– by Ruth Hofer
When you’re looking for ways to get your family gently interested in a raw food diet, sometimes you have to make them an offer they just can’t refuse. We suggest that this recipe for raw food cheesecake would be a great place to start. 😉
BASE LAYER
Make the base layer out of any standard raw pie crust recipe:
- 1 cup soaked nuts (I like brazil or almond or a mix of both)
- 1 cup dates, chopped up in a food processor or put through the blank plate of a slow juicer.
Combine in bowl with:
- ½ cup shredded dried coconut
- a pinch of salt
- and any optional extras, for example ½ cup cacao powder (for a chocolate biscuit base), a teaspoon of cinnamon or some grated orange peel.
This time, however, I wanted to try something different and made my base with:
- 1 cup dehydrated pulp leftover from making almond mylk mixed with a spoonful of honey
- a pinch each of stevia, salt, and cinnamon
- ½ cup coconut
- ½ cup melted raw butter
It was delicious, but so is the vegan version I usually make.
Mix in bowl and press into springform cake tin. Chill in fridge while you put together the middle layer.
MIDDLE LAYER
- Flesh of 2 ripe red dragonfruit
- Meat of one young coconut (you can buy ones imported from Thailand in the fruit section of most Coles or Woolworths (Coles is usually cheaper) Depending on how far north you live you can use fresh wild ones, and these are preferable. Sometimes my local organic store carries them, and sometimes a mate will bring some back for me when they go up to Cairns)
- Stevia/agave/coconut sugar/honey – your choice of sweetener to taste. I used about a teaspoon of stevia and a teaspoon of agave inulin powder.
- Pinch of cardamom seeds, freshly ground
- Generous dash of rose water
- ¾ cup melted cacao butter
Blend in high speed blender until creamy consistency and pour into chilled base. Let the whole thing chill for a few hours before adding top layer
TOP LAYER
- Pulp of one large passionfruit
- 2 teaspoons of agar powder
- Spoonful of honey
- 1 & ½ cups filtered water
Combine water and agar in saucepan and bring to boil. Cover and simmer 2 minutes. Take off heat and stir through passionfruit and honey. Let it cool to room temp and then bring cheezcake out of the fridge and pour jelly layer on top. Place cake back in fridge and let set till the top layer is firm.
Invite friends over and eat it together (That’s if your family leaves any left over! )
The flavours intensify the next day, and it will keep for about 3 days in the fridge.
Mmmmmmmmmmm……..