Rocky Road Cheesecake

All the best parts of rocky road ice cream turned into a cheesecake. Chocolate cream cheese filling loaded with miniature marshmallows and chopped nuts sits on a chocolate wafer crust. Gelatin sets the filling so it slices clean without any baking beyond the 10-minute crust.

The cocoa goes right into the cream cheese base, giving it a deep chocolate flavor without the hassle of melting chocolate and worrying about seizing. Beat it thoroughly with the cream cheese and sugar so there are no cocoa pockets or dry streaks in the finished filling.

Folding in whipped cream at the end is what gives this cheesecake its light, mousse-like texture. It’s not the dense, heavy style of a baked New York cheesecake. The marshmallows and nuts get folded in with the cream so they distribute evenly throughout instead of sinking to the bottom.

Chef Tips

• Soften the gelatin in cold water first, then heat gently until dissolved. Adding gelatin directly to hot liquid creates lumps that won’t dissolve.
• Let the gelatin mixture cool slightly before adding to the cream cheese. Hot gelatin can melt the whipped cream and deflate the filling.
• Chill for at least 2 hours, but overnight is better. The filling sets up firmer and slices more cleanly with extra time.
• Run a warm knife around the edge before releasing the springform pan to prevent the filling from cracking.

Variations

• Use peanuts specifically and drizzle the top with melted peanut butter for a rocky road peanut butter version.
• Fold in ½ cup mini chocolate chips for extra chocolate in every bite.
• Swap the chocolate wafer crust for an Oreo cookie crust for a double chocolate base.