Chocolate-Hazelnut No-Bake Mini Cheesecakes with Philadelphia Cream Cheese

This post is sponsored by PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese.  As always, all opinions are mine.

Make it a holiday to remember with these no-bake mini cheesecakes

As Easter is just around the corner, learning how to craft an easy, quick, lick-your-plate delicious dessert to add to your Sunday menu is simply essential. 

And I'm not just talking about the usual apple pie or carrot cake. Oh no! Let's step away from the ordinary and time-consuming recipes and dive headfirst into something fun, irresistible and so creamy you will feel the urge to grab a blender and whip it up right away.

How about something that looks like this?!?

Doesn’t this look simply delicious?!? Velvety and rich, chocolatey and nutty, all in the same muffin-size cheesecake. 
Make sure to check out all these layers. From the buttery hazelnut/graham cracker crust at the bottom, the perfectly dense chocolate layer in the middle, and the beautiful  vanilla cheesecake on top. All decorated with cocoa powder and chocolate garnishes. 

These mini cheesecakes are truly irresistible and laughably easy (no baking involved!).

I made the crust by adding some crushed hazelnuts to the usual graham crackers and melted butter mixture. Save yourself some calories and don't add any extra sugar to the crust. It's really not needed, because the crackers are sweet enough. 

The filling is also super simple: I used two bricks of  Philadelphia Original Brick Cream Cheese (at room temperature so it's easier to blend), powdered sugar, whipped cream and chocolate hazelnut spread (in only half of the cheesecake mixture). All beaten until perfectly smooth and fluffy.

For this recipe, I recommend using paper muffin liners or anything that will be easy to remove at the end. Given that these are not baked, the cheesecake will be a lot softer than usual. But don't worry, when you remove the liner you can always smooth the edges (with a knife or a spoon) if the sides are a little smudged.

For the top, have fun and be creative. You can decorate with more crushed hazelnuts, cocoa powder or chocolate garnishes to add a simple but elegant touch.

Ready to try this recipe too?!? Incredible things happen when chocolate and hazelnuts come together. Especially in a refreshing and creamy cheesecake form.

INGREDIENTS:

1. • YIELDS : 12 servings
     For the crust:
     • 2 tablespoons (40 gr) unsalted butter, melted
     • 1/2 cup (65 gr) toasted hazelnuts, divided
     • 3/4 cup (65 gr) graham crackers crumbs (which is about 4 whole crackers)
     For the filling:
     • 16 oz ( 450 gr)  Philadelphia cream cheese, at room temperature 
     • 1/2 cup (65 gr) powdered sugar
     • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
     • 1 1/2 cups (350 ml) heavy whipping cream
     • 1/2 cup (150 gr) chocolate/hazelnut spread
     • 1/4 cup chocolate chips, for decoration (optional)
     • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, for decoration (optional)

PREPARATION:

TIME: 20 minutes to prepare plus at least 3 hours (refrigeration)

Melt the butter in a double boiler or in the microwave for about 30-40 seconds.
Add the hazelnuts in a food processor, and process until mostly crushed. Add the graham crackers, and process a little more.

Add the melted butter and pulse until combined. You should get a sandy mixture.

Line a muffin pan with 12 muffin liners. Best if paper or anything that will be easy to peel off at the end. Spoon the mixture to the bottom of the liners. Press it firmly to the bottom using the back of your spoon or a 1/4 measuring cup (mine fits just perfectly). Place in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Beat the cream cheese with the powdered sugar and vanilla  until smooth.

Whip the heavy cream and fold into the cream cheese mixture with a spatula or spoon.

Spoon half of the mixture into a piping bag (or save in a separate bowl).
Add the chocolate hazelnut spread to the remaining mixture. Fold or beat at low speed until just combined (don't over-mix).

Divide the chocolate cream into the 12 muffin cups. You can spoon it or pipe it.

Decorate the top with the remaining white cheesecake cream. I used a wide round tip and made different designs. Have fun with it!

Let the cheesecake cool in the fridge for at least three hours or longer.
You can top with chopped hazelnuts, cocoa powder or chocolate garnishes.
For the chocolate spirals, melt the chocolate in the microwave. Add to a piping (or plastic) bag. Cut a tiny corner. And draw on a piece of parchment paper. Let it harden for a few  minutes.. Carefully peel off the paper and top the cheesecakes.