Easy no bake chocolate cheesecake with a Nutella ganache and chocolate whipped cream topping
Silky smooth chocolate cheesecake, Nutella and a crunchy OREO cookie base. This is a dreamy dessert you won't be able to resist!
How to make no bake cheesecake?
One option is to use gelatin in the cheesecake base. It makes a jello like cheesecake but be careful it might become pure jello if too much gelatin is used! Usually these cheesecakes set in a quicker time than the ones with whipped cream.
A more common way to make cheesecake is to combine the flavored cream cheese batter with (stabilized) whipped cream. It makes an airy light texture and sets in the fridge best overnight.
If you feel intimidated by a big cheesecake or you just want snack sized desserts for a party make mini cheesecakes! They are easier to make but might as well be more work to fill every single one of them.
Perfect to make ahead!
This cheesecake is easy to prepare and keeps up fully finished in the fridge for a few days. No fresh fruits are used that could go bad which makes it the perfect cake for any chocolate lover to make ahead!
If you want to add fresh fruits feel free to do so shortly before serving or on the side!
No bake Nutella Cheesecake
Ingredients for a 8 or 9 inch cake
For the OREO crust:
3 cups (400 g) OREO cookie crumbs
5 tbsp butter, melted
For the Nutella cheesecake batter:
24 oz (680 g) cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1/2 cup (100 g) white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups (450 g) Nutella
3 tbsp cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) heavy cream, cold
1/2 cup powdered sugar
For the Nutella ganache:
1/2 cup (150 g) Nutella
2 tbsp semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream
For the Nutella whipped cream:
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, cold
1/4 cup (30 g) cocoa powder, unsweetened
1/4 cup (30 g) powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
chopped hazelnuts
Watch my baked Nutella cheesecake tutorial while this one is in the making
INSTRUCTIONS
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 350 °F if you want to bake the crust. If you want a fully no bake cake you can simply freeze it. To make the OREO crust you need to make OREO crumbs. You can either blend the OREO cookies in a food processor or use a zip lock bag and a rolling pin to make cookie crumbs. Mix the fine crumbs with the melted butter and press the mixture in a spring form pan on the bottom and up the sides. You can use a 8 or 9 inch baking pan. Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes and let come to room temperature.
Step 2:
To make the cheesecake filling, start off with a large bowl or use a food processor. Mix cream cheese, cocoa powder and sugar with a hand mixer until smooth for about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Add Nutella and vanilla. Mix it until smooth. In a separate tall mixing bowl whip cold heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Add the whipped cream to the cheescake batter and fold it in until everything is evenly combined. Fill it on top of the pre-baked crust and smooth it with a spatula. It does not have to be perfect since it gets topped with a ganache. Let it chill for at least 6 hours or overnight in the fridge.
Step 3:
To make the Nutella ganache heat up heavy cream in the microwave or pot until hot. Pour it over Nutella and chocolate chips and whisk until a smooth ganache emerges. Fill the ganache on top of the chilled cheesecake and smooth it out with a spatula. I like to make a thick layer of ganache and it works well with this type of ganache.
Step 4:
To finish decorating the cheesecake make a chocolate whipped cream while the cake is in the fridge. For that use a tall mixing bowl and combine cold heavy cream, cocoa powder, vanilla and powdered sugar. Mix it on low speed until combined then increase the speed to get a stable consistency or stiff peaks. It is ready when it does hold up on a spatula without sliding off. Fill it into a piping bag with a star tip and pipe a border around the cheesecake. You can decorate it with some chopped hazelnuts or Ferrero Rocher if you like!
Enjoy!
**Pro Tips**
To soften cream cheese easily fill hot water in a big heat safe bowl place the cream cheese packages into the bowl and let them soften for about 10 minutes. It will cream very nicely without mixing in too much air.
If the cheesecake has a layer of condense water on its top after cooling use a paper towel and dry it before adding the chocolate ganache.
Make this cheesecake into small muffin liners for a party snack!
