter baked cheesecake

It’s Justin’s 50^th birthday today so, of course, I had to make him a birthday cake.

I made a peanut butter baked cheesecake – seeing as cheesecake is his favourite kind of cake, and he’s quite partial to peanut butter too.

I also wanted to try out a tip that I found on the internet this week. Apparently, instead of using a Wilton Bake Even Strip (which helps keep your cake level and prevent a cracked top), you can wrap the sides of the tin with a wet cloth or tea towel.

It worked pretty well, there was a slight bulge to one side of the top which I put down to the overlap of the cloth. Next time I’ll use a cloth cut down to fit the circumference exactly. So long as the cloth is very wet, it won’t burn in the oven. Elasticated cloth, or nylon/polyester fabric probably wouldn’t work very well in the heat of an oven; stick with cotton or linen.

The plain chocolate digestive biscuits gave just that bit of extra depth of flavour over plain digestives, and baking the base for 10 minutes gave it a ‘biscuity’ taste and texture.

I used mascarpone, but you can use Philadelphia or any other plain, full-fat cream cheese.

The results were delicious – a rich, indulgent treat.

There’s only one slice left – that must mean that the birthday boy approves!

Peanut butter baked cheesecake

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Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Ingredients

For the base

150 g/5oz plain chocolate digestive biscuits
30 g/1oz butter melted

For the filling

250 g/9oz mascarpone cheese
2 eggs + 1 egg yolk
100 g/3½oz caster sugar
150 g/3oz crunchy peanut butter
60 ml/2fl oz soured cream
½ tbsp cornflour

For the topping

125 g/4½oz soured cream
50 g/2oz dark chocolate
15 g/½oz caster sugar
3 tbsp mixed chopped toasted nuts optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan/325°F/as mark 3
Grease & line and 22cm diameter spring form tin

For the base

Using a food processor, grind the plain chocolate digestives into fine crumbs
Add in the melted butter and combine well
Tip the mixture into the prepared tin pressing down firmly & evenly using a cold metal spoon to form a level base
Put the base into the oven for 10 minutes, when cool put it into the fridge to set

For the filling

After washing out the processor bowl, use it to combine the mascarpone, eggs, yolk, sugar, peanut butter, soured cream and cornflour to a smooth consistency
Pour the mixture into the over the base and bake for 30-40 minutes until just set
Allow to cool for half an hour on a wire rack before putting the tin into the fridge to chill

For the topping

In a small saucepan, gently warm the soured cream, chocolate and sugar stirring to form a smooth sauce
Pour the mixture on top of the cold cheesecake and allow it to set in the fridge
When cooled & set, run a sharp knife around the edge of the tin before easing the cake carefully
Finish with a sprinkling of mixed chopped toasted nuts (optional)

Keyword baked cheesecake, cake, cheesecake, nuts, peanut butter, peanuts