This is a tasty, dairy-free alternative to cheesecake. If the chocolate spread is parev, it’s also vegan. Just remember to allow at least 5 hours or overnight to soak the cashew nuts and further time for freezing the finished cake.
Serves: 10 – 12
Ingredients
For the filling:
280g raw whole cashew nuts
50g slithered almonds
Juice of 1 lemon
50g agave nectar or maple syrup
1 tbsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp sea salt
150g chocolate spread mixed with 3 tbsp water.
50g almond butter/ peanut butter
For the base
300g slivered almonds
3 tbsp raw cacao cocoa powder
100ml agave nectar
Garnish:
2 -3 tbsp cacao nibs
- Method
For the chocolate base: - Pulse the almonds and cacao in a food processor until they are fine crumbs.
- Add the agave and pulse again until mixture clumps together and holds its shape when pressed together between your fingers.
- Line a 23 cm x 23 cm square baking tin with cling film — allow it to hang over the sides for easy removal. Spray a little oil on the dish base first — this makes the cling film stick!
- Press the mixture evenly around with your fingers.
For the filling: - Soak the cashews for 5 hours in a bowl covered with room temperature water. Drain, rinse and then proceed with the recipe.
- Add soaked cashews, slivered almonds, lemon juice, agave nectar, vanilla extract and salt to a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy — a couple of minutes.
- Pour over the prepared base.
- Mix the chocolate and almond butter with 3 tablespoons water until smooth.
- Spoon blobs over the cake and pull with a knife to make swirls. Do not overdo it or you will lose the swirl effect.
- If desired, scatter with almonds, cocoa nibs, shaved chocolate or chocolate chips. Freeze for several hours or overnight until firm.
- Remove the cake from the freezer 10-15 minutes before serving, so you can remove it from the tin. Serve in squares.
- Cover any unused cake with foil and store in the freezer.
