No-Bake Strawberry Nutella Tart

If you live in Phoenix, I don’t have to convince you that it’s been really…

really…

REALLY…

hot here this week. As I write this at 10:00 p.m., it’s 97 degrees outside, we’ve shattered several temperature records this week, and THIS is what greeted me this afternoon when I got into my car:

118! That’s the temperature they make beef jerky at! (Are we Phoenicians are all slowly becoming human jerky?) I’m starting to feel like Matt Damon in The Martian. Where’s my protective helmet and snazzy insulated orange suit?

Anyway, turning on your oven to cook or bake right now is about the same as an Eskimo chugging an Icee, but sometimes you gotta have a nice dessert. (We all have our reasons. I get it.) Barring digging into a gallon of ice cream, how do you pull off dessert with absolutely zero heat? This Strawberry Nutella Tart! It’s a 100% no-bake, no-cook dessert…that looks like you baked.

I came up with this awhile back when it wasn’t all that hot (like, you know, only 100 degrees) but I was feeling kind of lazy and wanted to make something simple with minimal ingredients for a family dessert. I’m happy to say it came together nicely, because now I have something in my dessert arsenal for weeks like this. At least even when it’s blazing hot, there can always be dessert.

No-Bake Strawberry Nutella Tart
A Love Letter to Food Original Recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. crushed graham cracker crumbs
6 Tbsp. butter, melted or softened
3 Tbsp. sugar
3/4 c. Nutella
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp. half and half
Sliced strawberries, for topping

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar. Press evenly into the bottom and sides of a greased 10-inch tart pan. Freeze at least 30 minutes.
2. In a medium bowl, mix Nutella and cream cheese together with a hand mixer on medium speed until well combined. Stir in half and half. Pour into prepared crust and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
3. Remove from the fridge and top with sliced strawberries before serving.

*Note: This dessert is best served within 24 hours of assembly!

Serves 8.