If you hadn't noticed, Jelly Tip is my flavour of the moment right now - there's something about the tartness of the raspberry when paired with creamy vanilla and doused in crunchy chocolate. Heaven! This raw cheesecake pays homage to the glorious iceblock, complete with a chewy chocolate cashew cookie base, a creamy vanilla bean filling, cool and tart frozen raspberry juice, and a thick layer of raw chocolate, topped with copious amounts of berry pulp, whipped coconut cream, and crunchy cacao nibs.
I must admit that I am utterly addicted to Heilala ground vanilla bean powder - it's growing into a full blown obsession. I sprinkle it into my warm millet pudding morning, I have it in my banana icecream, I make cakes with it, and now I even add it to my raw cheesecakes! I cannot praise the gorgeous, fragrant flavour enough - it is an ingredient that everybody should have in their kitchen. Be gone, the days of alcoholic extract!
This recipe serves two to four, depending how hungry you are. You could make this recipe as one large cheesecake, but you will have to multiply the recipe at least four times and allow it to set for much longer. I find individual cheesecakes much quicker to set and easier to serve.
INGREDIENTS
CHEWY CHOCOLATE BASE
1/4 cup of cashews
1/4 cup of dates, pitted and soaked in warm water for 1 hour
1 1/2 tablespoons of raw cacao powder
CREAMY VANILLA FILLING
3/8 cup of cashew nuts, soaked overnight
1/8 cup of solid coconut cream
2 teaspoons of pure maple syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons of virgin coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon of Heilala ground vanilla powder
Pinch of sea salt
JELLY SHELL
5 frozen raspberries
CHOCOLATE DISC
1/2 tablespoon of virgin coconut oil
3/4 tablespoon of raw cacao powder
1 teaspoon of pure maple syrup
TOPPINGS
Leftover raspberry pulp
Whipped coconut cream
Cacao nibs
METHOD
- After soaking, squeeze the excess moisture from the dates and place them in the bowl of a food processor with the raw cashews and raw cacao powder. Blend until a chunky crumb is formed, that sticks together when you press it between your fingers.
- Grease a ramekin with coconut oil and line the base with a circular segment of parchment paper. Press the chocolate cashew crumb firmly into the base of the ramekin, to form a small disk. Place in the freezer to set.
- Make the filling by first draining the soaked cashews, then placing them in the bowl of a food processor with the melted virgin coconut oil, pure maple syrup, coconut cream, vanilla powder, and sea salt. Blend for approximately 5 minutes, pulsing occasionally. You'll know when it's ready because it will become super smooth and creamy, with no lumps or nut pieces. This is somewhat easier with a greater quantity, so feel free to double the recipe to make two mini cheesecakes. Pour into the ramekin, on top of the chocolate base, then tap it on the surface of your bench top to release any bubbles. Place back into the freezer to set - 1 hour at the very least.
- Make the jelly shell by melting the raspberries in a small saucepan over a gentle heat. Strain the melted berries through a fine wire sieve, and pour the juice on top of the creamy vanilla filling. Return the ramekin to the freezer and reserve the berry pulp for topping later. Allow cheesecake to chill for another hour or so. When the berry layer is set, melt together the coconut oil, cacao powder, and maple syrup for the chocolate layer, pour over top, and return to the freezer for an hour to set for the last time.
- Get the cheesecake out of the ramekin by sitting it in a shallow bowl of hot water - this will loosen the cake away from the sides, allowing you to tap it upside down onto a chopping board. Arrange on a serving plate, spoon raspberry pulp on top, dollop with whipped coconut cream, and sprinkle with cacao nibs. Enjoy!