Start the year as you wish to continue. Shall we do that creatively, proactively and deliciously? They can all be summed up with this raw cheese cake. I feel like I’ve come really late to the party in putting one on the blog. I love them and make variations regularly, but am so excited to finally commit one to writing and share it.
It’s got big flavour. It is silky and creamy like a semi freddo or freshly made ice cream. I hope you enjoy it as we did for our New Year’s eve dessert. We had a delicious little feast at home with the little man, then popped down the road to watch the fireworks, then back home for cheese cake, a little champagne and the main event fireworks on TV.
Anyway, back to the cheese cake. Here she is!
I like to use prunes for ‘adhesive’ needs for recipes like this, or bliss balls, because they’re half the sugar of dates and the mega sweetness fo dates can get too much after a couple of bites. I hope you like it too! As for the rest of the ingredients? Why not make our treats work FOR us, rather than against? So much nourishment here, it’s crazy! A small slice is all you need for satisfaction and a serious indulgence hit!
What you’ll need and what to do as you go ‘up’ the 3 layers, starting with the base
NOTE: First, you must prep your 470g total of raw cashews in the morning and start this recipe at lunch time. Soak them in water with a couple of pinches of salt for 4-6 hours. Strain and rinse, and they’re ready to use.
NOTE: Line a 20cm circular pan with parchment / baking paper. OR as I did, line an 8cm x 25cm rectangular tin and keep leftover base for subsequent cheese cakes down the track, up to 6 months in the freezer, in a ball.
NOTE: This will feed 8-10 people with a spare ‘base’ to use next time!
NOTE: Garnish wise, it’s flexible and entirely up to you, your budget, what’s in season and what’s easy. I’ve used a punnet of organic bluebarries, because there are 2 weeks in the year they seem to be inexpensive, and this was one of those 2 weeks. Yay!
Voila. Enjoy. You can change the berry type on top layer or use mango, in which case no syrup addition is necessary.
Here’s to a delicious new year for all – starting with cheese cake!
Real Food. Happy Bodies.
Luscious Raw Cheese Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the BASE (enough for 2 x 20cm bases. Halve if you don’t want spare for next time but it freezes beautifully)
- 250 g pitted prunes
- 300 g nuts (I did use toasted hazelnuts, so not ‘raw’ in that sense, but you could use any raw nuts)
- 50 g dessicated coconut
- 1 tsp powdered vanilla or 1 scraped out vanilla bean
- 1/3 tsp salt
For the MIDDLE LAYER
- 350 g soaked cashews (see above note)
- 160 ml either rice malt syrup or maple syrup. If you want to use honey, drop it down to 120g
- 3 small limes. zest them and keep the zest for garnishing. Then cut around the lime so that you’re left with 3 little balls of lime flesh, no pith. About 85g weight.
- 1 tsp vanilla bean powder
- 2/3 cup melted coconut oil
- 2 pinches salt
For the TOP LAYER
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 120 g cashews, soaked
- 1 lime juice
- 1 cup defrosted berries (frozen berries will mean the coconut oil solidifies and the mix doesn’t puree. Take them out when you start the cheese cake base, and they’ll be perfect. If you forgot and you have a thermomix or MyCook, then you can puree this at 50C, to get the consistency right.)
- 2 tbsp either Rice Malt Syrup or Maple Syrup or Honey (i’d halve it for honey)
Instructions
For the BASE
- I made one ‘log’ shape, two minis to give to mum and dad, and a big ball was left to make another cheese cake down the track. Less work next time? I’m up for that!
- Process the lot either in the Thermomix or MyCook Premium on speed 7, 40 seconds OR in a food processor, for the same amount of time.
- You could use a blender, but you will need to crush the nuts into a rough fine chop before adding the rest of the ingredients to combine.
- Once you have a good thick ‘dough’ press it down into the lined and greased base of your pan at about 0.4cm – 0.5cm thick.
- Pop in freezer while preparing the next layer.
For the MIDDLE LAYER
- Blend the cashews, lime, syrup, salt and vanilla on speed 8 Thermomix / MyCook Premium, for 1 minute until super smooth. Same in a food processor or high speed blender. A stick blender would work too.
- Add the melted coconut oil for speed 8, 40 seconds or until super well combined in other appliances. You shouldn’t feel any nutty chunks at all.
- Pour into your tin at the thickness you desire. If you have leftovers, make mini cheese cakes in difference shapes, ice pops by adding fruit chunks or simply use in future smoothies.
- Freeze for 30 minutes if you don’t want a colour ‘bleed’ with the top layer, otherwise, feel free to top with the top layer, whenever it’s ready.
For the TOP LAYER
- Combine all in a food processor, Thermomix or MyCook and blend on high, or speed 8, 1 minute, stopping ever 20 seconds, to scrape down the sides to ensure no chunks.
- Pour over your tart.
- Do the final freeze for at least 2 hours. I find this best served straight out the of the freezer in hot climates / summer, but if you like it a little softer, take it out of the freezer and pop in fridge for an hour before serving.
- TIP: If you’re a layer freak, dip your knife in hot water before cutting the slices for a clean cut.
- EXTRAS: Fresh blueberries and the saved lime zest for garnish are really beautiful but feel free to either not garnish at all, or do your own thing.
- Here are the two minis I made for mum and dad. So yummy and cute.
- …and the main event. YUM.
Comments 6
I love your website and the way you cook. We are also nut free so wondering about the cheesecake recipe and what I could substitute the nuts for.
Happy new year
Cheers
Nicole
Author
I’m afraid for this particular one, it might not be possible. That just leaves me a raw cheese cake challenge in the nut free realm for the future! x
Hi Alexx, this recipe looks delish!! I am going to make it for my baby’s 1st birthday in a fortnight 🙂
Do you think hazelnut meal will work in place of the nuts? The same amount?
Author
Hmmm. Not sure about the meal… unless you’re talking about the base only, in that case yep, sure. Whole soaked ‘wet’ nuts definitely important for the other layers though. Pretty please post me a pic so I can see x
Thanks Alexx – yes I did mean just for the base 🙂 Photo? Will do!
Bugger, love the idea of a raw cheese cake but hubby has fructose malabsorption so can’t do cashews. Was thinking of substituting the cashew cheese with coconut cream but he also can’t handle high fat ingredients. Not sure if lite coconut cream will work though. Any suggestions?