Mini Cheesecakes

By Martina Avanzini

Desserts are so good and considering them a cheat meal ruins the whole experience. I’ll much rather opt for a healthier and more natural dessert then having to eat one every 2 weeks and ending up feeling like crap with guilt and an upset stomach.

This is why I l-o-v-e raw desserts. They tend to be rich in nuts but low in sugar and are all made from plant based ingredients. These mini cheesecakes make the perfect size to enjoy anytime. I decided to prepare different flavours to spice things up but they are all made with the same base.

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Recipe: makes 8 cheesecakes

For the base:

– 2 cups of cashews (soaked in water for 4 hours or overnight)

– 1/2 cup of coconut oil

– 1/4  to 1/2 cup of water

– 1/4 tsp of vanilla

– 1/3 cup of agave

For the crust:

– 1 cup of almonds

– 6 dates (soaked in water before)

– a pinch of salt

– 2 tbsp of coconut oil

In a food processor or high speed blender mix the ingredients for the crust. Start with the almonds and blend until they turn into flour. Then add salt, coconut oil, and dates. You want to get a uniform dough. Place about 1-2 tbsp into each cupcake mold (or muffin depending what you will be using) to make the crust for the cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

In the meantime prepare the base. First blend the cashews, add vanilla, and agave. Then add 1/4 of a cup of water and mix until smooth. At this point add the coconut oil. In case the consistency is too thick you can add more water. Be careful because we want something not too runny; it should look like cake batter.

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Passionfruit cheesecake:

This tangy and fruity version is one of my favourites. Use the recipe above for the crust. In a separate bowl add the quantity needed to make the passionfruit cheesecakes, depending on how many you want to do. These instructions are designed for one cheesecake.

Add 1 tbsp of lemon juice to 1/2 cup of cheesecake base. Pour in the cupcake mold and refrigerate (in my case freeze – the weather is too warm so I freeze it first  )for about 1 hour. Top with the juice and seeds of one passionfruit – when there is too much juice toss some away. Refrigerate again until firm for about 4 hours. If you don’t have time nor patience to wait the 4 hours you can also freeze this cake. It tastes amazing either way. I have to admit it, the tropical weather and my impatience lead me to freeze it.

Let me know what you think in the comment bellow