Author Notes
I love this kind of dessert, one that could easily be served to my vegan sister-in-law and my gluten-free nephew with no compromises made to those of us without any dietary restrictions. Made using a food processor and a high-speed blender, it's easy to make, even if you don't have an oven (it's raw!).
The genesis of the recipe began on a train from Prague to České Budějovice - my husband and I (both omnivores) ate an amazing raw, vegan mocha "cheesecake" from MyRaw Cafe in Prague. I vowed right away that I would recreate it to the best of my ability as soon as we got home to the USA.
Credit is due to Ani Phyo and her amazing 3-ingredient crust technique that I learned from her book Ani's Raw Food Desserts, published by Da Capo Lifelong Books in 2009. My crust here has quite a few more ingredients, but her magic ratio of almond meal to dates keeps it all together. —Diana Pappas
Ingredients
- For the crust:
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1 cup
almond meal
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1/2 cup
soft, pitted medjool dates
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1/2 teaspoon
sea salt
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1/3 cup
cacao nibs
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2 teaspoons
cacao powder
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1 teaspoon
coconut oil
- For the filling:
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1
ripe avocado
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1/2
frozen banana
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1/2 cup
raw cashews
-
1 pinch
cinnamon
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2 tablespoons
cacao powder
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1/2 teaspoon
arrowroot powder (optional)
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1/2 cup
strong coffee (at room temperature)
-
1/2 cup
real maple syrup
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1/2 teaspoon
vanilla extract
Directions
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Add all crust ingredients except for the coconut oil into the food processor fitted with an S-blade. Process until ingredients resemble coarse sand.
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Add the coconut oil and process just until the ingredients come together.
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Tip contents of food processor into a pie plate. Using your fingertips, press the mixture down and work up the sides to form the crust, about 1/4 inch in thickness. Set aside.
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In a high-speed blender, blend all filling ingredients until contents are silky and smooth. Scrape out the filling onto the crust and smooth out the surface.
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Resist the urge to eat the "cheesecake" right away - it needs to set! Let it chill overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
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