There are times when only an indulgent dessert will do! Even better if it's a chocolate one, like this decadent, silky rich Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake. And what a showstopper this is!
This Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake is made with oodles of love, the perfect treat for a special occasion. Always a crowd-pleaser!
I have an affinity for baked cheesecakes because of their beautiful texture and flavors. I believe a lot of people find them intimidating, but they aren't that hard to crack.
The only "problem" is waiting for the cheesecake to set in the refrigerator! I usually like to make them the night before so they chill overnight. They are easy to take out of the pan the next day and cut neatly too.
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How to make Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake
Step 1: Mix cocoa powder, crushed Marie biscuits, and melted butter in a small bowl. Press it down evenly at the bottom of your spring-form pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
Step 2: Make the filling - Beat the cream cheese, cream, Greek yogurt, flour, and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer.
Step 3: When this mixture is smooth, add one egg at a time, mixing well until incorporated.
Step 4: Stir in the vanilla extract, melted chocolate, and coarsely ground hazelnuts, until well incorporated.
Step 5: Pour into the prepared crust. Carefully place in the oven and bake for about 45-55 minutes.
Step 6: Turn off the heat, slightly crack the door open, and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
Step 7: Let the cake cool on the countertop for another hour and then refrigerate for at least 8 hours for it to set completely. Remove carefully from the pan, place on your serving plate, and serve with the cherry sauce on top.
How to make the Red Wine Cherry Sauce
Combine cherries, sugar, water, and red wine in a small saucepan.
Cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes until the cherries are soft and bubbling.
Add some more water or wine if the sauce looks too thick. If the sauce looks too watery, stir in the cornstarch mixture.
Let the mixture come to a boil and turn off the heat. Taste and adjust for sweetness. Let the sauce cool completely. It will thicken as it cools.
Serving the Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake
Though perfect served as is, this is also superb with chocolate ganache, caramel sauce, fresh fruits, or fresh fruit sauces.
I particularly love using seasonal fruit sauces for the topping and always make some extra which goes on our ice cream bowls! Case in point the Red Wine Cherry Sauce sitting atop this cheesecake.
Recipe pro tips
- Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.
- Please don't overbeat the batter. You don't want to aerate it. Less air in the batter means the cake will be moist, dense, and rich.
- Once the center of the cake feels slightly springy to the touch and wobbles just slightly, you should turn off the heat and crank the oven door open for about 30 minutes with the cake in the oven. This ensures that the top doesn't fall or crack.
- It's best to cool the cake in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
- I like to cover the bottom and sides of the springform cake pan with foil to avoid any instance of batter leaking out and messing up your oven. This is experience talking!
More delicious & easy cheesecake recipes
Half the joy of cooking is sharing it with others. That’s why I’m always eager to hear from you. So go right ahead & drop a comment or reach out on Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, or Facebook. I hope you love this chocolate hazelnut cheesecake as much as we do!
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake
Ingredients
CHEESECAKE CRUST
- 1.5 cup Marie biscuits, crushed
- 1/3 cup Butter, melted
- 1 Tbsp Cocoa powder
CHEESECAKE FILLING
- 1 3/4 cup Cream cheese
- 1/3 cup Cream
- 1/3 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 Eggs
- 3/4 cup Sugar
- 1/3 cup Hazelnuts, coarsely ground
- 1/4 cup All purpose flour
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup Dark chocolate, melted and cooled I used 70% dark chocolate
RED WINE CHERRY SAUCE
- 1.5 cup Cherries, pitted
- 2 Tbsp Water
- 2 Tbsp Sugar
- 3 Tbsp Red wine You can use any red wine. If you don't want to use wine, substitute with balsamic vinegar or lemon juice.
- 1/2 tsp Cornstarch mixed with 2 tsp water Optional
Instructions
Cheesecake Crust
- Preheat your oven to 180C. Cover the outside of your 8" springform pan with foil.
- Mix cocoa powder, crushed Marie biscuits, and melted butter in a small bowl. Press it down evenly at the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 160 C while you're preparing for the filling.
Cheesecake Filling
- Beat the cream cheese, cream, Greek yogurt, flour, and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer.
- When this mixture is smooth, add one egg at a time, mixing well until incorporated.
- Stir in the vanilla extract, melted chocolate, and coarsely ground hazelnuts, until well incorporated. Don't overbeat.
- Pour into the prepared crust. Carefully place in the oven and bake for about 45-55 minutes at 160 C. The top of the cake should look cooked and the center should be a bit wobbly.
- Turn off the heat and slightly crack the door open and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
- Let the cake cool on the countertop for another hour and then refrigerate for at least 8 hours for it to set completely. Remove carefully from the pan, place on your serving platter, and serve with the cherry sauce on top.
Red Wine Cherry Sauce
- Combine cherries, sugar, water, and red wine in a small saucepan. Cook on medium heat for 15-20 minutes until the cherries are soft and bubbling. Add some more water or wine if the sauce looks too thick. If the sauce looks too watery, stir in the cornstarch mixture. Let the mixture come to a boil and turn off the heat. Taste and adjust for sweetness. Let the sauce cool completely. It will thicken as it cools. Serve atop the cheesecake. ENJOY!!!
Lisa says
Absolutely loved this cake. Thank u for sharing. The cherry sauce on the top tasted absolutely divine and goes so well with the chocolate. Love your recipes.
Natasha Minocha says
Thank you very much, Lisa. I'm thrilled this cake turned out well for you. I really appreciate your support and love.xx
Karishma says
Hi, Is there any substitute for eggs ?
Natasha Minocha says
Hi Karishma, unfortunately, for this cake, I really don't think there is a substitute for eggs.