Raw Nutella Cheesecake

It's one of those perfect pairings. Strawberries and cracked pepper, caramel and salt, pineapple and mint, peanut butter and banana, chocolate and hazelnut. They combine together as you chew them and seem to just hug your tongue, tantalising your tastebuds.

 

Everyone loves a bit of bling on their cakes. And for me it has to be all about the texture. Raw cakes can be a little same same, everything is soft and you need contrasts in not only flavours but textures too.

 

As you take your first bite, you notice the crunchy toasted nuts surrounded by the drizzled chocolate, then the silken chocolatey cheesecake filling, and finally the thick chewy but crunchy base. The base is thick on this one, more so than most of my cheesecakes. Just to do it a little different, but also the cheesecake itself is rich and chocolatey so the thicker base helps cut through that a little. 

 

Now I know it's not technically raw because the hazelnuts are roasted. But I'm completely okay with that. I am just not a fan of raw hazelnuts, I find the flavour overpowering. I've toasted and peeled these myself, but if you are able to buy them roasted you will be saving yourself a lot of time and hassle.  Or at least buy them peeled, you can easily roast them yourself in a dry frying pan. 

 

 I had to be a little devious with this one and hide them in the back of the freezer until I could take photos. My Odin was devouring them at a rapid rate. 

 

So whether you want to indulge on your own or maybe share it with your lover for Valentine's Day, this cake is a must to try! 

 

Raw Nutella Cheesecake

Makes 14 muffin sized cakes or a 20cm cake

Ingredients

Base:

1 cup almonds

1 cup toasted hazelnuts 

1 cup dates (approx 10)

1/4 cup cacao powder

1/4 cup cacao nibs

2 tbsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp salt

 

Filling:

2 cups soaked cashews

1/3 cup chilled coconut milk (thick top part, leave behind the water)

1/3 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup cacao powder

3-4 tbsp maple syrup - adjust to your tastes

2 tbsp cacao hazelnut butter (or a raw nutella)

1 flat tbsp vanilla powder 

1 tsp salt (to taste)

 

Topping:

Toasted hazelnuts

Melted chocolate

 

Method

Base:

1. Blend base ingredients together except the dates and cacao nibs. 
   
2. Once the mix is a rough crumb, add the dates & cacao nibs and process until the mix sticks together. Some dates are softer and more moist than others. I tend to soak my dates in warm water for 10 minutes first to get the most out of them and so I can use less. 
   
3. When you reach a sticky consistency, press the base into your tin, you want the base to half fill the moulds,  then place in the freezer to set. If using a large springform tin line with baking paper to make it easy to remove

Note: The cacao nibs will retain a little texture to provide a lovely little crunch 

Filling:

1. Blend all ingredients together until the mix is smooth. 
   
2. Pour over the base and set in the freezer - a few hours for individual cakes or overnight for a large cake. 
3. These will last a week in the fridge (go on, I dare you to make them last that long!) or four weeks in the freezer. 
4. Top with toasted hazelnuts - use a mix of whole and lightly chopped - and drizzle them with melted chocolate

 

Enjoy! 

Eating well is a form of self respect

 

Note: You can make this as a large cake or as individual cakes. For individual cakes, the recipe makes 14 and I use a silicon muffin tray. It's the easiest way to get them out, and if raw cakes are your thing I would suggest you start a collection of silicon trays and moulds. 

 

You may also enjoy these recipes:

Salted Caramel Chocolate Cheesecake

Chocolate Lovers

Raw Pavlova Cheesecake