A healthy and delicious no cheese cheesecake! The freeze dried strawberries in this give a big hit of fruity sweetness. Very easy and quick to make. Pre-soaking the cashews is a must for this recipe as it gives the creaminess to the cheesecake. Needs some time to set (min 3hrs in the fridge)
Ingredients:
Base Layer
150g pitted dates (soaked in warm water for 20 minutes if they are quite dry)
115g Brazil nuts, or Walnuts, or I used whole almonds
45g desiccated coconut
1/4tsp salt (Himalayan pink if you have it)
Cream Layer
260g cashew nuts (soaked in water for 4-6 hours)
210g coconut oil
120ml lime juice (about 2-3 limes worth)
3 heaped tbsp of freeze dried strawberries (available in some supermarkets in the baking aisle, I got mine online- see my shop page)
140g xylitol (I used agave nectar, you could use maple syrup but it has a slightly stronger taste)
2tbsp vanilla extract
Strawberry slices to top the cheesecake.
Method:
Drain the soaked dates and place with the rest of the base layer ingredients into a food processor. Whizz on full power until you achieve a grainy texture (not smooth). Transfer the mix into 23cm 9″ springform cake tin which has been lightly greased with coconut oil. Press down firmly to make a base crust.
Blend all the cream layer ingredients in a powerful blender- it needs to be powerful to achieve the creamy consistency or it will remain grainy. I had to manually mix the contents in the blender in between blending. (Some blenders have a tamper to help with this). Pour over the base layer and smooth out the top. Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours. Run a knife around the sides of the tin before removing and transfer the cheesecake onto a serving plate. Decorate with freshly sliced strawberries. Enjoy
(This cake can be frozen for up to 2 months without the fresh strawberries)
Adapted from a recipe in The Uncook Book by Tanja Maher