No Bake Mud Pie Cheesecake

This gourmet no-bake cheesecake begins with a triple nut crust covered with a thin caramel ganache, a coffee cheesecake layer,  a peanut butter cheesecake layer and more ganache. Fresh whipped cream and sugar free chocolate chips can be added as an optional garnish.

I really went for the coffee/peanut butter/chocolate vibe on this one. If you want to save some calories and carbs, you could nix the crust altogether and place the first layer of ganache between the coffee and peanut butter layer(s).

Of major importance before we even begin: You are looking at a full-on gourmet cheesecake that requires multi steps to assemble. While it might seem the suck to saddle you with such a process, this is worth it. This dessert is a special occasion gourmet, rich, decadent cheesecake, and I myself have an incredibly difficult time eating more than a small portion at a time due to its richness. So while you might cringe at the serving size or the amount of prep work, ingredients and steps, this recipe is not your average cheesecake recipe. Anything worth doing is worth doing with glamor.

Since this is a no-bake, we’re looking at a 9″ standard pie plate and roughly 12 slices (I know they’re thin!). This recipe does call for pecans in place of almonds, due to the more dense flavor of the pecan. Purchase pecans in the baking aisle to save your green moolah.

Please see this post for standard cocoa conversions for semi sweet chocolate, depending on how you plan to proceed (with low carb products or with unsweetened cocoa). This recipe will require a full 8 ounces of ganache.

For Splenda users: Replace bulk of sugar alcohols with Splenda baking mix to taste.

Stevia and other sweetener users: Replace erythritol with stevia based on your product to taste.

Portion Control: You can freeze this cheesecake in slices (I use cling wrap and then bag after the cheesecake has been in the fridge for at least a day so dry it slightly) or you can bake into smaller cheesecakes in cupcake wrappers for portion control.

To slice this cheesecake easily,heat the knife in hot water and wipe dry in between slicing. The ganache will behave better with a warm knife. I keep a 2-cup measuring cup on the counter with hot water for this purpose. A hot knife just out of the dishwasher at the end of a cycle (don’t burn yourself) works as well!

At only about 6 net carbs, this is really a wonderful dessert and a little goes a long way, due to its richness.
 
No Bake Mud Pie Cheesecake

For the Crust:
1/3 cup macadamia nuts
1/3 cup cashews
1/3 cup pecans
2 Tbsp erythritol
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
4 Tbsp butter, melted

For Caramel Ganache Layer:
1/4 cup LC chocolate chips or LC chocolate chopped*
2 Tbsp heavy cream
2 T unsalted butter
¼ cup LC caramel sauce**

For the Filling:
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup erythritol
1/4 cup xylitol
½ cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon juice

Coffee Layer:
1 Tbsp instant coffee + 2 tsp water (more or less to taste)

Peanut Butter Layer:
1/3 cup peanut butter

Top Ganache layer*:
1/4 cup LC chocolate chips or LC chocolate chopped*
2 Tbsp heavy cream
2 T unsalted butter
¼ cup LC caramel sauce**

Making the crust:

Process nuts together until resembling coarse crushed graham crackers. Mix with butter, cocoa and erythritol. Press in bottom and up sides of  9” pie pan. Place in fridge to cool, 20-30 minutes.

Making the crust ganache:

Add first ganache ingredients to a microwave proof bowl and microwave for 20-30 seconds (check after 20). Stir until a thick, chocolate liquid is formed. Spread ganache over crust evenly. Chill pie crust and ganache for 20 minutes or until ganache is solid.

Making the Filling:

In a mixer, beat cream cheese with erythritol and xylitol on medium for about one minute. Add sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla and beat just until blended (10-30 seconds).

Divide filling between two mixing bowls. In a separate container, mix coffee and water into thick liquid and add to mixture (add more coffee if not strong enough, but be careful–a little goes a long way). Spread coffee layer into pie pan. Chill for 30-60 minutes or until set.

To the other mixing bowl of cream cheese mixture add peanut butter. Spread peanut butter layer on top of first layer. Chill for 30-60 minutes, or until set.

Making the top ganache:

Add second ganache ingredients to a microwave proof bowl and microwave for 20-30 seconds (check after 20). Stir until a thick, chocolate liquid is formed. Spread ganache over crust evenly. Refrigerate until set, 20-30 minutes.

Optional serving option: drizzle dessert plates (as seen above) with caramel and/or leftover ganache before placing cheesecake. Top with dollop of fresh whipped cream if desired, and sugar free chocolate chips.

This cheesecake can be covered and frozen. Just thaw for at least 15 minutes prior to serving.

Makes 12 servings.

Nutritional Information for one serving using Lindt chocolate bar in ganache: Calories: 451, Carbohydrates: 19g, Fiber: 2.5g, Sugar Alcohols: 10g, Net Carbs: 6.5g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 43g

Nutritional Information for one serving using Chocoperfection chocolate chips in ganache: Calories: 392, Carbohydrates: 18g, Fiber: 3g, Sugar Alcohols: 10g, Net Carbs: 5g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 35g

Nutritional Information for one serving using semisweet cocoa substitute in ganache: Calories: 486, Carbohydrates: 22g, Fiber: 2g, Sugar Alcohols: 13g, Net Carbs: 7g, Protein: 8, Fat: 46g

Chocoperfection chips (2 Tbsp) as garnish adds: Calories: 85, Carbohydrates:7g, Fiber: 6g, Net Carbs: 1g, Protein: 0g, Fat: 8g

n style=”font-family: Times,”Times New Roman”,serif;”>Fresh whipped cream with erythritol adds roughly 2 carbs 

*Both Lindt 85% chocolate and the Chocoperfection chocolate chips yield a beautiful ganache. It is important to note here that you can also make your own ganache chocolate with this substitute. 


**Or try this ganache recipe and add low carb Davinci’s caramel syrup to taste (make sure to omit some of the ganache sweetener if incorporating caramel flavored syrup).

Feel free to use the recipe for your own private purpose at home, but please only link to this recipe online to prevent my having to compete with my own work for pageviews. Thanks so much.