Avocados are the guilt-free dessert queen’s best kept secret. They lend a rich, creamy texture that mimics dairy. I love them in smoothies, ice-creams, chocolate mousse and ‘cheese’ cakes, like this one. The filling is light and ‘moussey’, with a rich creamy flavour, that goes so well with tart lime, raspberry and passionfruit. This recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free and refined-sugar-free.
INGREDIENTS
Base
- ground almonds 140g
- desiccated coconut ¾ cup
- medjool dates (pitted) 8 large
- salt good pinch
- coconut oil 5 tablespoons melted
Filling
- firm ripe avocados flesh from 5 medium
- lime juice 1 cup (preferably freshly squeezed)
- limes finely grated zest of 2
- salt good pinch
- coconut cream 1 cup
- vanilla paste 2 teaspoons
- pure maple syrup 1 cup
- gelatine powder 2 tablespoons
- cold water 2 tablespoons
- boiling water 3 tablespoons
To Serve
- raspberry and passionfruit coulis* (optional)
METHOD
Preheat oven to 160 degC/320 Fahrenheit.
- Place all base ingredients in a food processor and blitz until well combined and crumbly. The mixture should hold together well when pinched together.
- Lightly grease and line the base and sides of an 20cm round spring-form cake tin with baking-paper and tip in the base mixture. Press mixture down firmly and evenly with the back of a spoon. Bake for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned, then set aside to cool completely in the fridge.
- To make the filling, place all the ingredients, except the gelatine and water, in a food processor and blend until the mixture is smooth. Taste the mixture and add more maple syrup, lime juice or zest or vanilla to your taste buds if necessary.
- Mix gelatine powder with cold water and leave to swell for a few minutes. Add boiling water and mix well to completely dissolve the gelatine (make sure there are no little lumps!). Add dissolved gelatine mixture to the food processor and blend with avocado mixture until very smooth and well incorporated.
- Remove cake tin from fridge and pour filling over the base. Cover with a plate or clingfilm, and return to the fridge to set for at least 4-5 hours or overnight.
- To serve, carefully run a knife between the tin and the cake to loosen, then push base of tin up and carefully transfer cheesecake to a plate. Drizzle with raspberry and passionfruit coulis all over.
- * To make raspberry coulis, place 1 1/2 cups of frozen raspberries and 1 tablespoon honey in a small pot and boil for a few minutes, mashing up the raspberries, until the sauce has thickened slightly. You can buy passionfruit coulis/syrup, or make your own by boiling 1/2 cup passionfruit pulp with 2 teaspoons honey in a small pot until the sauce has thickened slightly. Cool in the fridge before using.
