It may seem hard to believe, but healthy nutella cheesecake exists and is quite possibly the best way to satisfy your chocolate cravings!
Incredibly easy to make, this light no-bake nutella cheesecake is THE chocolatey dessert that will almost definitely make you a happier human being. At least it works for me, and I’ve just discovered that is also a great way to beat Monday blues (especially if you live in London and it was a very rainy day… nevermind).
What makes this cheesecake healthier than any other nutella versions?
Simple, the choice of ingredients. Go for the REAL good stuff and use homemade nutella instead of any store-bought alternative, swap cream cheese with fresh light ricotta cheese and use a lighter crust as a base.
You may have noticed by now that I always choose ricotta cheese for my cheesecakes over store-bought cream cheese. The reason why I prefer ricotta is definitely because it’s healthier, lighter and not over-processed like cream cheese. Your can opt for traditional ricotta made with whole cow/sheep milk or choose a light version made with 2% milk. A good-quality ricotta will only list milk, salt and an acid coagulant as ingredients, nothing else. Ricotta is usually watery when first made, but the best store-bought versions should be already drained when sold, resulting in a creamier and richer cheese.
It’s worth mentioning that you can also make your own ricotta in less than 1 hour. Surely it’ll knock the socks off of any store-bought version!
To make the cheesecake filling, start by mixing fresh firm ricotta with finely ground demerara sugar or caster sugar, until you reach a smooth rich texture. Then add lemon & orange zest and half vanilla bean if you like, a spoonful of chopped pistachio is a great addition too. At this point, just fold in a generous amount of yummy homemade nutella. Give it a nice mix – a taste or two are allowed too – and your cheesecake nutella filling is ready.
When it comes to the cheesecake base you can either go for the classic mixture of sugar, digestive biscuits ( or use a light version) and butter. For a lighter option go for a healthy gluten-free alternative and mix almond meal with softened pitted dates. This will instantly lift your cheesecake up from extra undesired fats and calories.
Serve straight from the fridge and indulge into this chocolatey light no-bake nutella cheesecake with no shame!
- For the base:
- 1 cup softened pitted dates
- 1 cup lightly toasted almond meal
- Filling:
- 500gr/17.5oz ricotta cheese, well drained
- 150gr/5oz caster sugar or ground demerara sugar
- zest of 1 orange
- zest of ½ lemon
- ½ vanilla pod seeds (optional)
- 1 tbsp chopped pistachios (optional)
- 5 tbsp homemade nutella (or high-quality store-bought version)
- In a food processor mix together all the cheesecake base ingredients until combined.
- Put the mixture into a cake tin covered with cling film, and use your fingers or the back of a spoon to spread it evenly, pressing it down in the tin to form the base. Put the tin into the fridge to set for about 30 min.
- In the meantime prepare the filling. Put the ricotta and sugar in a large bowl and mix energetically with a spatula or hand blender until smooth and creamy.
- Add in the orange zest & lemon, vanilla and pistachio if using, then fold the nutella in. Gently mix by hand until combined.
- Remove the cheesecake tin from the fridge. Pour the filling over the base and spread evenly.
- Return to the fridge until set and ready to serve (rest at least for 4 hours). Enjoy!
For the classic cheesecake base mix 15 finely crumbled digestive biscuits,
2+1/2 tbsp melted butter and 1 tbsp sugar.