YOU HAVE NOT LIVED UNTIL you try this cheesecake!!! I was randomly surfing the web one day looking for healthy desserts and I stumbled upon this one created by Hemsley & Hemsley (these ladies create healthy recipes and they recently opened up their cafe in Selfridges…hmmm, I think I just might pay them a visit very soon). I had never made a dessert using avocado so I was interested to see how it would turn out and I was stunned at how ammmaaaazzing it tasted! It’s truly my new favourite dessert and I haven’t stopped raving about it to my family and friends. The cool thing about this cheesecake is that it does not contain any cheese, processed sugar or flour, so I have zero guilt when I eat it; and it’s a brilliant dessert for people who are diary/gluten intolerant. Do you know the feeling when you discover something new and you can’t imagine your life without it? Cue Carly Rae Jepson, “Before you came into my life I missed you so bad, I missed you so bad, I missed you so so bad!”
So to make this cheesecake the way Hemsley & Hemsley make it click here, otherwise see below for instructions (I did make a few changes). Also, check out the Hemsley & Hemsley website for more healthy recipes.
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Ingredients
The base:
- 125g (4½oz) pecans, (I didn’t soak or dry them, I just used them raw)
- 45g (1½oz) desiccated coconut
- 70g (2½oz) cacao nibs
- 185g (6½oz) pitted dates (approx 32)
- 3 tbsp coconut oil, melted and at room temperature
The filling:
- 560g (1lb 2½oz) avocado flesh (from approximately 5 medium-large avocados)
- 200ml (7fl oz) lime juice (roughly 8 to 10 limes)
- 175ml (6fl oz) coconut oil, melted and at room temperature
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 190g (6¾oz) honey
- 2 punnets of blueberries (this isn’t in the original recipe and it’s just for decoration)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 150°C and line the base and sides of an 18cm (7in) round cake tin with greaseproof paper.
- Rinse the blueberries and drain in a colander.
- Place the pecans and desiccated coconut on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Place in the oven for seven to eight minutes, until toasted.
- Transfer the pecans & coconut into a food processor and add the rest of the base ingredients. Blend until the mixture is crumbly (don’t let it go completely smooth) and holds together when pinched.
- Pour this mixture into the cake tin and press this down firmly and evenly with the back of a spoon, ensuring it is neat and flat where it meets the tin.Put the tin into the fridge while you prepare the filling.
- Place all of the ingredients for the filling into the food processor and blend until the mixture is completely smooth and silky. Check for taste – add more lime juice, zest or honey according to preference, but it’s best to keep this deliciously tangy.
- Remove the cake tin from the fridge and pour the filling over the base. Use a paper towel to pat the blueberries dry then arrange on top of the filling.
- Cover the cake tin, using a plate or clingfilm, and return it to the fridge for a few hours or overnight (I actually put mine into the freezer for 1 hour in order to set the filling quickly).
- To serve, run a knife between the tin and the cake and carefully push the base up from the bottom. Transfer to a plate and serve immediately.
I didn’t eat all of the cheesecake by myself, although I was tempted, but I will confess that I did have some for breakfast – it’s that irresistible! Enjoy!
This looks good and I am so going to try this cos I just love avocado! Ahem… is there any left?
Author
Lol, there’s definitely none left – it’s just too moreish! Thanks Nguseer!