Chocolate Hazelnut Swirl Cheesecake

Recipe found from whatscookingamerica.net

I think what I love about this cheesecake is the crust. It's not your typical graham cracker crust but it's awesome! There is included a way to toast and remove the skins. Nutella is a love of mine just don't look at the nutritional info and you'll be fine eating your confection. I think everyone else discovered how great it tastes because the price has skyrocketed in the past 5 years.  The recipe says to cover the cheesecake with plastic wrap.  If you do this be sure to have the cheesecake completely cooled down.  Little water droplets on your cheesecake are not cool.  Also, I have used just bottled lemon juice and it has turned out fine.

Chocolate Hazelnut Swirl Cheesecake

Hazelnut Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped*

* Preheat oven to 350° F. In a baking pan toast hazelnuts in one layer in middle of oven 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly colored and skins are blistered. Wrap nuts in a kitchen towel and let steam 1 minute. Rub nuts in towel to remove loose skins; and cool completely.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and position rack in center of oven (too high or too low of rack placement will cause baking problems). Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan.

In a food processor, combine flour, brown sugar, butter, and chopped hazelnuts. Add butter; whirl 5 to 10 seconds more. Mix well and press firmly onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are light brown. Remove from oven and cool crust completely on a wire racks. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F.

Filling:
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature*
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs, room temperature
1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lemon juice
2/3 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (Nutella)

* To quickly bring cream cheese to room temperature, place unwrapped package(s) in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 30 to 45 seconds or until slightly softened. Do not let it melt or get warm. Refrigerate if it does.

NOTE: Use a conventional oven rather than a convection oven in baking your cheesecake. The forced hot air from the convection oven causes too much browning and can often cause the center of the cheesecake to collapse.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese just until smooth. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. NOTE: Do not over beat the mixture. You want to avoid beating air into the mixture. Too much air will make the cheesecake fall. Add lemon juice, beating until just smooth.

In a medium bowl, measure 1 1/2 cups of the cream cheese mixture. Gently stir in chocolate-hazelnut spread.

Spoon half of the yellow batter (about 1 1/2 cups) over the baked and cooled Hazelnut Crust. Top with 1/2 of the chocolate-hazelnut batter (about 1 cup). Repeat layering. With a small metal spatula, carefully swirl batter to marble cake (this also helps get rid of any extra air bubbles).

Place cheesecake in center of middle oven rack. Position a baking pan filled halfway with hot water on lower rack. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until edges are light brown and center is almost set. NOTE: There should be no wet spots or liquid areas in the center of the cheesecake. Remember that a cheesecake continues to cook when it is removed from the oven.

Turn oven off. Let cake stand in oven, with door ajar, 30 minutes or until center is completely set. remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

Cool cheesecake completely on a wire rack before refrigerating. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours before cutting (the cheesecake will solidify to a perfect consistency during this time).

To serve, slide a small knife around edge of cake to loosen it and remove sides of the springform pan; transfer onto a cake plate. Makes 10 to 12 servings.