Nutella Cheese Tart

This Nutella tart tastes exactly how it looks: rich, luscious and with loads of Nutella.

This cake is made with a soft and delicious whip of mascarpone cheese and luxurious Nutella. Best of all, it is entirely gluten-free thanks to the almond flour, which perfectly complements those hazelnut notes of the chocolate spread.

Trust me on this one, this decadent tart is something you have to try. Read on to make this luxurious and surprisingly simple Nutella-infused cheese tart.

Let’s get started!

Why Nutella?

Nutella is probably the world’s most famous hazelnut spread. It has a perfect taste, smooth texture, and luscious appearance.

Nutella is made with quality ingredients and, unlike other spreads, it has an impeccable taste. Although I’m having a slice of Nutella cheese tart while writing this, I am craving some more Nutella just thinking about it!

Gluten-Free Goodness

This recipe is absolutely gluten-free! This is another reason to choose Nutella in this or any recipe.

As I said above, the crust is made with almond flour and coconut flour, while the filling is made with mascarpone and Nutella.

Nutella is gluten-free (it does not contain any ingredients derived from gluten-containing cereals). It’s a delicious way to enjoy chocolatey and slightly nutty flavor notes – and you probably don’t have to worry about who in the household can or can’t eat it!

Choosing the Best Mascarpone

You may know mascarpone as the creamy and luscious ingredient in tiramisu, but what is mascarpone?

Mascarpone is a soft Italian double or triple cheese, depending on the producer. Mascarpone cheese has around 60-75% of fat content. This is what makes the cheese super soft and smooth. 

Mascarpone cheese is often compared to cream cheese, ricotta, crème fraiche and clotted cream. However, mascarpone is sweeter and less tangy. Mascarpone is slightly sweet with just a bit of acidity.

Its rich texture makes it an indulgent addition to any recipe, sweet or savory.

When picking out mascarpone, choose the freshest one you can that is made with regular milk.

There are mascarpone options with one part substituted with coconut cream, but this type suffers a little in taste. So, always choose fresh mascarpone made just with cow’s milk. 

How to Substitute Mascarpone

If you can’t get your hands on this delicious Italian cheese, don’t despair. You can get decent results from mixing other high-fat dairy items such as cream cheese, cream (heavy, whipping, or regular) or butter.

Here are some combinations you can substitute for mascarpone:

• Blend 8oz. softened cream cheese with ¼ cup whipping cream
• Blend 8oz. softened cream cheese with ¼ cup cream and ¼ cup butter
• Blend 8oz. softened cream cheese ¼ cup heavy cream and 2 tbsp softened unsalted butter

Making a Nutella Cheese Tart

This Nutella cheese tart is made in two parts, the crust and the filling, and then it is assembled and chilled.

You will first begin with making the crust.

As we discussed above, the crust for this tart is made with almond and coconut flour. The almond flour and coconut flour make a really nice and subtle hint of natural sweetness that sits well behind Nutella filling. 

Still, the crust itself does not have any sugar, so you can reuse it for other recipes, even a savory tart or even a quiche.

This crust is very easy to make, using a simple stir and press method. Plus, it bakes up beautifully. You may prefer to use a spring form pan to make it easier to remove later.

Once the crust is ready for baking, make sure you poke it with fork so it does not rise and make a curvy bottom. You can bake crust the classic way, or blind baking.

To be honest, sometimes I like to use the classic way, and sometimes I prefer blind baking. It is really just down my mood in the moment. I baked this one using the classic way and the crust came out perfect!

While the crust is cooling – and it has to be perfectly cool before you assemble the cake – you can make your filling.

Just whip up the mascarpone and cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla and a bit of salt, because salt balance sweetness perfectly.

Spread the filling over the cold crust and smooth the top. Refrigerate the tart for at least 2 hours.

What to Use For the Topping?

There are plenty of ways to decorate this tart to make it your own.

For this tart, I used toasted and chopped hazelnuts. It was a natural flow of ideas, because Nutella is already made with hazelnuts.

You can certainly choose other types of nuts, or go for a more dynamic flavor with candied oranges. (I made it once with candied orange and it was amazing! There is something really special in the mixture of chocolate and orange.)

Another idea is to dust the surface with some powdered chocolate or cacao. 

How To Make A Nutella Cheese Tart

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit. 

Make the crust: In a bowl combine almond flour and coconut flour.

Add eggs and melted butter.

Step 2

Stir until the dough comes together.

Press the dough into 9-inch tart pan, bottom and sides. I used a tart pan with a detachable bottom (spring form pan) for an easy removal.

Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork, and bake for 20 minutes.

Step 3

While the crust is cooling, make the filling: In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, Nutella, vanilla, and salt.

Set the mixture aside while the crust cools down.

Step 4

Assemble the tart: Spread the filling over the baked crust. Gently cover the tart with a plastic foil.

Chill the tart in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Remove the tart from the fridge. Top with chopped hazelnuts and serve.

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