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How stunning is this Orange Mascarpone Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache?! Featuring a crunchy hazelnut graham cracker crust, creamy orange cheesecake filling, and silky smooth chocolate ganache, this recipe is a total showstopper! A must for anyone who loves the combination of chocolate and orange.
Orange Mascarpone Cheesecake
I’m currently having a moment with oranges. I blame/thank my husband, who bought me a vintage orange juice press for Christmas and has been making us freshly squeezed oj every morning. You’d think that would satisfy my orange cravings… but somehow it’s only intensified them! At this point we’re going through about 20 pounds of oranges a week, and I see no end in sight.
Last month my obsession was these soft and fluffy orange cinnamon rolls. This month? It’s smooth and creamy orange cheesecake that’s topped with Grand Marnier spiked chocolate ganache! The flavors and textures in this recipe are insane, and definitely will have folks thinking you bought it from a fancy bakery. Especially if you decorate the top with candied orange slices like I did!
Make the Hazelnut Crust
Making this cheesecake crust requires a little extra effort because you’ll need to pulse the hazlenuts in a food processor. But I promise, it’s 100% worth it! And after that step, you’ll simply combine them with graham cracker crumbs (I use pre-crushed for ultimate ease but feel free to make your own), sugar, butter, and salt. Then you’ll press it into a springform pan and bake for 10 minutes. Pre-baking the crust is absolutely essential for a crispy crust! So please don’t skip that step.
Cheesecake Tips & Tricks
- You’re going to need a large food processor, high-powder blender, or hand electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and mascarpone. There’s now way around that, so make sure you have access to one of those appliances before planning to make this recipe. Personally, I prefer the food processor because it guarantees a silky smooth cheesecake with no lumps. You’ll want to use the mixer to beat the cheeses SUPER smooth! Do this before adding any of the other ingredients!
- Be sure ALL of your ingredients are at room temperature! Cold ingredients don’t bond, so room temperature ingredients are essential if you want to create an ultra smooth and creamy cheesecake filling.
- Once you add the eggs, you don’t want to beat the batter too long or on high speed! Doing this will incorporate too much air into the batter which will cause it to puff up in the oven then deflate once removed.
- Don’t skip the water bath! If you’re worried about water leaking in, be sure to use extra-wide heavy duty aluminum foil and wrap the pan in an oven bag. Read all of my how to make an easy water bath for a cheesecake tips here!
Can I freeze this?
Absolutely! Simply cool the whole cheesecake as directed, then wrap tightly and store in the freezer for up to 2 months! When you’re ready to serve, full from the freezer and defrost the frozen cake overnight in the refrigerator. Just don’t freeze it with the chocolate sauce on top; that needs to be made fresh!
More Cheesecake Recipes:
Orange Mascarpone Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
For the Hazelnut Crust:
- 1/2 cup (57g) hazelnuts
- 2 cups (171g) graham cracker crumbs
- 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter melted
For the Orange Mascarpone Cheesecake:
- (4) 8 ounce blocks (906 g) full-fat cream cheese room temperature
- 8 ounces (226 g) mascarpone cheese room temperature
- 1 and 1/4 cups (249 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons (18 g) orange zest finely grated
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- 3 large egg yolks room temperature
- 1/2 cup (113 ml) orange juice freshly squeezed
- 1/4 cup (57 ml) heavy cream room temperature
- 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
For the Chocolate Ganache:
- 7 ounces (226 g) 70% dark chocolate finely chopped
- 1 cup (227 ml) heavy cream
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons Grand Marnier liqueur
- candied orange slices for garnish, optional
Instructions
For the Hazelnut Crust:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Wrap the bottom and sides of a 9" springform pan with extra wide heavy duty aluminum foil. I recommend doing several diligent layers here to ensure no water creeps through when you place the pan in the water bath. Lightly spray the pan with non-stick spray, then set aside.
- Place the hazelnuts in the body of a food processor and pulse until the nuts have been completely pulsed to fine crumbs.
- In a large bowl combine the hazelnut crumbs, graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and salt. Add in the melted butter and, using a rubber spatula, stir well to combine.
- Pour crust into the prepared pan. Firmly pat the mixture into the prepared pan, working it from the center and up the sides.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Place crust on a cooling rack while you prepare the filling.
- Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees (F).
For the Orange Mascarpone Cheesecake:
- In the body of a large food processor or in a very large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese and mascarpone cheese until completely smooth, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Add sugar, vanilla, and orange zest and beat smooth, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. On low speed, add in the eggs and yolks, mixing just until incorporated into the batter.
- Add in the orange juice and heavy cream and beat on low speed until evenly combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour. Use the spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl a few times to ensure everything is evenly combined.
- Pour filling into the prepared crust and, using a silicone spatula, smooth the top.
- Place the cheesecake pan into a large, deep pan. Fill the pan with 2 and ½- inches of hot water. This is your water bath and will help ensure your cheesecake comes out crack free.
- Carefully place the pan in the oven and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake sit, undisturbed, for 30 minutes, inside the oven with the door shut. The cheesecake should still be slightly wiggly.
- Remove cake from the oven and gently run a knife very around the edge of the cake. Place the cheesecake on a cooling rack and cool completely, then loosely cover the pan with saran wrap and chill for at least 6 hours. Do not remove the pan until completely cooled!
For the Chocolate Ganache:
- Chop the chocolate and place it in a heatproof bowl. Set aside.
- Pour the cream into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and set aside for 5 minutes. Then vigorously whisk the mixture until smooth and creamy. Whisk in the grand marnier. Allow chocolate to sit for 10 minutes, then pour on top of the chilled cheesecake. Let the chocolate set for 20 minutes, then decorate with candied orange slices, slice and serve.
- Allow chocolate to sit for 10 minutes, then pour on top of the chilled cheesecake. Let the chocolate set for 20 minutes, then decorate with candied orange slices, slice and serve.
what an impressive cheesecake! everything about it seems over and above, hazelnut crust, orange and marscapone incorporated into the filling, the chocolate ganache and even the candied orange as a garnish, very sophisticated, thank you!