Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted
- 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 (8-ounce) containers mascarpone cheese, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
Topping:
- 1/2 cup chocolate-hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
- 1/4 cup whipping cream
Directions
For the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Tightly wrap the outside of a 9-inch diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with 3 layers of heavy-duty foil. Finely grind the almonds, cracker crumbs, and sugar in a food processor. Add the butter and process until moist crumbs form. Press the almond mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan (not on the sides of the pan). Bake the crust until it is set and beginning to brown, about 12 minutes. Cool. Decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
For the filling: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, mascarpone cheese, and sugar in a large bowl until smooth, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the lemon juice and vanilla. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
Pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan. Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the center of the cheesecake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour 5 minutes (the cake will become firm when it is cold). Transfer the cake to a rack; cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
For the topping: Combine the chocolate-hazelnut spread and cream in a small bowl. Heat in the microwave until warm, stirring every 20 seconds to blend, about 1 minute.
Cut the cake into wedges. Drizzle the chocolate sauce over the wedges and serve.
1 Video | Photo: Mascarpone Cheesecake with Almond Crust Recipe



















Review This Recipe
You must be signed in to review this recipe.
or Register to Review
Newest Ratings and Reviews
Read all 202 reviews
By ljl2010
on February 07, 2012
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
This cheesecake is as awesome as the reviews say! This was my first time baking anything, let alone a cheesecake, from scratch and I couldn't be more pleased with myself! I made it as a goal/present for myself for my 24th birthday instead of buying a cheesecake for $40 and its just delicious! I literally created a food network account just to thank Giada for this great recipe! Now everyone wants me to bake them one for their birthdays lol.
By kmailler_1612440
Highland Mills, NY
on December 16, 2011
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
I made this cheesecake the first year the episode was broadcast. I did it for family at Christmas. I have never seen a cheesecake disappear so fast! I was lucky to get a piece for myself. Everyone raved about it and went for seconds! The marscapone adds such flavor to the cheesecake as well as adding the almonds to the graham cracker crust. Giada has a real winner with this recipe.
By ginger-cakes
on November 24, 2011
Flag
Flag This Review?
Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.
or Cancel
Great recipe. I really like the soft, smooth texture the mascarpone provides. Also, as a chocolate lover, I needed another dimension of chocolate in addition to the ganache you drizzle on top. So I added a layer of chocolate shavings (about a half cup to the crust after baking. It set up hard and added lots of chocolate flavor and the extra crunch, which I love! Next time, I'll try adding hazelnuts to the crust instead of almonds and leave some of the nuts in larger pieces for the additional crunch. Yum!
Read all 202 reviews