For fear of sounding like Peter Kaye, a cake made of cheese does sound a little weird! I am, however, a massive cheesecake fan, so I was a little dubious about creating a 'cheeseless' cheesecake! I have no qualms about substituting nuts and buckwheat for your typical biscuit base and I also have no problem with using the magical sweetness of dates instead of refined sugar, after all, it tastes just as good and it's better for you! However, I was a little sceptical about swapping cream cheese for cashew cheese! (I'm all for making a heathy alternative of something but NOT at the expense of taste). I needn't have been worried, as not only does it look as pretty as a picture, it also has a lovely crunchy base and creamy mousse-like cheesecake layers, with the tangy raspberry perfectly complementing the rich chocolate layer. However, I am a little biased, so I tested it out on some innocent friends and family, neglecting to tell them that it was dairy free, gluten free, refined sugar free and vegan (as I knew that some would immediately snarl a little at the very thought, thinking that it would be 'fun free' in the taste department). Without fail every single one of them said it was delicious, and when I revealed that it was vegan they were amazed. This is a beautiful, light dessert that everyone will love and it's obviously perfect for anyone who is vegan or who has a dairy intolerance.
Ingredients
Base layer
150g buckwheat
150g de-stoned medjool dates (approximately 10 dates)
130g whole raw almonds
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
Cheesecake layers
190g raw cashew nuts (*DO THIS BEFORE YOU MAKE THE BASE place nuts into a large bowl and pour over boiling water to cover and allow to soak for at least 1 hour)
250ml coconut cream
60g coconut oil
100ml maple Syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
100g frozen raspberries
1 heaped tbsp cacao or cocoa powder
To decorate
Fresh strawberries and raspberries
50g dark chocolate, melted
Directions
Base layer
Blitz the almonds and buckwheat in a food processor until they’re like breadcrumbs and then remove.
Place the dates, vanilla extract, salt and coconut oil to the food processor and blitz until smooth.
Add the almond and buckwheat mixture and pulse until combined.
Press the mixture into a circular 8 inch tin (or use a rectangular tin if you prefer) lined with baking paper and place in the freezer to firm up whilst you make the cheesecake.
Cheesecake layers
Drain the soaked cashews and place into a food processor. Blitz for 1 minute.
Add the coconut cream, coconut oil, vanilla extract, salt and maple syrup and blitz again until completely smooth.
Remove half of the mixture and place into a bowl.
Add the frozen raspberries to the mixture in the food processor and blitz until combined and smooth.
Spread the raspberry mix over base and then return this to the freezer whilst you make the second layer.
Place the other half of the mixture into the food processor and add 1 tbsp cacao powder and blitz until completely combined and smooth.
Spread over the raspberry layer and then return to the freezer for 1.5 hours to set.
Remove and decorate with some fresh raspberries and strawberries and a drizzle of dark chocolate.
Keep in the fridge until ready to serve (make sure that it has been in the fridge for at least an hour before serving).
Delicious x