This "cheesecake'’ is in inverted commas because it contains no cheese or dairy. The rich creamy filling is made from cashew nuts, soaked in water to soften them before being blended until smooth. The texture mimics cream cheese so well that it comes as a surprise to first time eaters that there is no dairy in it.
Base
140 g
Raw almonds, just over ¾ of a cup (Main)
¾ cup
Desiccated coconut
8 large
Medjool dates, pitted (Main)
4 ½ Tbsp
Coconut oil, melted, or you can use unsalted butter
1 pinch
Salt
Filling
2 cups
Raw cashew nuts, soaked in water overnight (Main)
¼ cup
Coconut oil
¼ cup
Maple syrup
2 Tbsp
Liquid honey
¼ cup
Coconut cream
2 tsp
Vanilla essence, or extract
⅓ cup
Coffee, very strong brewed
100 g
Dark chocolate, good quality, Whittaker's Dark Ghana or Green and Blacks organic 70% cocoa chocolate
1 tsp
Coconut oil, or another neutral oil like grapeseed oil
Place all base ingredients in a food processor and blitz until well combined and crumbly. The mixture should hold together well when pinched together. Press into the base of a lightly greased and lined spring-form 20cm (or near enough) cake tin with the back of a spoon.
Drain soaked cashew nuts and place in a food processor with coconut oil, maple syrup, honey, coconut cream, vanilla and coffee. Blitz until very smooth — this will take at least 3-4 minutes in the food processor. Pour mixture over the base and place in the fridge while you melt the chocolate.
Break chocolate into pieces and place in the top of a double boiler with the coconut oil, or in a glass bowl set above a pot of barely simmering water, and stir gently until melted.
Take cheesecake out of the fridge and drizzle melted chocolate all over. Create swirls with a fork if you like. Cover and place in the freezer for at least two hours or until set.
Decorate cake with a drizzle of maple syrup and dark chocolate shavings. If serving from frozen, let it thaw on the bench for about 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
