Nutella Swirl Cheesecake

I have some Nutella leftover in the bottle, not enough for a whole cake and not enough for cookies. Sure, I could take a spoon and do the deed the easy way but no lah. I have been very well behaved for the last 2 weeks except on Friday night. I had dinner with my partner at The Fat Spoon and the desserts board was right in front of me. I tried not to look at it. But deserts lists are very magnetic. Resistance is futile.

There must have been 10 items on the list among which were the following : Banana Fritters with Vanilla Ice Cream, Sago Pudding, Bubur Cha Cha, Ice Cream, Red Velvet Cake and my downfall  - Fat Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream. And the Fat Chocolate Cake was sitting in a glass display next to the Red Velvet Cake right in front of our table. Next time I must sit with my back facing the counter. 

I caved in and ordered the Fat Chocolate Cake. It was really a fat chocolate cake as it was a very big slice (RM12.00) and came with 2 scoops of vanilla ice-cream (and two forks, when one should suffice. I am perfectly capable of finishing the whole lot by myself, thank you). The cake was served warm and eaten with the ice-cream, wow! The dessert list also got on to my partner who is not much of a dessert man. He ordered the banana fritters with ice-cream. The fritters were mini fritters, freshly fried and served hot with vanilla ice cream. It was also very good.

Back to my latest Nutella bake. I don't need to convince you that this cheesecake is delicious. Nutella in any bake is a winner. Mission accomplished!

Nutella Swirl Cheesecake
Recipe source : Adapted from here

For the base :
(i) 200g digestive biscuits
(ii) 50g melted butter

For the filling :
(i) 500g cream cheese
(ii) 120g castor sugar
(iii) 3 eggs
(iv) 250ml whipped cream
(v) 1 tbsp custard powder
(vi) 1 tsp vanilla essence
(vii) 2 tbsp Nutella

Method :

For the base :
1. Preheat oven to 160C.
2. Butter an 8" round springform pan.
3. Crush digestive biscuits finely.
4. Pour the crushed biscuits into a bowl and add melted butter. Mix well until mixture looks like wet sand.
5. Pour mixture into the pan and press firmly to compact the base.
6. Bake for 10 minutes and set aside.

For the filling :
1. Beat cream cheese until smooth.
2. Add castor sugar and continue to mix.
3. Add eggs one by one and continue to mix.
4. Add vanilla essence, custard powder and whipped cream and mix well.
5.  Remove 1/4 of mixture and add Nutella. Mix until well blended.
6.  Pour 1/2 of the plain mixture into the pan.
7.  Add spoonfuls of the Nutella mixture, reserving enough for topping.
8.  Pour remaining plain mixture into the pan.
9.  Add spoonfuls of remaining Nutella mixture and use a skewer to swirl.

Bake for about 50 mins.  The cake is done when the outer ring is firm but the middle is still wobbly.  After taking it out of the oven, run a spatula around the edge of the cake for easy removal later.  Cool the cake completely before chilling in the fridge overnight.