MAKES ONE 9-INCH CHEESECAKE
Our daughter, Savannah, loves healthy food, but before she went completely plant based, her guilty pleasure was Nutella. It is no mystery why this chocolaty, nutty, creamy, sweet, and salty spread is so widely used in Europe and the United States. It is something that can easily convert a nonbeliever into a complete sweet-tooth fanatic. With this recipe, Tamal set out to take that same chocolate and hazelnut goodness and morph it into a cheesecake concept. This dessert is so satisfying and comforting, it’ll transport you — by way of taste receptors — to Italy to dance around the Colosseum! In all seriousness, everyone who loves nuts and chocolate will enjoy this decadent treat.
For the oven-roasted hazelnuts
1½ cups raw hazelnuts
1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2 Roast the hazelnuts on a dry baking sheet for 10–12 minutes, or until their skin starts to come off, the nuts are cracking, and their color turns a light golden brown.
3 Remove the hazelnuts from the oven, place on a clean, dry towel, and rub them vigorously to get as much skin off as you can.
4 Divide the hazelnuts in half, reserving ¾ cup for the crust and ¾ cup for the filling.
1 cup salted macadamia nuts
¾ cup oven-roasted hazelnuts
1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
¾ cup pitted dates (preferably Medjool)
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. extra-virgin coconut oil
1 In a food processor, blitz the salted macadamia nuts, roasted hazelnuts, and cocoa powder until fine granules form.
2 Add the dates, vanilla extract, and extra-virgin coconut oil. Blend until the mixture forms a grainy dough.
3 Press the crust mixture into a 9-inch cheesecake pan with your fingers. Let it set in the freezer while you make the filling.
For the filling
¾ cup oven-roasted hazelnuts
¾ cup water
1 cup soaked cashews
½ cup coconut cream
½ cup coconut oil
½ cup pitted dates (preferably Medjool)
3 Tbsp. cocoa powder
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
½ tsp. vanilla extract
⅛ tsp. Himalayan pink salt
1 tsp. sunflower lecithin
1 Place the roasted hazelnuts in a high-powered blender with ¾ cup water and blitz for 45 seconds.
2 Pour the mixture into a cheesecloth set over a bowl. Squeeze as much milk out as possible with your hands. You should get at least ½ cup hazelnut milk through this process. Discard the pulp.
3 Place the hazelnut milk and the rest of the filling ingredients into a high-powered blender. Blitz twice for 45 seconds each time, or until creamy smooth.
4 Pour the filling into the cheesecake pan. Let set in the freezer for 1 hour.
To make an optional chocolate garnish, melt 1 Tbsp. coconut oil and 3 Tbsp. vegan chocolate chips in a small pan over low heat. Drizzle the chocolate over the cheesecake before freezing.