Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake

I thought I would be original and make a Nutella cheesecake. On a whim I checked the internet to see if anyone else was as bright as I. I found out it had been already done...many times, many ways. Rats. I wasn't as original as I thought.

But I carried on anyhow. Most of the recipes I saw were for a "no bake" version and I wanted to bake mine. I also had to think of a way to make it original and then it struck me. My version has a "surprise" in it.

So if you like Nutella, and you like the Ferrero Rocher balls, you will love this cake. If not then go away. (And come back another day.)

The ingredients for the crust are: 1 1/2 C crushed Nilla wafer cookies; 1/3 C sugar; 1/3 C melted butter. The filling ingredients are: 16 oz. softened cream cheese; 4 eggs; 13 oz. jar Nutella; 16 pack Ferrero Rocher chocolates. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust you'll need 1 1/2 cups crushed Nilla wafer cookies. I just happened to grab the box of mini wafers but the big ones will do too. After all, you'll be crushing them to crumbs. An easy way to accomplish this is by putting some of the cookies in a plastic zip baggie and use a meat pounder or small frying pan or something similar to crush the cookies into fine crumbs. Remember not to seal the bag completely or it might explode and you'll have cookie crumbs everywhere you don't want them. Next you'll mix the crumbs with 1/3 C sugar and 1/3 C melted butter. Press the mixture into a springform pan. A neat trick is to use a measuring cup to make neat corners. That's an Ina Garten tip.

Now bake in a 350 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

When you take the crust out to cool, arrange the Ferrero Rocher balls on the bottom. Reduce oven temperature to 325. (Did you notice there aren't 16 balls here? Yes, I had one.)While the crust is cooling cream together 16 oz. cream cheese and 4 eggs. Scrape the bowl as necessary and continue beating until smooth.
Add the 13 oz. jar of Nutella and beat together until well mixed. Pour over the cooled crust and carefully smooth the top.
Bake in 325 degree oven for about 55 minutes or until center is set.
Cool completely. I refrigerated mine overnight before trying. (Run a knife around the edge before loosening the springform ring.) Just a word of warning: This cake is extremely rich and a thin piece will fulfill any chocolate/hazelnut cravings you may have.

At least for an hour or so.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT CHEESECAKE

1 1/2 C crushed Nilla Wafer cookies
1/3 C sugar
1/3 C melted butter
16-pack Ferrero Rocher balls
16 oz. softened cream cheese
4 eggs
13 oz. jar Nutella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix cookie crumbs with sugar and melted butter. Press into springform pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

When crust is done baking arrange the Ferrero Rocher balls on the bottom as it cools. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

Beat together the cream cheese and eggs until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the Nutella and mix well. Pour over the cooled crust. Bake in 325 oven for about 55 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely (like overnight in the fridge.) Run a knife around the edge before releasing the springform ring.