Two-Layer Raspberry, Nutella and Hazelnuts Semifreddo

This refreshing semi-frozen dessert combines a creamy Nutella and crunchy hazelnuts layer, 

 topped with a tangy raspberry layer, 

all covered with a drizzle of hot chocolate and a sprinkle of chopped hazelnuts.

Last minute Mother's Day gift idea, right from your kitchen!

Happy Mother's Day! I hope you are enjoying a super special and love-filled weekend.

Here is an amazing dessert idea that will show your mom how special she is.
This heart-shaped semi-frozen dessert is simply delicious. One layer of rich and creamy Nutella and crunchy hazelnuts, topped with a chilled and tangy raspberry layer. And you can get creative with the decoration: drizzle this dessert with a little (... or a lot!) of hot chocolate, a spoonful of chopped hazelnuts. And why not, some fresh organic raspberries on the side!
And yes! As most of my other recipes, this is also quite easy to make, and you only need few ingredients that I'm sure you have in your kitchen right now. It just takes a bit of time for the layers to chill and set in the freezer. The good thing, you can prepare it ahead of time, and have it ready in the freezer for your special occasion. Trust me, all the waiting is well worth it!

Note: to make this semifreddo I used heart-shaped silicone molds, 3 inches wide, half cup capacity each. With the ingredients listed below, you end up with 12 small servings. You can also use regular, round cups to store the semifreddo in the freezer, and make bigger servings if you prefer.

Here are other ideas for a Mother's Day gift right from your kitchen.
Frozen meringue cups drizzled with hot chocolate

Or you can surprise your mom with other beautiful handmade edible bouquet of roses:
Apple roses:

I'm sure your mom will be so happy with any of these deliciously beautiful dessert.

Made with love :-)

Ingredients: to make 12 small (1/2 cup) heart-shaped cups

• 4 egg yolks, divided
• 2/3 cups (150 gr) sugar, divided, plus one tablespoon
• 12 fl oz (350 ml) of whipping cream, divided
• 6 oz (170 gr) organic raspberries
• 1/3 cup (100 gr) of Nutella, or other chocolate spread, plus some to drizzle on top for decoration
• 1/2 cup (2.5 oz, 70 gr) of chopped hazelnuts

Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus at least 2 hours in the freezer
Directions:
1. Start by preparing the raspberry layer. Bring a pan of water to a boil. In heat-safe bowl, whisk together 2 egg yolks with 1/3 cup (75 gr) of sugar.

2.  When the water boils, turn the heat to medium-low, and place the bowl on top of  the pan. Whisk for about 4 minutes. Remove the bowl from the simmering water, and let it cool off.

3. Puree the raspberries in a food processor, with one tablespoon of sugar,  and mix in the egg and sugar mixture.

4. Whip 6 oz (175 ml) of cream to soft peaks. Add to the bowl, and fold gently.

5. Spoon the mixture in silicone cups filling them halfway to the top. My cups are 1/2 cup in capacity. So I add a quarter of a cup to each, and used exactly 12 cups (filled halfway).
Place in the freezer for about 45-60 minutes until set.

6. For the nutella layer: in a heat-safe bowl, whisk together the two remaining egg yolks and 1/3 cup of sugar. Place the bowl over simmering water again, and whisk.

7. After 2 minutes, add the nutella and whisk for two more minutes.

8. Remove from the heat, add the chopped hazelnuts (save some to sprinkle on top at the end), and mix. Let it cool off.
9. Whip the remaining 6 oz of cream. Fold gently in the nutella mixture.

10. Spoon the mixture evenly in the 12 cups,which should now be filled completely. Place in the freezer again to set for at least one hour.

Serve with fresh raspberries on the side, melted chocolate (or nutella) on top, and a sprinkle of chopped hazelnut.

Oh-so delicious!

Guilt-free Yogurt Cheesecake Cups with Raspberry Sauce

Indulge yourself in this rich, creamy and lush cheesecake cup made with Greek yogurt and raspberry sauce. 

Less calories and no guilt!

Who doesn't love cheesecake? So heavenly rich and deliciously creamy. And  I know: full of fat and loaded with calories...That's what you are thinking, right?
I would not want you to already give up on your New Year's resolution of losing some extra pounds, to fit your skinny jeans and look amazing in your bikini by this summer. But you don't have to break your diet to enjoy an amazing dessert.
To keep your diet on track, all you need is to find the right recipes and a better way to prepare your favorite dishes by using natural and healthy ingredients. And remember, a little more exercise never hurts!
I made these cheesecake cups using "Simply 100" Chobani Greek yogurt. I love this yogurt. It's velvety and rich, made with natural ingredients, no artificial sweeteners, zero fat and only 100 calories in one cup. Amazing, right?

And here is some simple math for you: I used 3 cups (16 oz) of Chobani vanilla yogurt to make 12 cheesecake cups. As you can see in the first picture down here, this is a total of 300 calories (0 fat calories), or 25 calories per serving (only from the yogurt). Regular cream cheese (second picture) has 80 calories (70 fat calories) in two tablespoons. So, if I had used 16 oz of cream cheese in my recipe, I would have ended up with a total 1200 calories (1050 fat calories), which is 100 calories per cup. Wow!! Four times as much.

I'm sure now I've convinced you to try this recipe for a great cheesecake that can fit your healthy lifestyle.

Ingredients: 12 cups

• 5.3 oz (150 gr) of graham crackers, one package with 9 crackers
• 2 oz (57 gr) of unsalted butter (half stick)
• 3 cups of Chobani Greek yogurt vanilla or plain, 5.3 oz (150 gr) each
• 3/4 cup (150 gr) of sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (2 if you use plain yogurt)
• 3 tablespoons of corn starch

For the raspberry sauce:

• 1 1/2 cups of (frozen) raspberries, crushed
• 3 tablespoons of sugar
• 2 teaspoons of cornstarch
• fresh raspberries for decoration (12 or 36 if you use one or three per cup)

Preparation time: 20 minutes to prepare, 30 minutes to bake, 4 hour to refrigerate
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350º F (175º C). Crumble the graham crackers and melt the butter. Mix the two ingredients together.

2. Press the mixture onto the bottom of 12 silicone muffin cups, or paper lined regular cups. Place in the refrigerator until the filling is ready.

3. Blend together the yogurt with the sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and corn starch until smooth.

4. Fill the cups evenly with the yogurt mixture and bake for 30 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside to cool down for about one hour. Refrigerate several hours (or overnight) before serving. 

Note: if you used a silicone pan, be careful when you remove the cups from the mold, or the bottom crust might come apart. Run a thin-bladed knife around the edges if necessary. I suggest to refrigerate first, and then remove from the mold.

5. For the sauce: puree the raspberries in a blender. Combine the pureed raspberries, sugar, cornstarch, and a couple of tablespoons of water in a pan. Cook over medium heat until it's slightly thickened. It should take about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool.

Remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator about 30 to 60 minutes before eating, top the cups with the sauce and fresh raspberries right before serving.

Enjoy!