Yield: One 8 or 9-inch cheesecake
Ready In: 3 hours 10 minutes
Ingredients:
CRUST:
- 7 whole graham crackers
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons chocolate-hazelnut spread, such as Nutella
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- Pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
STRAWBERRY TOPPING:
- 1 pound fresh or frozen strawberries, washed and stemmed
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
CHEESECAKE:
- 1 pound cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups strawberry topping (see above)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- Fresh strawberries for garnish
Directions:
For the crust:
- In a food processor grind the graham crackers until they are broken into a fine powder.
- Add the butter, chocolate-hazelnut spread, brown sugar, salt and cocoa powder and process until it is all well incorporated.
- You may have to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times.
- Press the crust evenly into the bottom of an 8- or 9-inch spring form pan. It should come up the sides slightly.
For the strawberry topping:
- In a saucepot, add the strawberries, sugar, vanilla bean pod and seeds and 2 tablespoons water.
- Cook over medium heat until the strawberries are quite soft.
- Remove the vanilla bean pod and use an immersion blender to puree the fruit. (You can also do this by pouring the strawberries into a regular blender, then return to the pot to finish cooking.)
- Sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl. Allow it to sit for about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Transfer the gelatin to the strawberries and gently cook over low heat, whisking just until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Remove from heat.
- Reserve 3/4 cup of the strawberry mixture for the top layer of the cake.
For the cheesecake:
- In a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium-low speed with the paddle attachment until smooth.
- Add the vanilla extract. Add the strawberry topping, except the 3/4 cup you have reserved for the top layer.
- In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until medium peaks.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the strawberry cheesecake batter just until it is all combined.
- Pour the cheesecake into the prepared pan. Tap the pan gently on the counter to bring any air bubbles to the surface.
- Let it sit, uncovered, in the refrigerator for about 2 hours or until it is set to the touch.
- Once the cheesecake is set, pour the remaining 3/4 cup strawberry topping over it. If the topping has set up in the pot, gently heat it for a minute, just until it is pourable.
- Place the cheesecake back into the refrigerator and allow to set, uncovered, for another 30 minutes, or until the topping is set.
- At this point it is ready to serve or you can cover the cheesecake with plastic and it can sit in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
- Before unlocking the spring form pan, run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen it.
- Top with the fresh strawberries.
Source: Cooking Channel
Leave A Comment