Black Forest Cheesecake

I'm not too proud to admit that I would eat Nutella straight out of the jar with a spoon if I had even a smidge less self-control.  I always need two butter knives when making English muffins with Nutella--because I can never seem to prevent myself from licking off the knife after I get one side slathered.  I love Nutella.

I also love cherry pie filling.  I've probably purchased less than five cans of it in my entire adult life because if I'm going to make a pie, I buy actual fruit--but oh my.  I worry less about cutting my fingers on the sharp edges of the opened top than I do about wasting even a lick of left-over pie filling.  

Combining Nutella and cherry pie filling was a stroke of genius, if I do say so myself.  Izaak was craving cheesecake.  I didn't have time for the whole water-bath-pray-it-doesn't-crack-traditional-cheesecake.  This is a super-fast Nutella 'instant' cheesecake, fancied up with cherries, ganache and whipped cream.  Like one step above the kind of cheesecake made by Jello.  But way better.  Way.

It starts with Oreos.  Of course it does!  You could buy a premade Oreo crust, but doing it on your own means you can use a larger size pie plate.  Large pie plate = larger pie = bigger pieces.  I'm good with that math.

So easy.  And then the Nutella magic happens, with some whipped topping, cream cheese, and cocoa.  I'm not going to tell you how many mini-spatulas I used during this step.  At least I had the decency to get a fresh one each time I licked the old one clean.... (Usually).

Up next, ganache in 30 seconds.

 

Aren't chocolate chips versatile?  And isn't ganache a fancy name for something so simple?

I know, right?  "But that's not all folks!" (flashback, Bob Barker).  

Wait for it, 


wait for it.....  


 (No tongues were cut in the making of this dessert.  But it was a near thing.)


 

Luscious layers of good stuff.  Oreos.  Nutella cheesecake.  Ganache.  Whipped Cream.  Cherries.  Wowza.

If you don't mind that I licked my fingers (and spatulas, and spoons, and bowls, and cans, and lids...), come over for a piece!

Black Forest Cheesecake

20 Oreos
1/4 c butter, softened
1 c. Nutella
1 block cream cheese, room temperature
1 container Cool Whip, cold but thawed
2 T cocoa
1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 T heavy cream
1 c. heavy cream
2 T powdered sugar
1 can cherry pie filling

In a food processor, crumb the Oreos.  Add 1/4 cup softened butter, and pulse until well combined.  Press into a pie plate, and place in the refrigerator.

In a mixer, on high speed beat the Nutella, cocoa and cream cheese until very well combined.  Add in whipped cream, and beat on high speed until no white streaks are showing.  Scrape down your bowl a few times during that process.  Pour the Nutella mixture into the Oreo crust, and refrigerate at least a half hour.

In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and 3 T heavy cream.  Heat for 30 to 45 seconds, or until chocolate chips begin to melt.  Whisk until smooth.  Pour ganache onto the Nutella mixture.  Refrigerate at least a half hour.

In a mixer, on high speed with a whisk attachment, beat 1 cup of heavy cream with powdered sugar until the 'stiff peak' stage--until it looks like whipped cream, not heavy cream.  Layer that on top of the hardened ganache.  Then gently spoon cherry pie filling over the whipped cream layer.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Enjoy!