No-bake Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake, because we're just not ready to let summer go. An easy no-bake cheesecake that tastes like a chocolate mousse with some crunch from the cookies and pistachios.
Song of the day: "Roll Away Your Stone" - Mumford and Sons (we simply love this band!)
It was another extremely hot day in Rome and we were invited to spend the Sunday with few close friends in a country house up on the Roman Hills. It was a kind of "potluck" where we would each bring something and enjoy the sunny day outside eating underneath a pergola. We decided to bring two dishes, one savory one sweet, our love for making food and sharing it with people not a mystery to anyone, on either side of the world.
Our choices for the day were: a beautiful and delectable yellow curry coconut chickpea stew (recipe coming soon) and a no-bake chocolate hazelnut cheesecake, because the thought of turning on the oven couldn't even cross our minds. Those were the days when the average temperatures were always above 40° C, not a drop of rain in the forecast, not a cloud in the sky. So, a cheesecake, and of the no-bake kind, had to be.
We prepared it the day before, crumbling the Digestive cookies and forming the crust with the aid of some melted butter. Then mixing the cream cheese left at room temperature with our choice of chocolate hazelnut spread, which that day fell on the Nocciolata Rigoni, organic and made without milk, a feast for those chocolate lovers (if you can find it, grab one, #nosponsor, just love).
It was ready in no time and we didn't bother if the top wasn't perfectly even (I don't have an offset spatula in my Roman kitchen, so the back of a spoon did the job), then into the fridge it went to rest overnight. Another hot one for us, in Rome, as the temperatures -unfortunately- didn't cool down even at night. The morning after it was ready to bring to our friends, but before, we had to make the chickpea stew. Loreto had that done in just a short time and after that, we were ready for the half an hour drive to reach our destination.
When we got there, after the initial hugs and kisses with our human and also furry friends, we helped set the table with many wonderful dishes: homegrown tomatoes simply dressed up in Evo oil, salt, and basil to add to toasted bread and make a nice bruschetta; Riso Venere (a variety of black rice typical of the Pianura Padana, in northern Italy) with zucchini and shrimp; our chickpea stew; beef patties, sausages, bread, and radicchio, cooked "alla brace", that is in that amazing wood fire oven that you see in the picture and that Loreto was tenderly and lovingly attending.
Everything was super delicious and was chowed down until the last crumb and spoonful, with the help of wines and Prosecco, Fanta for the little one, and water. The heat was mitigated by a nice breeze and by the altitude of the place. At dessert time, coffee was made in the espresso coffee machine, a couple more friends joined us and the cheesecake was cut and served. The heat made the No-Bake Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake creamier and with a mousse-like consistency, that paired well with the crunch from the Digestive cookies and the crumbled pistachios.
The last pictures were taken in our friends' cute house, in a rustic and warm living room hosting an old wooden table and a beautiful old wooden cupboard. My friend Laura helped me stage the setting and she took out an aged whiskey bottle. Love the feel of these pictures! I took a couple quick shots (with no tripod as you can see from the unsteady hold) because everybody was waiting for the dessert outside, and the Cheesecake was already feeling the heat.
Among the oohs and ahhs of our friends the No-bake Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake was polished and we brought home the empty container. The hazelnut chocolate/cream cheese combination was creamy dreamy, the crumbled cookies and crushed pistachios the perfect balance to the soft texture. It would be awesome served with whipped cream (or whipped coconut cream); it was too hot a day for us, anything whipped would have melted in mere seconds.
Hope you enjoy making this 4 ingredients No-bake Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake, it doesn't necessairily have to be summer to have a no-bake dessert.
Song of the day: "Roll Away Your Stone" - Mumford and Sons (we simply love this band!)
Print
No-bake Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake
- Total Time: 24 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 180 g Digestive biscuits
- 80 g butter
For the filling
- 500 g chocolate hazelnut spread
- 500 g cream cheese, at room temperature
For the topping
- 2 Tbsp crushed pistachios
Instructions
For the crust:
- Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat, then let it cool.
- Meanwhile add the Digestive biscuits to a food processor and pulse until turned into small crumbs. Place in a bowl.
- Add the melted butter to the crumbled Digestive biscuits and mix well.
- Butter a spring form cake pan of 24 cm in diameter and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.
- Spread the cookie mixture and press well with a spoon to create the base. Place it in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes or in a freezer for ten minutes.
For the filling:
- In a large bowl add cream cheese then add a tablespoon of chocolate hazelnut spread, then mix well with a whisk or with a spatula.
- When well mixed, add the rest of the chocolate hazelnut spread and continue mixing with the whisk until smooth.
- Take the cake pan from the refrigerator and pour the cream cheese/chocolate mixture over the cookie mixture.
- Level the surface with an offset spatula, cover the cake pan with the plastic wrap and let it cool in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours (or preferably overnight).
- Gently transfer the cheesecake onto a serving dish and decorate with crushed pistachios.
