That toasted hazelnut and graham cracker crust . . .
Originally, this recipe was all about the roasted citrus. I envisioned concentrating blood orange segments down until each sliver became a firework of sweet tanginess exploding against the backdrop of light, creamy cheesecake filling . . . The standard graham cracker crumb crust was mostly there as a matter of function. A cheesecake has to have a crust, right?
I’m not sure why I decided to add the hazelnuts to the crust. Maybe I stumbled upon the bag when I was rooting through my freezer-door collection of random leftover nuts, searching for something for another project. Maybe they stuck in my subconscious when I was plating a focaccia on the restaurant line, sprinkling roasted chopped hazelnuts over the confit garlic and hazelnut butter that accompanied it. Whatever the inspiration, I swapped out 50 grams of graham cracker crumbs for finely chopped hazelnuts—and was wowed by the results: rich, nutty, toasted hazelnut deliciousness, all in a mini cheesecake crust.
The cheesecakes themselves are everything I wanted them to be: light and airy, creamy and smooth, their luscious richness perfectly balanced by fresh orange zest and the tangy-sweet citrus topping. But it’s that toasted hazelnut crumb crust that truly makes them special.
Every time I create a recipe, I learn something. Some might say the lesson here is that the smallest things often have the biggest impact. Very wise, I’m sure. My personal takeaway is slightly more practical: never, ever underestimate the power of a well-toasted hazelnut.
Enjoy!
Blood Orange No-Bake Cheesecakes
Makes 10
For the crust:
10 whole graham crackers (150 grams)
6 tablespoons hazelnuts (50 grams)
4 tablespoons brown sugar (50 grams)
8 tablespoons butter, melted (1 stick,113 grams)
1/8 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
For the blood orange topping:
4 blood oranges or naval oranges, peeled and segmented (there should be no pith remaining)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons brown sugar
For the filling:
1 ¼ (8-oz) blocks cream cheese (284 grams), room temperature
½ cup confectioner’s sugar (60 grams)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Zest of 2 oranges
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream (160 mL)
Method
For the crust:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 10 sized muffin wells with individual pieces of foil.
In a food processor, pulse graham crackers, hazelnuts, brown sugar, and salt until they are fine crumbs. Pour into a medium bowl and stir in melted butter until the crumbs are the consistency of wet sand. Add ¼ cup of the mixture into each lined muffin tin well, using your fingers to press the crumbs firmly into the corners and up the sides. (Don’t worry if the tops are not totally even—the uneven finish will give a rustic charm to the finished cheesecake cups!)
Bake in the preheated oven for 5-7 minutes, or until smelling toasty. If the bottoms of the crusts bubble up while baking, just pat them back down with the back of a spoon when they come out of the oven, while they’re still warm. Let cool completely in the muffin tins.
For the blood orange topping:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
In a bowl, toss orange segments with olive oil. Spread onto the baking sheet in a single even layer and sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake 10-14 minutes or until lightly caramelized and browned in places. Remove from tray while still warm and let cool completely.
For the filling:
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, lemon juice, orange zest, vanilla, and salt until smooth and light. Add in heavy whipping cream and beat until aerated and thick. Dollop about ¼ cup into each cooled cheesecake crust and chill until cold and completely firm, about 4 hours in the refrigerator or 2 hours in the freezer.
When mini cheesecakes are cold and firm to the touch, remove from tins and discard foil. Top with roasted citrus segments and serve.
Originally posted February 2, 2022.
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