- Serve your cheesecake cold.
Notes
The total time includes the setting time overnight.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6-8 servings
Nadia, my friend, this recipe is especially for you!
Print Cheesecake senza cottura alla Crema di Cioccolato e Nocciole
- Total Time: 24 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 persone 1x
Description
Adattata da una ricetta di Giallo Zafferano.
Ingredients
Per la base:
- 180 g biscotti Digestive
- 80 g burro
Per il ripieno:
- 500 g crema di cioccolato e nocciole spalmabile (io ho usato Rigoni)
- 500 g fromaggio fresco spalmabile (io ho usato Philadelphia)
Per decorare:
- granella di pistacchi
Instructions
Per la base:
- Mettete a sciogliere il burro in un pentolino a fuoco bassissimo, poi lasciate intiepidire.
- Mettete i biscotti digestive nel mixer e frullateli fino ad ottenere una polvere.
- Versate la polvere di biscotti in una ciotola, unite il burro fuso e intiepidito e mescolate bene fino ad ottenere un composto sabbioso.
- Imburrate una tortiera con cerniera apribile (diametro 24 cm) e foderatela con la carta forno.
- Versatevi all’interno il composto di biscotti e con l’aiuto di un cucchiaio compattate bene, in modo da formare la base di biscotto.
- Riponete in frigorifero per 30 minuti o in freezer per una decina di minuti.
Per il ripieno:
- In una ciotola versate il formaggio cremoso e aggiungete un cucchiaio di crema di cioccolato e nocciole, quindi amalgamate bene con una frusta o con una spatola.
- A questo punto aggiungete il resto della crema di cioccolato e nocciole e proseguite a mescolare con la frusta fino ad ottenere una crema liscia.
- Riprendete la tortiera dal frigorifero e versate il composto al cioccolato sulla base di biscotti oramai solidificata.
- Livellate bene la superficie con una spatola, copritela con la pellicola e lasciatela rassodare in frigorifero per almeno 6 ore (meglio ancora se una notte intera).
- Trasferite la cheesecake in un piatto da portata e decorate con la granella di pistacchi.
- Servite la vostra cheesecake ben fredda.
Notes
Conservate la cheesecake per 3-4 giorni al massimo in frigorifero.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Category: dessert
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Ohhh, such a wonderful meal you describe! From the bruschetta to your delectable cheesecake! Looks so creamy and delicious! I'd love a slice!
It was wonderful, from the company, to the location and the food. Thank you Annie! Wish we could share food with you all!
This no bake cheesecake looks so delicious. So chocolatey and decadent. I'm all over no-bake desserts!
Thank you! It was really decadent, but also fresh and light in a sense 🙂 .
Oh man, so many of my weaknesses in one recipe!
I know, cream cheese, and chocolate...yum! Thank you so much!!
Oh my....I want to live your life! I visited Italy only twice and fell in love. My brother wants us all to go for his milestone birthday and I was quick to say yes! This looks simply wonderful... I can't believe you only use 5 ingredients! I can't wait to give it a try.
So happy for you that you're going back to Italy! I love my country 🙂 . Yes, 5 ingredients for a most delicious cake! 😉
What a great recipe Nicoletta! I love desserts you can make and not turn on the oven during the hot summer. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you! Sometimes you just do not want to turn on the oven! 🙂
This cheesecake looks delicious, a chocolate lover's dream. Love the little addition of pistachios...adds great texture and colour contrast. Yum!!
Thank you Gloria, the pistachios are the perfect touch ????.
This cheesecake looks so delicious! love the pistachio addition, too! What a lovely and simple way to decorate it!
Thank you! Yes, just a simple sprinkle of pistachios 🙂 .
I love a simple and delicious dessert recipe like this! Especially a chocolate one. Yum!
Thank you! yes, so simple to make and so delicious to eat 🙂
I love cheesecake, but the only time I tried a no-bake version, the result was just eh. Looks like you've convinced me to try again!
Thank you, Abby, this was definitely not "just eh"... 😉 . On the contrary, quite rich and delicious: Give the no-bake another try! 😉
No bake cheesecakes are the best for warmer weather months!
So true, I couldn't have baked anything in those temperatures! 🙂
The pistachios are such a gorgeous addition to this cake! What a great flavor combo in this cheesecake!
Thanks! The pistachios were definitely a great addition, in color, texture and flavor.
What a fun post! I love reading about your time in Rome! Where can I get digestive cookies?
Thank you, Amanda! I love to share stories from my Country and my city 🙂 . You can find Digestive biscuits in the aisle of any big grocery store, they are the Scottish counterpart to the Graham crackers, and they are amazing in cheesecakes! 🙂
I'm sending this to my daughter, she LIVES chocolate hazelnut spread. She's a young new cook too so this will be right up her alley. It looks delicious:)
Yes, Tina, so easy to make and so impressive and delicious to serve. Thanks so much!!